Leopard Wrasse Primer

[mrx66699]

Saved this guy from a tank at MACNA without sand and after three days of that he was near death .....two months later some meds and a lot if sleeping in the sand 3 weeks straight to be exact ....he is doing awesome and is the center of attention and in every pic...eats like a horse ....

here is the pic again not sure what happened to the original .....

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/mrx66699/media/yellow_tail1_zpsab92a9f4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b70/mrx66699/yellow_tail1_zpsab92a9f4.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo yellow_tail1_zpsab92a9f4.jpg"/></a>

 

[zombot]

Living in Australia i have the luxury to see most of these wrasses on stocklists and in store often (also where im from, is where juvi lennardi wrasses spawn/ are found so i see them each month for like 30 bucks)

I picked up a 1.5" Black Leopard recently. Atm is in day 3 of a bare bottom qt to adjust to my lighting in display tank. So far so good. Is swimming around and eats live blackworms, frozen brine and somewhat nls pellets (some eats some eats and spits) Will add sand shortly and start prazi treatment.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Just wanted to share my strange situation I am currently encountering with my leopard "pair" and see if anyone could explain it.

I bought a trio of small (1.5" - 2") ornate leopards that were all eating at the store. I put them in QT and lost one of them the second or third day, but the remaining two were fine in QT for about 6 weeks. They slowly adjusted to the lighting schedule and were in prazi the last 2 weeks of QT. I moved them to the DT and the rabbitfish went at them pretty bad, I removed him the second day and over the next week both got comfortable and started coming out longer each day. They seemed very comfortable and spent all their time together cruising the rocks and exploring the tank. Then I didnt see one of them for a week. I saw it for the first time again yesterday and he was breathing heavy, pale, and wouldnt come out from the rockwork. I watched the tank and realized the other leopard was going at him any chance he got. I was able to catch the timid one and move him to QT (which is still holding the rabbitfish, so I had to insert a divider).

Anyway, so much for my pair. I'm surprised they got along fine for 6 weeks in QT, and even spent the first week in the DT acting completely normal. Anyone have an idea for the reason for this, or experience something similar?

 

[gregrocks79]

If they're both females then the one is becoming the dominate one and will turn male. Does your QT have a sand bed?? And display have sand too?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Yes sand all around.

 

[gregrocks79]

Good good. Give it time. Maybe feed a tad more to make the rabbit fish fat and lazy lol. Let the leopards do their thing together. Ones gonna be a male soon enough so let nature take it's course

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I figured the rabbit would get over it but I separated the leopards. The smaller one hadn't been out in a week and didn't look good. At this point it is in the QT and seems more comfortable and is eating. I'm just not sure if I should get it back to feeling good and try to re-introduce it, or find a new home for it.

 

[gregrocks79]

Once it seems to be doing really well, try putting it back into the display and just observe. If the other female is tearing her apart, then is say try and find a new home. Otherwise, let nature take it's course and let the dominate one change to a male.

What if this stuff happened to people?!?! Lol

 

[monkiboy]

i'm surprised no one has jumped on the m. negrosensis trio on diver's den tonight - an initial phase male and two females. everyone saving their pennies for black friday sales, haha?

 

[gregrocks79]

Gorgeous

 

[mrx66699]

i'm surprised no one has jumped on the m. negrosensis trio on diver's den tonight - an initial phase male and two females. everyone saving their pennies for black friday sales, haha?

I saw this .....but here in South Florida the stores regularly carry these for $35 each.....hard to beat local with that price .....

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

I think they are cool but there are other leopards i would rather snag.

 

[iamwrasseman]

the ornates that were Qted for some time may have just been over stressed from being in a QT i have had great results with them going directly into DT with prazipro . when i QT them they just dont seem to fair out well at all . both situations are done with prazipro and heres my estimate of their survival rate in my experiences over the past fifteen years or more . one of the hardest parts is getting them to arrive alive in the bag ,after that heres my estimated results of my 50 - 75 purchases
90% survival rate in DT
15% survival rate in QT

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

interesting!

 

[gregrocks79]

I've heard that too. I don't have a QT so they went right in. Lol

 

[SpartaReef]

No qt here... All fish straight in...

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

the ornates that were Qted for some time may have just been over stressed from being in a QT i have had great results with them going directly into DT with prazipro . when i QT them they just dont seem to fair out well at all . both situations are done with prazipro and heres my estimate of their survival rate in my experiences over the past fifteen years or more . one of the hardest parts is getting them to arrive alive in the bag ,after that heres my estimated results of my 50 - 75 purchases
90% survival rate in DT
15% survival rate in QT

The QT they were in has established rock and sand, basically a FOWLR. Should not have overly stressed them. You think I have a chance at reintroducing the bullied one? I'm worried I might not be able to remove it a second time if I had to, I lucked out getting it out this time. I'm sure it would not have made it if I left it in the tank.

 

[gregrocks79]

The QT they were in has established rock and sand, basically a FOWLR. Should not have overly stressed them. You think I have a chance at reintroducing the bullied one? I'm worried I might not be able to remove it a second time if I had to, I lucked out getting it out this time. I'm sure it would not have made it if I left it in the tank.

Toss her in and let nature take it's course. If she's really really suffering use the good old DIY water bottle fish trap and get rid of her. But I'd toss her in and see what happens. Soon enough you'll have a male and female!

 

[unfeazi]

I have been looking into leopard wrasses recently and know they need a sandbed. In my tank right now I have a mixed sand bed of aragonite along with just a thin layer of some crushed coral so that my goby pistol pair has some larger things to build with. Would I be okay have a leopard with this kind of sand?

 

[SpartaReef]

Should be fine, its recommended that you have fine grain, but I have medium and my wrasse doesn't seem to care