What minimum aquarium size should I plan for?

Plan on at least 125 gallons for adults, particularly if you intend to keep a harem. The extra volume supports both the open midwater swimming space and the rockwork shelter the group requires.

How often should a Stocky Anthias be fed?

Offer small meaty foods at least twice daily, and preferably in several small feedings spread throughout the day. If a new specimen refuses prepared food, fortified live adult brine shrimp often starts it feeding.

Should Stocky Anthias be kept singly or in a group?

Groups or harems are preferred, typically one male with several females. If the dominant male is lost, the largest female may change sex and take his place.

Stocky Anthias

Pseudanthias hypselosoma

Anthias Reef Safe Carnivore Shoaling Fish

Care Level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi-Aggressive

Reef Safe

Yes

Max Size

7.5 inches

Min Tank

125 gallons

Origin

Indo-Pacific

Diet

Carnivore

Food

Frozen Mysis Shrimp, Enriched Brine Shrimp, Live Adult Brine Shrimp, Chopped Squid, Chopped Shrimp, Clam, Fish Flesh, Quality Flake Food

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Stocky Anthias - Male
Almost WYSIWYG Fish
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Pseudanthias hypselosoma is a broad, laterally compressed anthias that reaches roughly 7.5 inches, making it one of the heavier-bodied members of the group offered to home aquarists. The base coloration is pink, intensifying considerably when males display. Males can show an orange back, yellow lines along the flanks, a cream underside, elevated soft dorsal and anal fins, and a red dorsal spot that females lack. The species ranges widely through the Indo-Pacific, where it gathers in groups over protected lagoon and bay reefs at depths of approximately 6 to 50 meters.

Adult housing should begin at 125 gallons, with more volume warranted for a full harem. The layout matters as much as the footprint: this fish spends its day hovering in open water, so plan for extensive midwater swimming room bordered by rockwork riddled with caves, cracks, and crevices where individuals can rest and retreat. Strong water movement suits its natural habitat and also serves a practical purpose, since food released upstream will drift naturally through the swimming zone. The aquarium should be well established before this anthias is introduced, and a tight-fitting cover is essential because the species is prone to jumping.

On the reef, the Stocky Anthias picks zooplankton from the current, a feeding pattern that shapes everything about how it should be fed in captivity. As a carnivore, it does best on small meaty preparations: frozen mysis, enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped squid, shrimp, clam, and fish flesh. Over time, many specimens will also accept quality flake food. A refugium generating copepods and amphipods provides a useful trickle of supplementary live prey between scheduled feedings.

Feed small portions at least twice daily. Several smaller feedings spread across the day come closer to the continuous grazing this fish performs in the wild and help maintain condition in a species with a fast metabolism. Newly introduced individuals are often reluctant to eat and may require fortified live adult brine shrimp before they will shift onto frozen and prepared items, so budget time and patience for the transition period.

Frozen Mysis Shrimp Enriched Brine Shrimp Live Adult Brine Shrimp Chopped Squid Chopped Shrimp Clam Fish Flesh Quality Flake Food

This is a restless, active midwater fish that spends most of the day above the rockwork rather than in it. In nature it forms groups, and it is best maintained the same way in the aquarium, typically as a harem of one male and several females. The social structure is protogynous: should the dominant male be lost, the largest female may change sex and assume his role. Temperament assessments vary, and the species should be treated as semi-aggressive, with squabbling most likely within the group itself. Adequate space and plentiful shelter reduce friction, and interactions among group members deserve ongoing observation.

Choose calm tankmates that will not harass a hovering planktivore or outcompete it at feeding time. The Stocky Anthias is reef safe and does not trouble corals, and it is regarded as safe with invertebrates, making it a strong candidate for mixed reef displays. No species-specific risk to ornamental shrimp, crabs, snails, or clams has been documented. Its display coloration and constant midwater movement bring welcome activity to the upper water column of a large reef system.

Recommended Products

Premium Fish Food - Pellets - Reef Genetics

$11.99

TDO-C2 Chroma BOOST Fish Food - Reef Nutrition

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Stocky Anthias

What minimum aquarium size should I plan for?

Plan on at least 125 gallons for adults, particularly if you intend to keep a harem. The extra volume supports both the open midwater swimming space and the rockwork shelter the group requires.
How often should a Stocky Anthias be fed?

Offer small meaty foods at least twice daily, and preferably in several small feedings spread throughout the day. If a new specimen refuses prepared food, fortified live adult brine shrimp often starts it feeding.
Should Stocky Anthias be kept singly or in a group?

Groups or harems are preferred, typically one male with several females. If the dominant male is lost, the largest female may change sex and take his place.

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