Mirolabrichthys pascalus – Amethyst Anthias
Mirolabrichthys pascalus was first described in 1927 by Jordan and Tanaka. Their common name is Amethyst Anthias.
The genus name Mirolabrichthys is composed of three ancient Greek words. Miro: derived from the Ancient Greek word “mirus“, meaning”miraculous” or”remarkable” . Labrichthys: a combination of“labrum“, meaning”lip” , and“ichthys“, meaning”fish” . So, Mirolabrichthys literally describes a”prodigious wrasse”. The name refers to the distinctive, trunk-like, fleshy, pointed outgrowth on the upper jaw of males of the species Mirolabrichthys tuka. This unique lip shape is so remarkable that it inspired the name of the entire genus.
No explanation was given for the origin of the species name.
Synonyms: Entonanthias pascalus, Anthias pascalus, Pseudanthias pascalus, Mirolabrichthys tuka pascalus, Mikrolabrichthys pascalus, Pseudanthias pascalis, Pseudoanthias pascalus.
Description
The Amethyst Anthias is pink to purple in color. It looks very similar to the Mirolabrichthys tuka but there are some differences. The males have some smaller spots in the dorsal fin that form a large spot in the tuka. The nose of the males ends in a point and the edges of the tail fin have long flared filaments. The females are also completely pink/purple and do not get a yellow stripe. Due to the large distribution area, this species does have some variation in coloration of the throat and the tail, for example. This can sometimes be (partly) yellow.
They can reach a total length of about 20 centimeters. Like the other Anthias species, the Mirolabrichthys pascalus is hermaphrodite. All specimens are born as females. If the group needs it or if the male drops out, the largest and strongest female within the group turns into a male.
Biotope
The range of Mirolabrichthys pascalus extends from the South China Sea down to the Great Barrier Reef off Australia and further east into the Pacific Ocean. There they inhabit the outer edges of coral reefs, coral near caves and near slopes to deeper water. They live at depths of about 5 to 60 meters.
You can find them in large groups, often in combination with other Anthias species such as Mirolabrichthys tuka. The large groups are themselves subdivided into harems in which one male keeps several females.
Diet
In the wild, the Amethyst Anthias feeds on copepods (one-eyed crustaceans), plankton, crustacean larvae and fish eggs. In the aquarium you can feed them with live artemia, mysis, copepods, animal plankton etc. After an acclimatization period they may get used to other foods , but they remain a difficult eater. Even if the animals eat well , it remains a difficult fish to keep eating.
The Aquarium
The aquarium for Mirolabrichthys pascalus should be set up as a reef. They are absolutely reef safe. However, it is a schoaling fish that should be kept in a group of at least eight specimens. Therefore, they need a sizable aquarium starting at about 800 liters. Provide plenty of current to keep the fish strong and healthy.
The school usually consists of 1 male and several females. Actually, a real school in the aquarium is not possible because a school consists of several harems. Most home aquariums are not large enough for this.
Since it is a tricky species to get and keep eating, this species is only recommended for the advanced enthusiast.
Breeding Mirolabrichthys pascalus – Amethyst Anthias
Breeding of the Amethyst Anthias has not yet succeeded in the aquarium to my knowledge.
Video
Author
John de Lange
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