Lyretail Anthias/Sea Goldie Pseudanthias squamipinnis

The Lyretail Anthias, also called Sea Goldie, Orange/Jewel Fairy Basslet and Scalefin Anthias, is in the Bass and Grouper family. It is native to reefs of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

Male and female have a very different appearance. Males are up to 15cm long and a red-purple or pink colour with a lyre-shaped tail with flowing edges on older males, an elongated third spine of the dorsal fin and a red patch on the pectoral fin.

Females, called Sea Goldies and Orange Fairy Basslets, are orange or yellow with a purple/violet eye ring and eyestripe below the eye. They grow to 7cm long.

Diet is zooplankton.

A male has a harem of several females. When the male dies or is removed, a senior female will transition to male and take over the group.