Dispar Anthias

Overview

The Dispar Anthias, also called the Peach Anthias, is a small, delicately coloured anthias with males showing a pink-to-lavender body with a striking purple stripe, while females are a soft peachy orange. It's one of the more commonly available and slightly hardier anthias species, making it a reasonable entry point into keeping this group.

Like other anthias it's naturally social and shows its best colour and behaviour in a small group with one male and several females, hovering together above rockwork picking at passing plankton.

Its fast metabolism and need for frequent feeding are typical of the anthias group, so a consistent feeding schedule and stable, established tank are important for long-term success.

Compatibility

Dispar Anthias are peaceful and reef safe, ignoring corals and invertebrates entirely. They do best in a group of one male with several females, and generally coexist well with other peaceful reef fish, though boisterous or fast-feeding tankmates can outcompete them for food.

Multiple males in a small tank may show aggression toward one another, so stocking ratios matter if keeping a group.

Health & quarantine

As with all anthias, this species can decline quickly if underfed or exposed to unstable water conditions, so a mature tank and consistent feeding schedule are essential. A minimum two-to-four-week quarantine with careful feeding monitoring is recommended, and new arrivals should be watched closely to confirm they're eating within the first few days.