evolved
Wrasse Nut
You probably now have a female and a transitional male. Unfortunately, this happens sometimes, and there's not much you can do besides remove one.
Leopard Wrasse Primer
- Thread starter BrianD
- Start date
kevin32
Member
Darn, guess I'll remove the dominant one. Btw, I thought leopard can be kept in pairs no?
this is me
Active member
I've tried putting two more bipartitus with my current bipartitus and at the time, it wasn't even changing but it chased and eventually killed the newcomers. I also tried a meleagris and it also fell victim to the bipartitus. I gave up and now it's starting to change to male.
Maxxingout
New member
Not sure if you read my posts but I just went through something like this myself. Had a established male bipartitus then added a pearl wrasse and a female bipartitus. THe male didn't bother the pearl wrasse to much but definitely tried to kill the female, hard. Moving the male then reintroducing him 1 week later fixed that problem,
kevin32
Member
Awesome, thank you. Where you put the male for the time being?
Maxxingout
New member
I put him in the fuge section of my sump. I felt bad cause I know it was way to small for him. Just make sure to have enough sand for him to sleep in.
evolved
Wrasse Nut
Usually, but not always. For whatever reason, sometimes the male won't allow it.
Ralph ATL
Formerly mysterybox
Over the last 7-8 years or so (?), I have had 2 male Leopards. The first one I got was a Macropharyngodon meleagris, and he killed my female potters and female bipart, and I sold my female meleagris. About a year later, I purchases 2 Macropharyngodon kuitier wrasses and one became male and one female...within hours of introduction (after QT and conditioning in another tank) he went for both...I sold him.... After 2 years my male Macropharyngodon kuitier started harassing my beautiful female until she would not eat anymore (she was extremely fat and healthy). She died...he's fine at 3.5 years or so...I have a mix and match on 4 Anampses, and they flash and harass slightly, but more playful and it ends quickly...
Maxxingout
New member
It is crazy, I never thought I'd get my male/female blue stars to get along. Not after what I was witnessing. I do realize it's always different with every fish due to temperament, I'm just glad it worked out for me cause they're amazing to watch and look at.
Last couple of days I've been watching the 2 dancing vertically with each other. The male keeps trying to show off to the female and she's kind of checking him out. Really funny to watch.
Last couple of days I've been watching the 2 dancing vertically with each other. The male keeps trying to show off to the female and she's kind of checking him out. Really funny to watch.
Ralph ATL
Formerly mysterybox
I am not saying that it will change with your fish, but males typically get "nasty" at sexual maturity...My pair of kuitier were best buds for like 2 years!
wrassesngobies
New member
I've been a lurker here for a long time and I have read through this whole thread a number of times and I finally decided to get off my butt and join the forum.
My experience with Leopards began in January when I was at the LFS and the manager who has since moved (
) saw my partner and I and said, "There is a wrasse here you need to buy." So he showed us this around 3 inch long female bipartitus which he told us was one he had special ordered for a guy a year back as a tiny little baby and this fish had been returned for some odd reason. Anyway, we picked her up thinking she could go into our 55. Then I started with some research after the fact ( I know this is horrible but the ending is positive) and realized she wouldn't be a good fit for that tank due to a large amount of crushed coral in the tank. She ended up in a 20 long in quarantine for a while. I know this isn't the best, but we set up our DeepBlue 90 RR back in the early spring with her in mind (oolite sand this time). She's a total pig, she will eat anything we put in the tank, large pellets, small pellets, PE mysis, LRS Reef frenzy, Lifeline, whatever, she's not picky. So this is one success story.
Fast forward a few more months and I've caught the bug that is wrasses and Leopards are totally awesome fish. Another LFS had a small negrosensis in and it was eating frozen, so it came home. It was a pain though, was always on a different schedule and I would feed when I saw her out. Made it all the way to the one month mark and I got a text at work from my other half, to call because there was bad news. While doing a water change, the little one freaked out and bashed into the glass, not once but twice. big sigh Still need another black leopard.
Around 3 weeks back, we were at the LFS to pick up some things which were NOT fish, or so I thought. They had a gorgeous ornatus which was out and eating. So she had to come home. She went directly into the Display tank. She hid for a few days, and came out a bit here and there. She is out more and more now, and picks at the rocks when she's out. So far, so good. She's not eating pellets yet with the other wrasses in the tank, but she will eat PE mysis.
Anyway, these are my experiences with Macropharyngodon so far and I can't wait to post some pics, when I can get them. Wrasses aren't the easiest to get to sit still for photos.
