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I've been introduced quite by accident to a new marine fish ... while reading the ever-growing Mattyboombatty aquarium thread. DarkRealm Overlord mentioned a fish called Pseudanthias smithvanizi, the Princess Anthias. I decided to go hunting for it, and found a picture of it here.

Isn't it one drop dead gorgeous fish? But then most of the Anthiid Fairy Basslets are ...

I suspect this one will be a challenge even to a veteran aquarist. Anyone who can give me more info on what this beauty needs, and whether or not it's still a problem fish like Mirolabrichthys tuka, your posts will be welcome.

Meanwhile, bask in that picture and see why people are seduced by saltwater ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Fishbase says that "Large aggregations occur on steep outer reef slopes and drop-offs", and that they can be found at depths of up to seventy meters. This means that they're probably fairly difficult for divers to collect, which accounts at least partially for their being rare in the hobby.

I don't know much about their care requirements, except that they're schooling fish and should be kept in groups. They can be found in a few different areas of the Indo-Pacific, so I'll take that and presume these fish are at least minimally hardy. Fish that can thrive and spread to other locations are resilient to some degree, and that *may* be the case here. I'm just speculating, though.


Last edited by sirbooks at 07-Dec-2005 06:37

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Ask Liana, shes also on the hunt for them!

Nick
"Impossumable- unable to play dead"

Dave, I'd just like to say...

THAT IS MY FISH.



Anybody who knows about this fish on fishprofiles, is because of me.

Well, Nate sort of shares it with me...it goes back a long time.

The princess anthias is my favorite fish, and what my tank is based around. Unfortunately, I haven't located any yet...and I have just about every major fish person in the country looking for them.

I've been looking months. They're nowhere to be found. Because they're so uncommon, we dont know all that much about them. My guess is that like most other anthias, they'll like to be in schools, and it might be necessary to have particular male/female ratios to keep nice coloration.

As for diet, the devils can eat whatever the hell they want once they find their way into my tank...

Just let me be clear. I OWN THAT FISH. Flippers off! K thanks.


-Ferret [img src='/images/forums/halo.gif' border=0]

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

My understanding is that Fairy basslets are not only shoaling fishes (with male/female ratio issues to boot), but consumers of small free-swimming plantkonic organisms in the wild, which is one of the reasons why they've been cited as 'difficult' fishes in the past. Any updates on this?

Is the Princess Anthias likely to be a challenge even for a veteran aquarist or is it likely to fall into the category of 'not for beginners, but experienced aquarists should be fine'?

One of the reasons I ask is that there are one or two species that are still regarded as 'touch me not' fishes in by people like Mike Paletta - Mirolabrichthys tuka, the Purple Queen, is one such fish, which seems to defy even the experts' attempts to keep it alive for more than a couple of weeks. Speaking of which, any advances been made with that fish too? Only both are absolute jewels that would grace any aquarium - provided they can be kept alive for decent lifespans of course ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Most anthias can be kept if you have the time and the setup for them. They require multiple feedings during the day, and should also be housed in a tank with a refugium for "bugs". A lot of things have changed, including the foods that are available that range from rotifers (live and frozen) to products like cyclop-eze. The foods are getting better and are allowing more and more fish to be kept.

*edit* I forgot to mention that while the Princess Anthias is probably my most favorite, that there is one more that ranks very close IMO. Pseudanthias ventralis is most likely going to be my center piece fish when my 240 is up and running.


[hr width='40%']As family members wept,
And officers consoled one another,
We realized the magnitude of our loss
As we bury yet another Law Enforcement brother.

Last edited by DarkRealm Overlord at 07-Dec-2005 22:09

Gotcha. Still no progress with Mirolabrichthys tuka though? Only everywhere I look even now, virtually everyone with an opinion on the subject says that this is a species best left in the ocean until someone cracks the secret.


Last edited by Calilasseia at 08-Dec-2005 00:32

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I don't know anyone who owns any purple queen anthias, probably for good reason. We have gotten multiple shipments of them in at work, and the fish that aren't sold within a few weeks just tend to disappear. They usually act pretty stressed the whole time they're in the store tank, too.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

The purple queens aren't THAT hard to keep I dont think.

Like Nate said, there are so many advances in the types of food we have on the market, making it a lot easier to keep some of the critters we once believed belonged only in the ocean.

My friend who visits a wholesaler whenever he gets the chance sees nice shipments of them everyonce in awhile. I'm going to get purple queens if I cant get smithvanizi's or ventralis. They're my next best bet...

I wouldn't recommend them to a beginner, but I think if you have the right type of tank, and dedication and patience to deal with them, there should be no problems.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

If what I've encountered by way of information from various sources is anything to go by Ferret, you'd better be prepared for expensive losses if you go with Purple Queens ... just about everyone in the saltwater game with provenance (i.e., Paletta, Calfo and co) say that Purple Queens are fishes that even veteran aquarists will have exasperating problems with. That includes people who've cultivated huge quantities of live food in refugia. There's still some undiscovered secret with that species, and I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of a success story with it.

If I were you, I'd bide your time and go with the Princess Anthias. Apparently it'll live for some time with due care and attention. And it'll be a scintillating jewel in your aquarium if you do get it. Mind you, I suspect getting a small group of them will break the bank!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

If I could find the princess anthias, I would get the princess anthias.

Unfortunately, I have every guy (and gal!) in my reef club looking for them, and Nate has abused his fish sources to the fullest, and we still have not found any.

It's not like I started looking last week either, I've had my eyes open for nearly a year now.

And anybody who knows me...knows that I'm determined and stubborn. I do NOT like giving up. For me to give up on finding this fish...it means I've put 110% into looking for it.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

My fingers are crossed for you Ferret ... not least because I know you'll love that fish to pieces if you get it. It won't ever be lacking for TLC.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Thanks for your support. I need it.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

A friend who works at my lfs has 2 of these. nice colours but overall i wasnt that impressed. but then again it doesnt eat shrimp...im kinda bias that way