🐠 Blotched Anthias (Odontanthias borbonius)
Marine Deepwater Anthias • Rare Pink & Gold Reef Display Fish • Cool-Water Specialist • Advanced Keepers Recommended
 
📋 The Blotched Anthias (Odontanthias borbonius), also known as the Borbonius Anthias, is a genuinely spectacular deepwater fish with a soft pink-to-lavender body scattered with irregular golden-yellow blotches, accented by violet, blue, and green highlights along tall, elegant fins.
Native across a wide Indo-Pacific range from South Africa to Palau, north to Japan and south to Indonesia, this species inhabits mesophotic and deep rocky reefs at roughly 70–300 metres — considerably deeper than most reef fish in the trade, staying close to caves and protected ledges where light is naturally dim and water stays cool.
We want to be honest with you here: as a genuine deep-water species, this is an advanced-keeper fish requiring meaningfully cooler water temperatures than a typical reef tank (an aquarium chiller is usually necessary), dim or shaded lighting — especially during initial acclimation — and a large, mature system with extensive caves and ledges. Collection from such depths is genuinely difficult and carries real risk, which is reflected in this species' price and limited availability. On the positive side, Blotched Anthias have been successfully captive-bred at specialist facilities, including Biota Palau, so captive-bred stock occasionally becomes available as a lower-impact alternative to wild collection.
For the right advanced setup, this is a genuinely stunning, reef-safe centerpiece fish.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Spectacular Pink & Gold Pattern: Irregular golden blotches over a soft pink-lavender body
❄️ Genuine Deepwater Species: Needs cooler temperatures and dim lighting, unlike most reef fish
💎 Rare & Difficult to Collect: Deep-water collection drives both rarity and price
🌿 Reef Safe: Fully compatible with corals and invertebrates
🧠 Advanced Keepers Recommended: A large, mature, well-shaded system is essential