Checked swallowtail (Odontanthias borbonius)

Odontanthias borbonius, commonly known as the Checked swallowtail, is the only Odontanthias which is commonly available. It's more expensive than most other Anthias species because it comes from quite deep waters. But with it's beautiful pink to orange base colour covered with yellowish stripes and spots, most people still have this fish high on their wishlist. When buying a pair/harem you don't need to worry about sex ratios because these fish are hermaphroditic. This means the most dominant fish will automatically turn into the male when there is no other male around.

Unlike many other anthias, O. Borbonius can best be kept as a pair or harem (male with a few females). Do make sure they can eat multiple times a day though, because in nature they feed on zooplankton the entire day, and are not build for one meal a day!