🐠 Painted Anthias (Pseudanthias pictilis)
A Pink-Orange-Blue Gradient • One of the Larger, Easier-Feeding Anthias • A Dazzling Reef Showpiece
 
📋 The Painted Anthias, also known as the Pictilis Anthias or Painted Goldie, is a dazzling species: males show a pink front half fading into bright reddish-orange toward the tail, with a pale blue patch and a distinctive blue oval marking on the caudal fin, while females display a softer pinkish-orange front and pale yellow rear.
It comes from steep outer reef slopes across the Western Pacific, including New Caledonia, Lord Howe Island, and Tonga, where it aggregates over deep water, typically between 20 and 30 metres, feeding on zooplankton in the current. As one of the larger Pseudanthias species, it's noticeably easier to feed than smaller, pickier relatives like the Purple Queen Anthias, and it adapts well to captivity. Every Painted Anthias we ship is feeding well.
It's fully reef safe and does best with subdued initial lighting and plenty of caves and crevices to retreat to, growing bolder as it settles in. It's a capable jumper, so use a tight-fitting lid. Keep it as a single fish, a mated pair, or a harem of one male with several females. It reaches up to 15cm, so plan on at least 470L for one fish, and more for a harem.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Pink-Orange-Blue Gradient: A dazzling combination of colours
📏 One of the Larger Anthias: Noticeably easier to feed than smaller relatives
🌗 Prefers Subdued Initial Lighting: Reflects its natural deep-reef origin
🍽️ Ships Feeding Well: An easy eater that adapts well to captivity
🌿 Fully Reef Safe: Won't harm corals or invertebrates