QUICK STATS

Care Level: Moderate
Diet: Carnivore / Planktivore
Temperament: Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive
Reef-Safe: Yes
Venomous/Toxic: No
Approximate Purchase Size: 2-4"
Approximate Max Size: Around 4-5"
Recommended Tank Size: 75-125 Gallons or Larger

ORANGE LYRETAIL ANTHIAS

The Orange Lyretail Anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) is a bright, active reef fish known for its vivid orange coloration, graceful swimming behavior, and constant movement in the water column. The orange individuals sold in the aquarium trade are usually females or juveniles, while males typically develop stronger red, purple, or pink tones with more dramatic fin extensions.

Orange Lyretail Anthias are popular in reef aquariums because they add color, activity, and a natural schooling look. They spend much of the day swimming in open water and picking small foods from the water column. Basically, they are tiny reef confetti with metabolisms that refuse to calm down.

This species is considered reef-safe and should not bother corals or most invertebrates. They do best in established aquariums with peaceful to semi-peaceful tank mates, plenty of swimming room, and frequent feeding. Anthias are beautiful fish, but they are not “feed whenever you remember” fish. Sadly, convenience has once again been defeated by biology.

Note: Image is a representation of what to expect. The fish you receive may vary slightly in size, color, sex, markings, fin shape, and overall appearance.

AQUARIUM REQUIREMENTS

AQUARIUM SIZE

A minimum tank size of 75 gallons or larger is recommended for a single Orange Lyretail Anthias, with 125 gallons or larger preferred for groups or harems. This species is an active swimmer and benefits from long open swimming space.

Although individual Lyretail Anthias are not huge fish, they are very active and do best in aquariums with room to move. Larger systems also provide better stability and reduce aggression when keeping multiple anthias together.

HABITAT RECOMMENDATIONS

Orange Lyretail Anthias do best in established aquariums with open swimming space, live rock, shaded areas, and secure hiding places.

Aquascaping: Provide open swimming room along with rockwork, caves, ledges, and overhangs. Anthias like to swim in the open but still need shelter when startled or resting.

Substrate: Sand, fine aragonite, crushed coral, or bare-bottom systems can all work. This species does not depend heavily on the substrate.

Rockwork: Live rock is strongly recommended. It provides shelter, territory, biological filtration, and natural foraging areas.

Tank Maturity: A mature aquarium is preferred. Stable water quality and consistent feeding are important for keeping anthias healthy long term.

Tank Cover: A tight-fitting lid is strongly recommended. Anthias can jump, because apparently even beautiful open-water fish occasionally decide the floor deserves a visit.

WATER PARAMETERS

Orange Lyretail Anthias are generally hardy once established, but they still need clean, stable marine conditions. “Hardy anthias” does not mean “immune to neglect,” because biology remains annoyingly literal.

Temperature: 72-78°F
pH Level: 8.1-8.4
Salinity: 1.020-1.026 specific gravity
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate: Ammonia and nitrite should remain undetectable. Nitrate should be kept as low as reasonably possible, ideally below 20 ppm.
Water Flow: Moderate water movement is ideal. Provide enough flow to keep the aquarium oxygenated and move small foods through the water column, while still allowing calmer areas near rockwork for resting.

DIET

Orange Lyretail Anthias are carnivorous planktivores that naturally feed on tiny drifting foods such as zooplankton and small crustaceans. In aquariums, they need a varied diet of small meaty foods and should be fed more frequently than many common reef fish.

PRIMARY DIET

Frozen Food: Offer mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, cyclops, calanus, marine blends, finely chopped seafood, and other small frozen foods. We at Summit City Coral prefer frozen foods such as LRS Reef Frenzy and PE Mysis.

Prepared Foods: High-quality small marine pellets, flakes, and carnivore or omnivore blends can help provide a balanced diet once the fish is eating reliably. Smaller pellet sizes are best.

