Bimaculatus Anthias

The Bimaculatus Anthias (often sold as the Twinspot Anthias) is a larger Pseudanthias with a streamlined “midwater planktivore” shape and a color pattern that reads as warm pinks and reds under reef lighting. It’s a reef-safe anthias commonly chosen when you want constant motion in the open water column without bothering corals.

What You’ll Observe:

• Cruising and hovering in the mid-to-upper water column, especially once it has a routine
• Quick, confident feeding responses to small foods in the water column
• Clear social behavior cues (one fish taking the lead, others giving space)
• Frequent short “loops” out from the rockwork and back again, especially at first

Provide open swimming room plus plenty of rockwork breaks so it can reset between laps. For best results, offer small meaty foods multiple times per day and mix in a fine pellet once it recognizes prepared foods. In groups, aim for a single standout male with multiple females so the social structure stays consistent.

Will it take pellets, or stay frozen-only?
Many keepers start with mysis/brine/LRS-style blends, then add small pellets once the fish is eating aggressively; mixing pellets into the same feeding helps it “learn” them as food.

Should I add a group all at once or stagger additions?
Hobbyists often have smoother group dynamics when anthias are introduced together, so they settle and establish a hierarchy at the same time.

Can I mix this anthias with other anthias species?
It’s commonly discussed as workable in larger tanks when you choose one fish per “look-alike” body type and introduce the more mild fish first.

How do I tell male vs. female, and can a female become male?
Like many anthias, the dominant fish shows stronger display behavior and coloration over time; groups commonly sort themselves out as one fish becomes the male.

Why does it sometimes “disappear” for a while even though it’s eating?
A short “hide, then loop out to feed” routine is commonly reported during settling-in; as the tank routine becomes predictable, it typically spends longer in the open.

Each fish is checked for strong appetite and activity before we approve it for your tank.