A pink fish
The barber is a small fish of the serranidae family that lives in schools on the Atlantic coast and in the Mediterranean. Its scientific name is Anthias anthias and it is sometimes called red beaver, anthias or swallow barber.
A brightly colored fish, from pink to orange to yellow and blue that amazes the eyes of fishermen. Its head has three horizontal yellow lines. With an oval shape, the barber fish measures on average 15 cm and can reach 25 cm.
The male barber is more imposing than the female. It has spiny rays on the anal and dorsal fins of yellow colors. The anthias has a short lifespan which hardly exceeds five years.
A hermaphroditic species
The barber is first female and then becomes male, it is a protogynous hermaphrodite species. When a male dies, it is the oldest female who will become in turn male.
The reproduction period takes place from June to September. The male surrounds himself with about ten females for a reproduction which takes place in open water.
Palangrotte or support fishing
Carnivorous fish, the barber feeds mainly on worms or small fish. It can also hunt small fry. The anthias has a protractile mouth which allows it to bait baits used for fishing with support or longline.
If you want to target barbel to discover these magnificent fish, it is advisable to look for them on drop offs between 30 and 300 meters deep or on wrecks. The barber is one of those species of fish that can be caught during vertical bait fishing from a boat or a kayak.
True aquarium fish, it is possible to keep it in an aquarium even if it is not always easy.
