Threadfin anthias

The threadfin anthias is a small, brightly colored reef fish in the family Serranidae, native to the western Indian Ocean around the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and East African coasts. Males display a vivid magenta-to-orange body with elongated, thread-like fin extensions, while females are more uniformly orange-pink. Like most anthias it is a planktivore that lives in shoals on outer reef slopes, feeding constantly on drifting zooplankton in the water column. It is a haremic species: groups consist of one dominant male and several females, and the largest female can change sex to male if the male is lost. In the aquarium it needs a spacious tank with strong water movement, ample open swimming space, and frequent small feedings of enriched mysis, brine shrimp, and finely chopped seafood. It is peaceful and best kept in odd-numbered groups with calm tankmates in a well-established reef system.