
Squarespot anthias
Pseudanthias pleurotaenia
The giant of anthias, cruising slowly with a bright square on its flank.
The Squarespot anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia) is a tropical marine fish of the family Anthiadidae. It lives on and around reefs, between 0 and 180 m deep. Adults grow to about 19 cm; the largest on record measured 20 cm (total length). In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 180 cm long and water at 22–26 °C.
- Size
- 19 cm
- Smallest tank
- 180 cm
- Temperature
- 22–26 °C
- Care
- Moderate
In the aquarium
Temperature22–26 °C
pH7.8–8.5
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Activity
- Moderate
- Water layer
- Mid water
- Group
- Happiest in a group of 3 or more
- Coral
- Reef safe
These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.
Which tank it fits
- Nano60 cm · 65 litresToo small
- Standard90 cm · 180 litresToo small
- Wide120 cm · 300 litresToo small
- Living room180 cm · 650 litres27 of them
- Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres50 of them
- Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres60 of them
Who it lives with
Gets along56 species
- Powder blue tang
- Foxface rabbitfish
- Regal angelfish
- Lunare wrasse
- Blue tang
- Pyramid butterflyfish
- Maroon clownfish
- Copperband butterflyfish
- Longnose butterflyfish
- Lined seahorse
- Diamond watchman goby
- Picasso triggerfish
- Melanurus wrasse
- Exquisite fairy wrasse
- Lawnmower blenny
- Starry blenny
- Pearlscale butterflyfish
- Aiptasia-eating filefish
- Yellow coris wrasse
- Leopard wrasse
- Domino damselfish
- Radiant wrasse
- Cleaner wrasse
- Bicolor blenny
Caution43 species
Both semi-aggressive
- Yellow tang
- Scopas tang
- Convict tang
- Raccoon butterflyfish
- Threadfin butterflyfish
- Dwarf lionfish
- Kole tang
- Engineer goby
- Tomato clownfish
- Lemonpeel angelfish
- Bicolor angelfish
- Scott's fairy wrasse
- Midas blenny
- Longnose hawkfish
- Clarkii clownfish
- Valentini puffer
- Sailfin tang
- Flame angelfish
- Coral beauty angelfish
- Potter's angelfish
- Mystery wrasse
- Blackcap basslet
- Rusty angelfish
- Canary blenny
- Striped fang blenny
- Neon dottyback
- Bartlett's anthias
- Clownfish
- Naso tang
- French angelfish
- Flame hawkfish
- Porcupine puffer
- Orchid dottyback
- Banggai cardinalfish
- Percula clownfish
- Cherub angelfish
- Sixline wrasse
- Falco hawkfish
- Yellowtail damselfish
- Azure damselfish
- Volitans lionfish
- Niger triggerfish
Narrow shared temperature range
In the wild
- Water type
- Marine
- Climate zone
- Tropical
- Habitat
- Coral and rocky reefs
- Largest on record
- 20 cmtotal length
Depth
surface
0 m180 m
Conservation status
Classification
- OrderPerciformes
- FamilyAnthiadidae
- GenusPseudanthias
- SpeciesPseudanthias pleurotaenia
- Described byBleeker, 1857
In other languages
- Spanish
- Anthias espejo
- French
- Anthias à tache carrée
- Japanese
- スミレナガハナダイ
- Chinese
- 側帶擬花鮨
Quick answers
- Squarespot anthias size: how big does it get?
- Adults reach about 19 cm. The largest on record measured 20 cm (total length). The largest of the 9 Pseudanthias species on LumaReef (Bartlett's anthias is the smallest, 9 cm).
- Squarespot anthias tank size: what is the minimum?
- A tank at least 180 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Living room tank or larger.
- Squarespot anthias water parameters: what does it need?
- Temperature 22–26 °C, pH 7.8–8.5. Close to what most Pseudanthias on LumaReef need (23–27 °C).
- Squarespot anthias tank mates: what can it live with?
- It gets along with 56 of the 99 reef species in the catalogue, such as Powder blue tang, Foxface rabbitfish, and Regal angelfish.
- Squarespot anthias: alone or in a group?
- Keep at least 3 together.
- Squarespot anthias and corals: is it reef safe?
- Yes, it leaves corals alone.
- Squarespot anthias depth: how deep does it live?
- In the wild, 0 to 180 m down. Deeper than most Pseudanthias on LumaReef (4–40 m).
Similar species
Sources
Squarespot anthias: compiled from these references.









