Leopard Wrasse Primer

Leopard Wrasse Primer

  • Macropharyngodon bipartitus

    Votes: 67 28.4%
  • Macropharyngodon choati

    Votes: 12 5.1%
  • Macropharyngodon geoffroy

    Votes: 24 10.2%
  • Macropharyngodon meleagris

    Votes: 78 33.1%
  • Macropharyngodon negrosensis

    Votes: 29 12.3%
  • Other

    Votes: 26 11.0%

  • Total voters
    236
Species of leopard: Terminal Male African Leopard Wrasse and Initial phase? Male African Leopard Wrasse
Source: LFS
Method of introduction : Straight to 120G C2C DT
Tank set up: Reef with Naoko Wrasse, McCosker Wrasse, Yellow Tang, Starry Blenny, and Percula Pair
How many other attempts, if any, you made to keep a leopard wrasse and thoughts on why this attempt was successful (if applicable): One other attempt, These two seem to be successful as they ate frozen food in the LFS and on day one in the DT. They are in a peaceful tank and get along with no issues. My LR in the tank is > 3 years old and my tank is an established reef with a fine sand bed.

I believe I have an initial phase male because the wrasse did undergo some sort of color change; however, it was definitely not on the same scale as the terminal male. I am noticing my terminal phase male (5 inches) seems to be burrowing for a majority of the day thought and is only swimming in the tank on average 4 hours a day. My initial phase male is out for at least 10 hours a day. I was wondering if anyone can speak to this sort of behavior with the terminal phase male and do I have an initial phase male? Thanks for your help everybody!

http://s1130.photobucket.com/user/Setlock13/media/Saltwater/MaleAfricanLeopard.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
http://s1130.photobucket.com/user/Setlock13/media/Saltwater/IMG_1317.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2
http://s1130.photobucket.com/user/Setlock13/media/Saltwater/IMG_1956.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
 
I believe I have an initial phase male because the wrasse did undergo some sort of color change; however, it was definitely not on the same scale as the terminal male. I am noticing my terminal phase male (5 inches) seems to be burrowing for a majority of the day thought and is only swimming in the tank on average 4 hours a day. My initial phase male is out for at least 10 hours a day. I was wondering if anyone can speak to this sort of behavior with the terminal phase male and do I have an initial phase male? Thanks for your help everybody!

http://s1130.photobucket.com/user/Setlock13/media/Saltwater/MaleAfricanLeopard.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
http://s1130.photobucket.com/user/Setlock13/media/Saltwater/IMG_1317.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2
http://s1130.photobucket.com/user/Setlock13/media/Saltwater/IMG_1956.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

You have 1 male and 1 female. The perceived color change could be from various factors, such as different surroundings, or stressful conditions before arriving at your tank.

The male only swimming out for a couple hours at a time is pretty normal for a male to do as well, as it seems the more mature the fish, the harder time they have resetting their circadian rhythm. It will slowly be out longer and longer until it adjusts.
 
I think my little lady end up in the reef in the sky via a carpet anemone. I got 6 S gigantea and 1 S haddoni in that 320 tank. No where to be found. I though that she go to bed early and get up late but his weekend, I look for her all days Sat and Sun, she is just no where to be found.
She was getting fat too, eat a lot and no fish bothering her. No more Leopard wrasse for me.
 
Originally Posted by eatbreakfast: You have 1 male and 1 female. The perceived color change could be from various factors, such as different surroundings, or stressful conditions before arriving at your tank.

The male only swimming out for a couple hours at a time is pretty normal for a male to do as well, as it seems the more mature the fish, the harder time they have resetting their circadian rhythm. It will slowly be out longer and longer until it adjusts.
Thanks for your reply!
 
Quite Surprised

Quite Surprised

About 5 weeks ago I bought a black leopard locally. Looked good and plump. Put it into my coral QT tank with live rock. She immediately went into the sand as expected and never emerged. I had written her off. Only, today, who did I see cruising around ..... Amazing! Looked pretty good actually. She wasn't out for very long, so perhaps she's been making these brief appearances and I just failed to notice. Never had a leopard stay buried nearly that long before. Will be interesting to see if I can get her to eat anything.
 
Over a month with out food is a long time...I think that your probably correct in assuming that it made brief appearances searching for food without you noticing, possibly even at night until it's bio-clock gets righted..My Blue Star stay buried for almost 3 weeks and emerged alittle thin and took mysis right away..
 
Over a month with out food is a long time...I think that your probably correct in assuming that it made brief appearances.

Saw her for the second day in a row. She appears at about 11 am. I was able to get her to take some brine and mysis. Most curious as she doesn't look particularly thin. 5 weeks is a long time indeed.
 
No worries,it's quite normal for such a fish as you may have read over and over in this tread . It made it through shipping and into your QT so there is a good chance that it will be okay but also don't be surprised if it doesn't make it . you have a good chance and a huge percentage just don't get out of the bag alive and yours did so that's a great start. let nature take it's course and I hope it does well for you as they are such beautiful fish .
probably was getting out at night and getting a few nibbles that you don't get to see and that's also a good sign IME .
Best wishes !
 
Here is my beautiful Macropharyngodon geoffroyi,



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So far everything I have fed it has accepted, mysis and pellets.
 
Possibly know the gender of my Macropharyngodon geoffroyi? and thanks!

Looks like a female to me. Never tried one though. Heard they are even tougher than the other leopards and critical that you get a good specimen. Of the few I have seen at LFS. none looked particularly good so I passed.
 
No worries,it's quite normal for such a fish as you may have read over and over in this tread . It made it through shipping and into your QT so there is a good chance that it will be okay but also don't be surprised if it doesn't make it . you have a good chance and a huge percentage just don't get out of the bag alive and yours did so that's a great start.

Thanks for the insights! I've kept lots of leopards over the years but never had one emerge after burying for so long, so nice to know it's at least in the range of normal.
 
I've had 2 potters and both died in a week what's your secret

  • Source (LFS, online, etc): I bought it at my LFS which had a shipment the day before directly from Hawaii
  • Method of introduction (quarantine, straight-to-tank, etc): Straight into the tank
  • Tank set up (reef, fowlr, size, age, etc): Reef, 3 months with 40 lbs of 1 YR old live rock in refugium.
  • How many other attempts, if any, you made to keep a leopard wrasse and thoughts on why this attempt was successful (if applicable): First attempt, I believe because I got it directly from Hawaii within 2 days and it didn't come from sitting at a wholesaler being improperly fed for most its life I had a leg up on some others.

Looks like a female to me. Never tried one though. Heard they are even tougher than the other leopards and critical that you get a good specimen. Of the few I have seen at LFS. none looked particularly good so I passed.

Thanks for the ID, I got really lucky then :).
 
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