Luzonichthys earlei

Randall, 1981

Earle’s Slender Anthias, Earle’s Splitfin

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Maldives, Christmas Island, New Britain, Marshalls, Hawaiian Islands and throughout Micronesia.

Size: 2 inches (5 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits steep outer reef slopes and usually found in large shoals at depths between 50 to about 600 feet (15 – 200 m) where it feeds mainly on zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Occasionally available in the trade, having a slender reddish pink body.

Best maintained in aquaria with some rocky caves and strong water movement, and with large unencumbered areas for schooling in small groups. Tankmates should be peaceful.

As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and should be offered at least twice daily and dispensed upstream so water currents carry food to their location.

Sometimes difficult to get feeding, and if so, fortified live adult brine shrimp may be necessary to get them feeding.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Percoidei

Family: Serranidae

Subfamily: Anthiinae

Genus: Luzonichthys

FYI: Best maintained in small groups of five or more.

Somewhat aggressive fishes will keep these somewhat shy fishes in hiding, where they may starve to death.

Experience Level: Beginner

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 78°F (22 – 26°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5