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Sunburst Anthias
Anthias

Sunburst Anthias

Serranocirrhitus latus

Also sold as the Fathead Anthias — a deep-bodied pink fish with heavy yellow-orange scale edges, built quite differently from the slim open-water anthias. It comes from deeper, shaded reef slopes and behaves accordingly: it stays low in the tank, works the underside of overhangs and caves, and prefers moderate light and moderate flow rather than a high-current front row. It can be kept as a single fish or as a small group introduced all at once, but only one will end up male. Feed small meaty foods several times a day and give it a pod-producing refugium; it is a picker, not a gulper. Reef safe and peaceful, but it will be bullied out of its share by boisterous tankmates.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
5.1"
Min tank
70 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork, Caves
Keep one male with several females in a large tank.
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Tankmates

How Sunburst 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 Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Powder Blue TangSunburst anthias are explicitly described as easily intimidated by large tangs. A powder blue is a fast, restless, territorial grazer that will keep the anthias wedged in the rockwork and off its food.Purple DottybackDottybacks are specifically listed among the fish that intimidate sunburst anthias. A purple dottyback claims the caves and ledges the anthias needs, so the anthias hides and stops feeding.Lyretail AnthiasA male lyretail's boisterous chasing is fine for its own females but overwhelming for a passive species. The sunburst anthias is a shy cave-dweller and will retreat rather than compete, so it feeds badly.Emperor AngelfishLarge angelfish are named alongside tangs and dottybacks as fish that intimidate the sunburst anthias. An adult emperor angel dominates the rockwork the anthias needs to feel safe enough to feed.Achilles TangSunburst anthias are easily intimidated by large tangs. The Achilles is one of the most highly-strung and territorial of them, and a shy cave-dwelling anthias will simply stop coming out to feed.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Neon DottybackDottybacks are named as fish that intimidate the sunburst anthias, and the neon dottyback is one of the pushier ones — feisty, territorial and not to be kept with shy species. The anthias will stay hidden and feed poorly.Royal DottybackRoyal dottybacks are extremely territorial and will bully fish many times their size; shy, retiring species are specifically called out as the wrong tankmates. The sunburst anthias is exactly that, and is separately documented as easily intimidated by dottybacks.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sunburst Anthias.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sunburst Anthias.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sunburst Anthias.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sunburst Anthias.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Dogface PufferDogface Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sunburst Anthias.Lunare WrasseLunare Wrasse (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Spanish HogfishSpanish Hogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sunburst Anthias.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Randall's AnthiasBoth are shy, cave-oriented anthias that want the same shaded ledges, and the sunburst is territorial toward similar-looking fish. Two timid species competing for the same hiding spots usually means one of them never settles.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Dispar 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 RabbitfishThe sunburst anthias is easily intimidated and hides when a large bold fish shares its space. A foxface both outcompetes it at feeding time and keeps it in the rocks.Naso TangNaso tangs are peaceful but very large and constantly on the move, and large tangs are named as fish that intimidate the sunburst anthias and outcompete it for food. Workable in a big tank with plenty of caves and several small feedings.One Spot FoxfaceThe sunburst anthias is a shy cave-dweller that needs a calm tank to come out and feed. A big, bold foxface grazing the same water column intimidates it back into the rockwork and takes the food first.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Blonde Naso TangBlonde Naso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.Desjardini Sailfin TangDesjardini Sailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sunburst Anthias and may harass it.