What's your Bartlett's anthias experiences

[Stinktooth]

I'm interested in getting some Bartlett's anthias. About 8-10 in total. I have read up a fair amount on them and was curious what your experiences were. I have read numerous times that they eventually all turn male and pick each other off. I have also read about success stories.
Reason I'm most interested in Bartlett's is because of the look and the size they grow to. I'm also open to options/opinions on other anthias that stay around the 4" and under range. Thanks.

[ponokareefer]

I've been research them quite a bit as well, but I haven't been able to find much in the way of long term success stories. I'm trying to find Dispar and Ignitus anthias instead. From what I've read, they aren't as hardy initially as Bartlett's, but don't all change to males and kill each other off eventually either. They stay fairly small as well and if you can get them eating, they seem to do really well.

[Stinktooth]

Dispar was my 2nd choice. As much as I like Bartlett's I'd rather get a anthias with a greater success rate.

[Aquattro]

I kept a school of 8 for almost a year, until disease wiped out the tank. Before that, they all got along, a mix of male and female.

[rsisvixen]

I was thinking of getting some too once my tank is established, I thought only the most dominant female becomes a male-out of curiosity why would they all turn into males?

[Stinktooth]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I kept a school of 8 for almost a year, until disease wiped out the tank. Before that, they all got along, a mix of male and female.

That's too bad you lost them to disease. How many males and females did you have? How big was the tank?

[Wheelman76]

I picked up 9 dispars a week ago and have them in quarantine. Actually turns out 3 of them are ignitus ,which is pretty common from what I've read because they are often collected together because they look so similar. It's harder to sex the males and females when they are on the smaller side , so I'm pretty sure I have 1 male dispar and 5 females. I'm hoping all the ignitus are female but I think one might be a male also. From what I've read it's fairly common that Anthias have flukes so I did a freshwater dip before adding them to quarantine. They all started eating the first day and eat everything I put in the tank. I feed them frozen cyclopeeze , frozen spirulina brine , and Docs Eco eggs. I've read that they like a fair amount of flow , especially when feeding. They like to chase the food around and it helps when it's moving around fast simulating live food. I've also been feeding them 4 times a day and so far everyone is doing great. I started a prazi pro treatment 2 days ago and will follow with a prophylactic chloroquine phosphate treatment for ich.

[Wheelman76]

As you mentioned earlier Stinktooth , I also read that it's fairly common for bartletts to turn male one by one and kill each other off. In fact it seems that bartletts are one of the worst , if not the worst for turning male and killing each other.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Stinktooth

That's too bad you lost them to disease. How many males and females did you have? How big was the tank?

I believe 3 male, 5 female. 180g tank, then into a 115g, but not there long enough to tell if the smaller tank would affect the order.

[duncangweller]

I have a single Bartletts in my tank and he's a bit of a hard arse. He picks on smaller fish and has an ongoing battle with my chromis.

Quite odd seeing as I rescued him from the brink of death when my clowns turned on him.