Facts and Information
The ubiquitous Lyre-tail Anthias with its beautiful orange-sherbert coloration is found shoaling over reef outcroppings from the Maldives of the Indian Ocean all the way northwest to southern Japan and all the way south to the northern shores of Australia. Terminal phase males sport a long pennant-like extension of the first and second dorsal rays and bright red blotches on the pectoral fins. Two distinguishing characteristics of the Anthiinae (anthiases) are the pennant-like extension of the second dorsal ray on the terminal phase males and a delicately forked tail. Anthiases are also hermaphroditic harem fish, meaning they form huge schools of females with a few dominant males and can change sex from female to male when needed. Females are differently colored than the males, who usually have much more pink coloration on the body in terminal phase coloration. Anthiases are closely related to the groupers and sea basses, which all together make up the family Serranidae.
Size - Medium
Possible Tankmates - Convict Tang, Blue Striped Clownfish