Attn.: Leopard Wrasse owners

[hkgar]

I am embarking on the challenge of keeping 3 Leopard Wrasses. I just received 3 female Blue Star from LA.

They are currently temp acclimating in the first TTM tank. I realize they are picking eaters, so my question is how to you get them into eating? I feed my tank home made frozen combination of squid, mysis, scallops, shrimp, oysters, mussels, cod and clams. I also have frozen Mysis on hand. My plan was to hope to get them to eat the mysis and then gradually had some of my frozen. I also have pellets and flake available.

Any advice is welcome.

 

[Cliving1]

Hey hkgar. Just did the same with 3 meleagris from live aquaria. They arrived on Saturday. Only 2 have made it so far, but once they were out of the sand they were pod hunting. I took that as a good sign to start a mysis/brine combo. With a little hesitation, they started eating almost right away. Since you wont have pods, I would try all sorts of food as you mentioned. I've also noticed them eating baby turbo snails

 

[ca1ore]

I would highly recommend skipping TTM for now and getting them into an appropriate QT that has some live rock and sand. Although they clearly can carry external parasites, the same things that protect them while sleeping in the sand also protect them from things like ich. Much more likely they have internal parasites, thus the importance of getting them eating. I have also found that they usually get interested in frozen after a few days. Those few that don't eat usually never do. Blue star females typically co-exit; meleagris generally do not.

 

[Cliving1]

I would highly recommend skipping TTM for now and getting them into an appropriate QT that has some live rock and sand. Although they clearly can carry external parasites, the same things that protect them while sleeping in the sand also protect them from things like ich. Much more likely they have internal parasites, thus the importance of getting them eating. I have also found that they usually get interested in frozen after a few days. Those few that don't eat usually never do. Blue star females typically co-exit; meleagris generally do not.

What do you mean by co-exit?

 

[Cancun]

IMO it is hit and miss about whether any leopards of the same species with Co exist. I have two female blue stars and two female Melegris Leopards in my tank. They all get along, and have been together for about a year. I also have a Moyers Leopard and Ornate as well.

As far as my Leopards, they all came from a LFS. They were all eatting frozen Mysis at the LFS. They were all at the LFS for a min of a week....most longer. I never QT any of my Leopards. They ate from day one. They also eat nori with my Tang. LOL!

I agree to get them in a stable tank with a sand bed asap...also get them eatting....a leopard who doesn't eat unfortunately looses weight fast and doesn't make it! Keep us posted! [emoji16]

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[mike61289]

What do you mean by co-exit?

I think they meant co-exist.

 

[Cliving1]

I think they meant co-exist.

Oh. That makes sense. Well I will try to find another

 

[CoralNerd]

Not sure if mentioned but Masstick is the bomb

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Most of the new fishes I've QT'd tend to gravitate to brine shrimp in the beginning. My ornate leopard was already eating when I bought it so I got lucky in that sense.
As for QT, the ornate leopard went through a 50 min formalin bath without major problems, then 5 days of Prazipro.

 

[OrionN]

You may want to spend some time reading the Leopard Wrasses Primer thread here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2369454

I did not add my at the same time, but they all live together and sleep at the same place. I did not do TTM with them, just add them into my QT system, which is full of pods. They hunt and get use to eat frozen and flakes there. Once they are use to eating captivity food, I release them into my 320 DT.
Good luck with your's

 

[Cancun]

How are your new leopards doing?

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[OrionN]

My new Leopard is doing fine but I did not have much luck lately. Over the last 6 months, I bought 4 Potters and 4 Black Leopards. Only batting 25% last 6 months because I only have 1 Potter and 1 Black to show for it. Both fish doing very well but only have 2 out of 8 is dismal to say the least. BTW, there is no eye disease with my black Leopard. It is light reflection. Sometime it cause the picture to turn out as if there is cloudy eye on this particular wrasse.

 

[Cancun]

My new Leopard is doing fine but I did not have much luck lately. Over the last 6 months, I bought 4 Potters and 4 Black Leopards. Only batting 25% last 6 months because I only have 1 Potter and 1 Black to show for it. Both fish doing very well but only have 2 out of 8 is dismal to say the least. BTW, there is no eye disease with my black Leopard. It is light reflection. Sometime it cause the picture to turn out as if there is cloudy eye on this particular wrasse.

Oh man! Yea I know that feeling! I lost my potters after two months of doing well, and my black Leopard after only a month! Disheartening to say the least!

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[hkgar]

How are your new leopards doing?

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Thanks for asking
I moved them to a QT yesterday with a sand bed. One had been struggling since I got her, spending a lot of time on the bottom on her side. Just not looking great.

Once moved to the QT 2 immediately went in the sand and one did not and has stayed up and a about swimming and looking good. I am assuming it was not the girl that did not look to be doing well.

Today a one of the buried came out of the sand and is doing well. I put in some pods this early pm and just now feed some Mysis and the two are really going after it. Yeh :celeb3::celeb3:

I am afraid the one still in the sand is the one who was not doing well and may never be seen again, which also means that I will not be able to file a claim with LA :headwally:

But, two out of three ain't bad

 

[Cancun]

Thanks for asking
I moved them to a QT yesterday with a sand bed. One had been struggling since I got her, spending a lot of time on the bottom on her side. Just not looking great.

Once moved to the QT 2 immediately went in the sand and one did not and has stayed up and a about swimming and looking good. I am assuming it was not the girl that did not look to be doing well.

Today a one of the buried came out of the sand and is doing well. I put in some pods this early pm and just now feed some Mysis and the two are really going after it. Yeh :celeb3::celeb3:

I am afraid the one still in the sand is the one who was not doing well and may never be seen again, which also means that I will not be able to file a claim with LA :headwally:

But, two out of three ain't bad

Sorry about the one not looking good! But glad the others are doing good and better yet eatting! In my experience getting them to eat frozen is the biggest hurdle! Keep us posted! [emoji16]

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[hkgar]

The lady that was (is) struggling came out of the sand today, but is still lying on her wide and not swimming. I treated with Prazi Pro. Hoping for the best.

 

[ca1ore]

I don't generally have issues with Meleagris (I don't initially group them though) but have NO success with the black. They start out fine, generally eat well, but then gradually lose weight and die. Prazi treatments make no difference.

 

[ca1ore]

What do you mean by co-exit?

Yes, missing the 's'. I don't have unlimited edit anymore otherwise I'd have fixed it.

 

[hkgar]

I don't generally have issues with Meleagris (I don't initially group them though) but have NO success with the black. They start out fine, generally eat well, but then gradually lose weight and die. Prazi treatments make no difference.

By black, do you mean the Blue Star (Macropharyngodon bipartitus)?

 

[hkgar]

Apparently she came out of the sand to die.