Leopard wrasse behavior

[flfireman1]

I recently purchased a Leopard wrasse (against my better judgement), that had just been acquired by the LFS. As a matter of fact, it was still in the bag from the wholesaler.

Anyhow, I acclimated him normally and put him in my reef (I dont have a quarantine tank). His behavior has been very odd, and he just hangs around the glass and swims with no particular motive. Shortly after putting him in the lights went to dusk mode and he dove for the sand which I understand is normal behavior. He didnt come out until today ( 1 day later) and is still exhibiting this behavior I fed live brine shrimp and he actually ate, but only when he noted food swimming around him and didnt actually "hunt" for it. Just ate whatever drifted by.

I read the RK Mag article about leopard wrasses entitled "leopards of the sea", and the author discribes this behavior and states that he usually has seen wrasses die within 48 hrs that exhibit this behavior. My question is why do they die, since the author doesnt explain why. Has anyone else seen this??Is there anything I could be doing to help this guy out? Or should I just hope for the best and hope he comes around?

Thanks
Eric

 

[macawmagic]

i don't know...my leopards weird...had him for like 2 weeks now, but he's still on a diffarent timezone! The lights in my tank are one from 2pm-10pm. He's awake from about 8am-5pm. Why can't he learn to sleep in? Dumb fish! I only get to see him for like 3 hours each day!

 

[flfireman1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11924971#post11924971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by macawmagic
He's awake from about 8am-5pm. Why can't he learn to sleep in? Dumb fish! I only get to see him for like 3 hours each day!

Yes, but when he is awake, is he searching the rocks for food or is he standing around the front of the glass?

 

[macawmagic]

kinda both...

 

[Beach Bum 70]

tough , tpugh fish I tried 3 times wiht no luck. The most I made with one was a week. Good luck

 

[coralfragger101]

One of the problems with these fish are that most arrive with intestinal worms and should be QT'd and dewormed before introducing them into your main tank. (so I've read)

Personally, I've only had one and he was fine for the several months that I had him. I opted to sell him because I didn't have a DSB for him at the time and couldn't stand to see him diving under a 1.5" substrate of large crushed coral.

 

[racermike27]

I have two of them. I potter's leopard and a male divided. These fish are very tricky but once aclimated and cleared of the parasites they do well in the tank.

They need to be QT'd well, and fed with some sort of de-wormer. Problem is getting them to eat it.

My two are very active and eat like pigs. I have had the potter's for a year and the divided for about 6 mths now. I did purchase a female for the divided and she was fine for about 4mths and then died for no apparent reason. i am geussing it was due to parasites as well.

They are pretty tricky at times. I think I went through 6 others before I was successful with the ones I have now.

 

[pedromatic]

Wrasses sometimes takes weeks to acclimate to their new surroundings, tankmates, time zone, etc. You might not see them for days, and/or they may not eat. If they're healthy and they make it, they'll slowly start to exhibit normal behavior (for a wrasse).

I have a Yellowtail Wrasse whos stomach looked pinched and it would meander back and forth in one spot and wouldn't eat. I thought it was a goner, but one day it tried some PE Mysis and is now doing well. Try some live food, brine shrimp or small guppies. All my wrasses love guppies, they grab them and bash them against a rock to break them up into bite-size pieces. :eek1:

 

[gasman059]

Great fish will eat flatworms (Platyhelminthes) and the parasitic snails.They are very difficult to maintain for any length of time in captivity- I've had many and currently own two for over a year and very happy and healthy.( the longest I've kept them)

Do not purchase one that has a pinched belly, or especially one that is concave between the eyes. Only consider one that is actively searching every crevice of its tank for food.
Another issue is jet lag! they can easily take time to acclimte to your photoperiod thus starving to death.


So leopard wrasses are very active fish and have an unusually high food budget. and require a large established reef tank,

If the small pods in your reef tank have already been eliminated by other fish you will probably not be successful introducing one of these fish.

Good luck and hope this helps!