Zac
My experience with Leopards began in January when I was at the LFS and the manager who has since moved (
) saw my partner and I and said, "There is a wrasse here you need to buy." So he showed us this around 3 inch long female bipartitus which he told us was one he had special ordered for a guy a year back as a tiny little baby and this fish had been returned for some odd reason. Anyway, we picked her up thinking she could go into our 55. Then I started with some research after the fact ( I know this is horrible but the ending is positive) and realized she wouldn't be a good fit for that tank due to a large amount of crushed coral in the tank. She ended up in a 20 long in quarantine for a while. I know this isn't the best, but we set up our DeepBlue 90 RR back in the early spring with her in mind (oolite sand this time). She's a total pig, she will eat anything we put in the tank, large pellets, small pellets, PE mysis, LRS Reef frenzy, Lifeline, whatever, she's not picky. So this is one success story.Fast forward a few more months and I've caught the bug that is wrasses and Leopards are totally awesome fish. Another LFS had a small negrosensis in and it was eating frozen, so it came home. It was a pain though, was always on a different schedule and I would feed when I saw her out. Made it all the way to the one month mark and I got a text at work from my other half, to call because there was bad news. While doing a water change, the little one freaked out and bashed into the glass, not once but twice. big sigh Still need another black leopard.
Around 3 weeks back, we were at the LFS to pick up some things which were NOT fish, or so I thought. They had a gorgeous ornatus which was out and eating. So she had to come home. She went directly into the Display tank. She hid for a few days, and came out a bit here and there. She is out more and more now, and picks at the rocks when she's out. So far, so good. She's not eating pellets yet with the other wrasses in the tank, but she will eat PE mysis.
Anyway, these are my experiences with Macropharyngodon so far and I can't wait to post some pics, when I can get them. Wrasses aren't the easiest to get to sit still for photos.
Zac
RealReef7
New member
Got my package from L.A. today. I got a really healthy looking 2.5" female meleagris leopard wrasse and a 2" female blue star that unfortunately didnt survive the flight ;/. My question is how long can these guys go without eating? I have plenty of pods its an establish 7 year old sps tank. The meleagris so far shows no interest in mysis, roe, cyclopeeze.
wrassesngobies
New member
I couldn't resist. I ended up picking up a small female meleagris from a LFS which had had the quartet plus an ornate for 2 to 3 weeks. She's eating Larry's Reef frozen food like a champ from the get go. She's a beauty. Went looking for a negrosensis for my birthday present but the ones he had were newly in and still hiding in the sand so that was a no go. He usually holds onto fish for a long time before they sell. I got my Eightline flasher male from him and he'd had it since March, so I know its a good one. My ornate is starting to eat more than frozen PE mysis now, taking bits of Larry's food now too, so hopefully it will start to put weight back on. She's staying out for longer now than she was, now that I am almost the the month threshold.
As to how long without eating, mine pick all day long on the rocks, no matter how often I feed them. So clearly they are eating something as they pick.
Zac
As to how long without eating, mine pick all day long on the rocks, no matter how often I feed them. So clearly they are eating something as they pick.
Zac
Most new leopards that I have bought will immediately dive into the sand. How long they stay there is variable - I had one stay buried for almost a month, but in most cases it's a few days. Once they emerge, it is not unusual for them to show little interest in the foods you offer, so you just have to keep trying. It will also depend a bit on tankmates, which is why it is helpful to not have boisterous fish (or better yet, QT).
As long as they don't get that 'pinched' look behind the head you will be OK.
wrassesngobies
New member
Here is one I thought was an ornate when I got her/him but now with seeing images on here again, I'm really having trouble figuring her out between meleagris males and ornates. I have both of Kuiter's good Wrasse books, including the bible and neither gives a real way to key out the two. Sorry its a crap picture, its still a bit skittish and hard to get a photo. I had to sit with the phone focused on one spot to get that image. At least it is eating like a champ now. Gave me a headache for the first few weeks but I knew to expect it after reading this thread through 3 or 4 times.
Also rescued a small female meleagris from Petco for a cool 30 bucks this weekend, and picked up a Naoko male for a steal but from another LFS back near my mom's this weekend.
Zac
Also rescued a small female meleagris from Petco for a cool 30 bucks this weekend, and picked up a Naoko male for a steal but from another LFS back near my mom's this weekend.
Zac
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eatbreakfast
New member
Yours is an ornatus. The colors of male meleagris don't come out well in pics, but are different from ornatus.
wrassesngobies
New member
That's what I was hoping it was. Thanks for the confirmation.
My recent experience with a long-lived flasher got me thinking. What's a reasonable life span for a captive leopard wrasse? I suppose it depends on how early in its life one acquires it, but what have folks here experienced? I've got a couple that are going on 3 years - wonder how much time is left?
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