Live Foods: Copepods, amphipods, live brine shrimp, and other small live foods can help encourage feeding, especially in newly introduced or shy individuals.

Small Planktonic Foods: Small foods that stay suspended in the water column are especially useful. Anthias are built to pick food from moving water, not compete for giant chunks like tiny orange linebackers.

FEEDING FREQUENCY

Feed small amounts 2-3 times per day, with 3 or more smaller feedings preferred when possible. Anthias have fast metabolisms and do best with frequent small meals. One giant daily feeding is not ideal, no matter how much human scheduling insists otherwise.

COMPATIBILITY

Orange Lyretail Anthias are generally peaceful to semi-aggressive and work well in reef community aquariums. They are active but usually not overly aggressive toward unrelated peaceful fish.

COMMON TANK MATES

Fish: Clownfish, cardinalfish, gobies, blennies, firefish, chromis, peaceful wrasses, tangs, rabbitfish, dwarf angelfish, and other peaceful to semi-peaceful reef fish.

Avoid: Large predatory fish, aggressive dottybacks, overly aggressive damsels, triggers that may bully them, groupers, lionfish, and any fish likely to harass or eat them.

Same Species: Can be kept singly or in groups. Groups are often best kept as one male with multiple females in larger aquariums. Multiple males may fight, because apparently even tiny orange fish needed workplace drama.

Other Anthias: Use caution when mixing different anthias species. Larger aquariums with plenty of swimming space and frequent feeding improve the odds of success.

Invertebrates: Safe with cleaner shrimp, hermit crabs, snails, urchins, and most common reef invertebrates.

Coral: Orange Lyretail Anthias are considered reef-safe and should not bother soft corals, LPS, SPS, zoanthids, mushrooms, clams, or anemones.

BEHAVIORAL NOTES

Temperament: Peaceful to semi-aggressive. Usually peaceful with unrelated tank mates but may show hierarchy behavior within anthias groups.

Activity Level: Very active swimmer. Best suited for aquariums with open swimming space.

Group Behavior: Often kept singly or in groups. In groups, a hierarchy usually forms, and one dominant individual may become male over time.

Sex Change: Lyretail Anthias are protogynous, meaning females can transition to male if social conditions allow. Nature apparently looked at aquarium stocking plans and said, “Cute. I’ll improvise.”

Color Difference: Orange individuals are usually females or juveniles. Males often develop stronger red, purple, or pink coloration with more pronounced fins.

Reef Compatibility: Excellent for reef tanks. They generally ignore corals and invertebrates.

Feeding Needs: Requires frequent small meals to maintain body weight and energy. Thin anthias should be addressed quickly with increased feeding frequency and smaller foods.

Swimming Zone: Usually occupies the middle to upper water column and adds constant movement to the aquarium.

Jumping: A tight-fitting lid is strongly recommended. Active anthias can jump when startled, because apparently staying in the expensive saltwater box was too much to ask.

ACCLIMATION PROCESS

This acclimation method helps reduce stress by gradually introducing the fish to your aquarium’s temperature and water chemistry.

1. TURN OFF THE LIGHTS & ATO

Turn off aquarium lights to reduce stress. If you have an Auto Top Off system, switch it off before starting acclimation.

2. FLOAT THE BAG

Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15-20 minutes to allow the temperature in the bag to equalize with the tank.

3. OPEN BAG, ADD FISH TO CONTAINER

Carefully open the bag and transfer the fish and shipping water into a clean bucket or container.

4. ACCLIMATE USING TANK WATER

Add 1/4 cup of tank water to the container every 5 minutes for 40 minutes.

5. TRANSFER FISH TO AQUARIUM

Once acclimation is complete, gently transfer the fish into the aquarium using a net or specimen container. Discard the shipping water. Do not pour shipping water into your aquarium.

6. REFILL THE AQUARIUM WITH SALTWATER

You may need to replace the saltwater removed during acclimation with fresh mixed saltwater.