Leopard Wrasse Primer

[makers marc]

At 7 month mark with Female Bipartitus. It disappeared 5 days ago so I assumed it was a goner. Today, I removed my screen cover to blow detritus off my rock and heard splashes. Low and behold, it jumped out of my overflow and back into my tank..

Lucky... but also pretty smart as it leapt once the cover was off haha

 

[mfinn]

I think I finally got a Potters Wrasse that is going to survive.
After 4 failed attempts, I have one in quarantine now.
It's day 5 and it's eating fairly aggressively.




















Yesterday I noticed it was hanging out over the sand box fairly early in the afternoon.
I turned away for a few minutes and looked back and saw this.
It's like he wanted to take a nap, but not really.

After about 15 minutes he was out swimming around so I fed him and then 10 minutes later he was gone into the sand.

 

[johnike]

One of mine keeps getting in the overflow of the 93 cube. Grrr.

 

[albano]

One of mine keeps getting in the overflow of the 93 cube. Grrr.

A little 'fence' of plastic gutter guard can be siliconed inside the overflow up to the top screen (that I hope you have)... Haven't had a fish in the overflow for over 10 yrs since installing the gutter guard.

 

[johnike]

A little 'fence' of plastic gutter guard can be siliconed inside the overflow up to the top screen (that I hope you have)... Haven't had a fish in the overflow for over 10 yrs since installing the gutter guard.

I know. It sneaks in next to the return pipe.

 

[OrionN]

This morning I was able to observe my Leopard Wrasses come out of sleeping. All sleep in the same place. I guess that mean I have a harem, even if all three still have coloration of females. Seeing this I think it is just mater of time until the largest one turn male.

BTW, never you mind my bleached Magnifica. This is a new Mag that I have high hope for. He is on his way to recovery. Purple column with green tentacles. I posted on this anemone in the clownfish and anemones forumn.

 

[juniorrocketdad]

I just got a female blue star leopard into my 70, I will update all of you when I can get a good picture but he was eating very well in the store so I have high hopes

 

[ReefKeeper64]

Following

 

[juniorrocketdad]

This is her the morning after, she is already out which seems like a good sign. I have tried feeding her a variety of foods but I have yet to see her eat out of the water column but she does pick at the sand. I thinks she's eating but I don't know for sure yet

 

[juniorrocketdad]

Day 3 update: she was out and about when I got home so I quickly thawed some mysis and she wasn't as aggressive as she was on n the store but she did chow down on a lot of mysis after she ate the first one, this is really encouraging to see her eat for sure for the first time

 

[concretejungle]

I have a pair. Here is my male. I've had him 2 months and my female 6 months. Got them from local lps. They seem to ship poorly from what lps store told me. They are eating great and good weight, will update.

 

[ReefABCs]

Looking for some feedback on TTM for Leopard Blue star or Potters. I have had very good success with TTM and prazipro for my fish including a Melanurus.

Last time I had a Leopard wrasse I used cupramime a sand bed in a Tupper ware container and he was in there 4 weeks before I moved to the display.

I would prefer TTM but not sure

OR I have CP powder but never tried it yet because TTM is working well for me,.

 

[homer1475]

Just hit the one year mark with my female meleagris. So I decided to try another leopard, this time a negrosensis. He/she came from my LFS's DT who I've known for a few years now, and when he says he TTM and QT's the fish he puts in his DT, I believe him as I've seen his QT and TTM setups.


Anyways, got home last night acclimated for about an hour with a drip as the salinity was a tad low(1.022 Vs. my reef @ 1.025). Dumped in my DT and he immediately hit the sand next to my clam and dug in. I've yet to see him this morning, but I'll have my fingers crossed he makes it.


I have never seen my other leopard dig into the sandbed, and had always assumed my reef grade sand was a bit to course for her. She sleeps behind the rockwork somewhere so I have never seen her dig in for the night. After seeing the negrosensis dig in last night, I'm pretty confident she does as well.


Odd question though. Since I have 2 female leopards, and although they are in a different family, will it cause one to change to male?

 

[homer1475]

Crappy cell phone pic, but this is my new negrosensis just waking up for the day.

 

[homer1475]

It would seem my meleagris does not like the negrosensis. Every time he/she comes out of the sand, the meleagris chases the hell out him until he dives back into the sand.

The funny part is the meleagris won't chase him into the sand, but will stand guard where he dove in to only chase him again when he emerges. I'm assuming the aggression will eventually subside?

 

[tenurepro]

It would seem my meleagris does not like the negrosensis. Every time he/she comes out of the sand, the meleagris chases the hell out him until he dives back into the sand.

The funny part is the meleagris won't chase him into the sand, but will stand guard where he dove in to only chase him again when he emerges. I'm assuming the aggression will eventually subside?

You need to use an acclimation box... helped my leopards get along
See here
https://youtu.be/m00teO6oCUY



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[evolved]

Odd question though. Since I have 2 female leopards, and although they are in a different family, will it cause one to change to male?

Maybe, but not necessarily.

It would seem my meleagris does not like the negrosensis. Every time he/she comes out of the sand, the meleagris chases the hell out him until he dives back into the sand.

The funny part is the meleagris won't chase him into the sand, but will stand guard where he dove in to only chase him again when he emerges. I'm assuming the aggression will eventually subside?

It might, but I wouldn't count on it.

You need to use an acclimation box...

Yes; you should always use an acclimation box when introducing new wrasses to established ones.

 

[tenurepro]

Maybe, but not necessarily.

It might, but I wouldn't count on it.

Yes; you should always use an acclimation box when introducing new wrasses to established ones.

I've learned everything about acclimation boxes from Evolved / Hunter ; google acclimation box and wrasse and you'll find his article. i put a little dish of sand in the acclimation box with the ornate leopards... they find it and use it.
they will seem in a panic in the box, but that is to be expected. The acclimation box made a HUGE difference in my case. from constant aggression to peaceful coexistence in just a span of 2 to 3 days.

Hunter - on the subject of leopard wrasses; does the male ornate leopard have different coloration than females. I am getting mixed information. Some websites say the differences are subtle - black spot on pectoral fin. But was reading a recent writeup on the phylogenetics of the genus (can remember the link now), and it was suggested that male ornate leopards have distinct coloration.... whats your take on this ? Thanks!

 

[evolved]

Hunter - on the subject of leopard wrasses; does the male ornate leopard have different coloration than females. I am getting mixed information. Some websites say the differences are subtle - black spot on pectoral fin. But was reading a recent writeup on the phylogenetics of the genus (can remember the link now), and it was suggested that male ornate leopards have distinct coloration.... whats your take on this ? Thanks!

Absolutely yes. The difficult, and messy, judgement call is where the distinction between female and transitional male is at - and that's a hard one to call. But an adult female and terminal male have drastic differences.

 

[tenurepro]

Absolutely yes. The difficult, and messy, judgement call is where the distinction between female and transitional male is at - and that's a hard one to call. But an adult female and terminal male have drastic differences.

Cool. Thanks for the info. I have two ornates in my system. The larger one has been fading in color - subtle but noticeable. S(he) has been eating fine and is 'thick' so I don't think it's related to diet. Do they think it is transitioning?
Bigger ornate - 'light' body

Smaller ornate - dark body

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