I want a Leopard Warsse

[elabar]

I have been wanting to get a Leopard wrasse for a few months now but I'm just not sure if I have the pods for him to eat before I can get him to eat frozen food. My current tank is a 75 gallon with a 30 gallon sump/fuge. The tank was first set up in August of last year in March I upgraded to my current tank. I used all the water and live rock from my old tank and seeded the sand with some from my old tank. In my fuge I have a few pounds of sand that I also seeded and a few pounds of live rock rubble and some cheato. How long should I wait to add a leopard to my tank so I have the best chance of the wrasse making it.

 

[MCCOOL]

Do you have any heavy pod eaters currently?

I think the biggest hurdle with leopards is finding a healthy one.

 

[mixedreeferhead]

i have a leopard and 6-line in a 155g without any issues. Just grab a bottle of live tigger pods or any other "reef bug" bottle you can find at ur LFS. Seed your tank with it....and watch your wrasse eat them up!!

 

[small alien]

Do you have any heavy pod eaters currently?

I think the biggest hurdle with leopards is finding a healthy one.

I would agree. They seem to take frozen mysis very easily. Its about getting a healthy one.

 

[elabar]

Well I went for it and got an Ornate Leopard,Macropharyngodon ornatus, They had a few other kinds but I just loved the color on this one so I went for it. About a month ago I added some tiger pods and I plan on doing it again. I also read that artic pods were good to feed untill I can get him on what I'm feeding the others.

 

[small alien]

Pic?

 

[elabar]

Sadly it did not make it through the night, after talking to the LFS 2 out of 3 leopards that got on the same shipment did not make it over 2 days. I'm a little disappointed in my LFS, they are the largest in my state but did refund me and told me next time they will hold the fish for a week or more to make sure it is healty. That is the first fish I have lost since I started and I'm pretty sadden by it.

 

[MCCOOL]

Unfortunately, that seems to be normal with leopard wrasses. It's imperative you buy one that is actively hunting at the lfs and eating prepared foods, if they seem lethargic or "out of it", avoid at all cost.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[snorvich]

Unfortunately, that seems to be normal with leopard wrasses. It's imperative you buy one that is actively hunting at the lfs and eating prepared foods, if they seem lethargic or "out of it", avoid at all cost.

Sorry for your loss.

Exactly correct. Have PE mysis for feeding as well as nutramar ova.

 

[Mark 75g]

I got my leopard wrasse from LA. It was small but that fish was active the next day and has been growing ever since. My 6 line chased him for a day or so and now he leaves him alone.

Try LA. Their fish seem to do very well.

 

[elabar]

I'll be moving my tank to a new apartment in Aug so I thinking of waiting until after the move before I try another one.

 

[Ralph ATL]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1486086

read this first!

 

[Monkeyfish]

I've been reading the leopard wrasse primer and it seems that many advocate NOT QTing the fish, but rather place him/her in the display right away. Is this still considered the best practice?

 

[MIKE NY]

Eric..I put mine right away after aclimation...it dived into the sand , but came out the very next day actively hunting....within a few days it was taking small meaty foods and then mysis...

 

[small alien]

I qt'd my pair in an estblished qt with an established sand bed. It allowed observation, food training, etc.

 

[Monkeyfish]

I'm concerned about it eating and, since it's going into a 180, I decided to put it in QT so I'll be able to observe it more easily. The QT is bare bottom, so I put a tupperware container with about 3 inches of sand in the tank. Of course the wrasse completely ignored the sand and went to sleep under the sponge filter next to the solorensis.

Figures.

The leopard didn't eat this morning, but since he's only been in the QT for about 18 hours, I'm not worried. Yet. I fed him mysis, live black worms and Nutramar Ova.

 

[cadre]

I think the key with Leopard wrasses is to get one that has been qt'd by your lfs. We lose more than half of our leopards within five days of their arrival and we hold all of them for two weeks minimum. The ones that make it the two weeks are always eating frozen when they are sold. The shipping stress seems to do them in first. We also have had good luck with training them with Ova, once they take that they figure out they can eat the frozen foods I guess.

FWIW, I don't think that a tupperware container of sand is really enough to make the fish comfortable.

 

[small alien]

That survival rate is shockingly low. Have you ever tried another supllier? That's a lot of dead wrasses.

 

[tqpolo]

Pods are overrated.

 

[Monkeyfish]

I think the key with Leopard wrasses is to get one that has been qt'd by your lfs. We lose more than half of our leopards within five days of their arrival and we hold all of them for two weeks minimum. The ones that make it the two weeks are always eating frozen when they are sold. The shipping stress seems to do them in first. We also have had good luck with training them with Ova, once they take that they figure out they can eat the frozen foods I guess.

FWIW, I don't think that a tupperware container of sand is really enough to make the fish comfortable.

He ate frozen brine at the LFS which is why I bought him. As for the sand, I don't like having it in the QT - more difficult to clean and administer meds; plus I'd have to remove it afterwards. However, if he continues to seem skittish or doesn't eat in the next 24-36 hours, I'll probably put it in some sand. He's a nice looking fish and I'd hate to lose him.