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Purple Queen Anthias
Anthias

Purple Queen Anthias

Pseudanthias tuka

One of the most spectacular reef fish in the trade: a shimmering magenta-purple body trimmed in electric blue with a sunny yellow chin, males dazzling in a harem of shoaling females. It is also one of the hardest anthias to keep alive, notorious for refusing prepared foods, shipping poorly, and starving in captivity. Success demands a mature system, near-constant zooplankton (live copepods and enriched rotifers to start), multiple daily feedings, and strong flow. Strictly for experienced keepers willing to run an anthias-focused feeding regime.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
4.7"
Min tank
79 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Mid-water, Open water
Keep one male with several females in a large tank.
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Tankmates

How Purple Queen 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 Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Dogface PufferDogface Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Porcupine PufferPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Lunare WrasseLunare Wrasse (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Spanish HogfishSpanish Hogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen 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 Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Blueface AngelfishBlueface Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Blonde Naso TangBlonde Naso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Desjardini Sailfin TangDesjardini Sailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.