Bartlett's Anthias - Female

The female Bartlett’s Anthias is a brilliantly colored saltwater fish displaying a soft lavender-to-pink body contrasted by a vivid yellow back and caudal fin. Females generally show softer violet coloration than mature males, creating a bright two-tone appearance that stands out beautifully beneath reef aquarium lighting. Their active midwater swimming and graceful movement make them an especially attractive choice for established marine displays.

Nemanthias bartlettorum, formerly widely classified as Pseudanthias bartlettorum, occurs on Pacific coral reefs where it forms aggregations composed largely of females and juveniles with fewer dominant males. These active planktivores spend much of the day above reef structure, feeding on small organisms carried through the water column before retreating toward rockwork when threatened.

Female Bartlett’s Anthias can be maintained individually or incorporated into a carefully planned anthias group. Their manageable adult size, excellent reef compatibility, and striking coloration make them desirable marine aquarium fish for both mixed reef aquariums and appropriately stocked fish-only systems.

Quick Care Guide

Care Level: Moderate
Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Planktivore / Carnivore
Reef Safe: Yes
Region: Central and Western Pacific
Scientific Name: Nemanthias bartlettorum

Tank Requirements

Provide a mature, stable saltwater aquarium with a combination of substantial rockwork and generous open swimming space. Caves, ledges, overhangs, and crevices give the fish secure places to retreat, while unobstructed midwater areas allow for its natural swimming and feeding behavior.

Moderate to strong, varied water movement is beneficial and helps keep appropriately sized foods suspended in the water column. Good oxygenation, efficient filtration, and consistently high water quality are especially important because anthias generally require frequent feeding.

A secure aquarium lid is strongly recommended. Bartlett’s Anthias can jump when startled, chased, or newly introduced. When keeping multiple anthias, provide enough space and visual barriers for subordinate individuals to escape the attention of more dominant fish.

Diet and Feeding

Bartlett’s Anthias naturally feeds on zooplankton and should receive a varied diet of small, protein-rich marine foods in captivity. Suitable options include frozen mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, copepods, finely chopped marine seafood, quality frozen plankton blends, and appropriately sized marine pellets or flakes.

Several small feedings throughout the day are preferable to one large meal whenever practical. Newly introduced females may show a stronger response to frozen or live foods before becoming accustomed to prepared diets.

A mature reef aquarium with established copepod populations can provide useful supplemental feeding opportunities, but naturally occurring microfauna should not replace regular feeding.

Temperament and Tankmates

Female Bartlett’s Anthias are generally compatible with peaceful and moderately assertive reef fish, but social interactions within an anthias group can involve chasing and dominance displays. Females establish a hierarchy, and more dominant individuals may pressure subordinate fish if the aquarium is too small or lacks sufficient retreat areas.

They may be kept singly or as part of a group. When keeping several Bartlett’s Anthias, maintaining multiple females with a single established male is generally the preferred social arrangement. An all-female group may also establish its own hierarchy, with a dominant female potentially transitioning into a male over time.

Avoid combining them with highly aggressive fish that may prevent them from feeding or force them into hiding. Multiple established males should also be approached cautiously because territorial aggression can become significant.

Reef Compatibility

Bartlett’s Anthias is considered reef safe and is well suited to coral-dominated aquariums. It does not normally consume or damage stony corals, soft corals, anemones, or clams.

Its feeding behavior is directed primarily toward small planktonic organisms in the water column. Established ornamental shrimp, crabs, snails, and other common reef invertebrates are generally compatible.

Water Parameters

Temperature: 75–80°F
Specific Gravity: 1.024–1.026
pH: 8.1–8.4
Alkalinity: 8–12 dKH

Stable water chemistry is more important than continually adjusting the aquarium to reach an exact value within these ranges. Maintain excellent filtration, good oxygenation, and consistent water quality.

Common Considerations

• Female-to-male transition: Bartlett’s Anthias is a protogynous species, and a dominant female may begin transitioning toward male coloration and behavior when social conditions favor the change.

• Frequent feeding: Several small meals throughout the day help support this active planktivore and more closely match its natural feeding behavior.

• Social hierarchy: Chasing can occur among group members, particularly while dominance relationships are being established.

• Jumping risk: A tight-fitting lid or mesh cover is strongly recommended, especially during acclimation and when multiple anthias are housed together.

• Mature aquarium preferred: Stable water quality, good oxygenation, ample swimming room, and established biological filtration support successful long-term care.