Purple Queen Anthias (Pseudanthias Tuka)

The Purple Queen Anthias is a stunning marine fish prized for its vibrant purple and pink coloration. Despite its beauty, this species is known to be one of the more challenging anthias to keep due to its specialized feeding requirements and sensitivity to tank conditions. The Purple Queen Anthias thrives in well-established aquariums with pristine water quality and requires multiple daily feedings of high-quality, small-sized foods to meet its dietary needs. This species is best suited for advanced aquarists experienced in maintaining delicate marine fish.

Care Information

• Maximum Size: Up to 5 inches.
• Tank Size: 75 gallons minimum; requires a tank with plenty of swimming space and hiding areas among rockwork.
• Diet: Carnivorous; primarily feeds on zooplankton in the wild. In captivity, it requires frequent small feedings (3-4 times daily) of enriched foods, such as mysis shrimp, copepods, rotifers, and finely chopped marine diets. It can be difficult to train onto frozen or prepared foods.
• Water Temp: 72-78°F.
• Salinity: 1.020-1.025.
• Aggression: Peaceful; does best in groups with other anthias and tankmates of similar temperament. Avoid aggressive fish that may outcompete it for food.
• Skill Level: Advanced; requires frequent feedings, pristine water quality, and a stable tank environment to thrive.
• Reef Compatibility: Reef-safe; does not harm corals or invertebrates, making it an excellent visual addition to reef tanks.

Special Requirement - Feeding Challenges
The Purple Queen Anthias is notoriously difficult to feed, as it requires a diet rich in zooplankton and multiple feedings per day. It may refuse frozen or prepared foods initially, so providing live foods such as copepods or enriched rotifers during acclimation is essential.

Compatibility
This anthias is peaceful and does best when kept in groups of 3-5 individuals. It is compatible with other peaceful, reef-safe fish, but care must be taken to ensure it gets enough food, especially in tanks with fast-eating tankmates.

Coloration

• Indo-Pacific Region: The Purple Queen Anthias is a vivid mix of purple and pink with a streamlined body and graceful fins, making it one of the most visually striking anthias species​.

Typical Habitat

• Distribution: Native to the Indo-Pacific, particularly in deeper reef zones where it feeds on zooplankton in the water column. In aquariums, it requires similar conditions with open swimming space and a stable, mature setup​.