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Dispar Anthias
Anthias

Dispar Anthias

Pseudanthias dispar

A slender, shallow-water plankton feeder that spends its day hanging in open water above the rock, males showing a tall red dorsal fin and females a soft orange-over-lavender body. It is a shoaling fish in nature and looks wrong kept alone — one male with a group of females is the normal aquarium arrangement, and everyone should go in at the same time. Like all anthias it burns through energy fast and needs several small feedings a day, so it belongs in a mature tank with a working feeding routine rather than a new one. It is fully reef safe and will not bother corals or cleanup crew. The two things that decide success are open swimming volume with real current, and a tight lid — it jumps.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
3.7"
Min tank
70 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Mid-water, Open water, Surface
Best in a shoal of 3+.
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Tankmates

How Dispar Anthias gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Purple DottybackDottybacks are named in dispar anthias care guidance as tankmates to avoid because they harass small fish. Expect the anthias to hug the rockwork instead of hovering in the open where it feeds.Red Coris WrasseLarge wrasses are named as fish that outcompete anthias for food, and dispar anthias guidance says to avoid them outright. The red coris grows to over a foot, feeds aggressively and becomes the dominant fish in most tanks.Lyretail AnthiasTwo anthias species means two males competing for the same dominant role. Lyretails are one of the feistiest anthias, and a male lyretail's chasing is more than a milder dispar will tolerate. Only try this in a large tank with plenty of females to spread the aggression.Bartlett's AnthiasBartlett's is rated one of the two most aggressive anthias in the hobby. Put a male Bartlett's with a dispar and they compete for the same dominant-male role, with the dispar usually the one being chased.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Neon DottybackDispar anthias should not be housed with dottybacks that harass small fish. The neon dottyback is a bold, territorial hunter that will chase a shy mid-water anthias off its feeding spot.Royal DottybackDispar anthias care guidance explicitly says to avoid dottybacks that harass small fish. The royal dottyback is the classic offender — it bullies fish far larger than itself and should never share a tank with shy, jittery species.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Dispar Anthias.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Sailfin TangSailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Powder Blue TangBig tangs are named in dispar anthias guidance as tankmates to avoid. A powder blue is a relentless, fast-moving feeder that clears the water column before a shy anthias commits — a feeding problem, not a fighting one.Randall's AnthiasBoth are harem anthias whose dominant female turns male, so two species in one tank means two males contesting the same role. Dispar guidance advises caution with other anthias species — one species kept as a proper harem is the safer build.Sunburst AnthiasDispar anthias guidance advises caution with other anthias species, and the sunburst is territorial toward similar fish and needs its own caves. In anything under a very large tank the two compete for status and hiding space.Foxface RabbitfishRabbitfish are named as fish that will outcompete anthias for food. Dispar anthias are shy feeders when stressed, so the foxface's confident grazing leaves them thin over weeks rather than causing any visible fighting.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Naso TangNaso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Scopas TangScopas Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.One Spot FoxfaceAnthias are timid mid-water plankton pickers and are named as being outcompeted for food by rabbitfish. The foxface is a fast, confident feeder that hoovers up food before the anthias commit to it. Not a fight — a slow starvation risk. Feed several small portions a day and target-feed the anthias.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Blueface AngelfishBlueface Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Crosshatch TriggerfishCrosshatch Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Blonde Naso TangBlonde Naso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Desjardini Sailfin TangDesjardini Sailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.Orange Shoulder TangOrange Shoulder Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Dispar Anthias and may harass it.