Borbonius Anthias juv/female

Borbonius Anthias juv/female, Odontanthias borbonius, also go by the name Blotched Anthias. These are great, iridescent pink and yellow fish. Compared to others, Borbonius Anthias look unusual. Most Anthias have a thin shape and small eyes in relation to their head. While the Borbonius Anthias have broad bodies and large, blue rimmed eyes. They also sport an array of blue tipped spines on their back.

Borbonius Anthias juv/female, Blotched Anthias, Ecology.

These fish come from deep waters, in the Indo Pacific Ocean. They live on and around: steep slopes, channels, and caves. The complex structures help the fish dodge predators. When feeling scared, they will quickly vanish and fix themselves into nooks and crannies.

In nature, juv/female Borbonius Anthias feed passively, as do most types of Anthias. Which means they stay in relatively still positions, while facing the current. When Pelagic zooplankton drifts towards them in the water, the fish snatch their food up. With this method, the hunters easily get hold of small critters and eggs, while using up the smallest amount of energy possible. Feeding is fairly constant, although other behaviours break up this activity.

These are fish that live in social groups, with one male to around 5 or more juv/female Borbonius Anthias. Although sometimes lone males can be sighted. Borbonius Anthias are protogynous hermaphrodites. Which means when the top male dies, the largest female in the group will turn male. It will then become the new breeding male. As a result, all juvenile Borbonius Anthias, are in fact young females.

Odontanthias borbonius In the Aquarium. 

It is important to have good currents and regular feeding in order to copy the natural environment. A wave maker can help with this. Keepers should think about using a jump guard to stop any loses.

Borbonius Anthias juv/female do best when fed a varied diet. They will accept frozen mysis shrimp and enriched frozen brine shrimp. They will also eat live foods, such as copepods and amphipods, that can be cultivated in attached refugium. Over time, these fish may have small amounts of high quality flake food as well.

Our Anthias are adapted to aquarium life and most are eating a good quality frozen food, enriched with garlic guard  and vitamins, before being offered for sale. We enrich all our frozen food with these additives. They are great for keeping fish healthy by supporting their immune systems.

We find that the best way to keep these fish is in a group. Hobbyists should aim to keep at least 1 Male Borbonius Anthias with 3 or more juv/females.