Leopard Wrasse Primer

[OrionN]

Originally Posted by makers marc

No. Live aquaria only lets you order what is available. I knew I got a large, it's all they had.

They send either the size we order or larger, which is not as good IMO. To most people an to LA larger worth more, which seem to be not the opinion of most wrasse lovers. I ordered 4 medium and got 2 medium and 2 large. I am sorry that one of two male died, but if he live, I would have to do something other than put him in my DT. I can put him in my 65 gal tank, but I am already have too many fish on that one.

[makers marc]

So turns out I definitely have a Male Potters. Has that red marking on its dorsal.

The past 24 hrs it has started eating a ton of Hikari Mysis. I've fed it 6-7 small meals today.

My only hope is that it finally finds the sand. Past 2 nights it's been sleeping under the chunk of chaeto.

Also, did your new ones chase their reflection relentlessly? In the mornings mine has been calm, but from 3pm-8pm it paces back and forth non stop.

[makers marc]

Wrasseperts,

Good news is it found the sand last night after trying to hide under the cheato unsuccessfully.

Bad news is it keeps relentless chasing its reflection on the glass. My QT is a 20L only. I'm wondering if I should hurry and do my Prazi dose so I can move it to the DT?

My lighting is very subdued already.

[pfan151]

Originally Posted by makers marc

Wrasseperts,

Good news is it found the sand last night after trying to hide under the cheato unsuccessfully.

Bad news is it keeps relentless chasing its reflection on the glass. My QT is a 20L only. I'm wondering if I should hurry and do my Prazi dose so I can move it to the DT?

My lighting is very subdued already.

Try covering 3 sides with black paper.

[makers marc]

Originally Posted by pfan151

Try covering 3 sides with black paper.

Right now one side is covered with it. I'll try 3.

But should I be concerned that the pacing will lead to bigger stress issues? He is eating mysis. But then goes back to zooming.

[Cancun]

Originally Posted by makers marc

Right now one side is covered with it. I'll try 3.

But should I be concerned that the pacing will lead to bigger stress issues? He is eating mysis. But then goes back to zooming.

Yea I would try covering 3 sides. My potters never chased his reflection, but I don't QT my leopards. Eating Mysis is a good sign. I feed Hykari Mysis too, and all my Wrasses love it. I used to feed PE Mysis, but it seems my fish like Hykari better.

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[pfan151]

Originally Posted by Cancun

Yea I would try covering 3 sides. My potters never chased his reflection, but I don't QT my leopards. Eating Mysis is a good sign. I feed Hykari Mysis too, and all my Wrasses love it. I used to feed PE Mysis, but it seems my fish like Hykari better.

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You could always try switching the QT to an opaque rubbmaid tub.

[Hypert]

Poor thing. I hope it pulls thru!

[makers marc]

Day 3 it found sand. Day 4 it was back sleeping between rocks.

Its eating well with no external, visible issues for now. So far this morning its cruising around like it should, hopefully by afternoon it's not pacing again.

[makers marc]

Quick update. Still eating non stop but I'm concerned.. not just because it's just pacing rapidly for 2-3 hours a day.

But at night it chooses not to sleep in a sand Tupperware and constantly looks like its rubbing its beak into the floor.

This morning, the beak is starting to look a little rough. So I think I'll be transferring this 4 inch Male into my DT very soon.

So I dosed Prazi this morning and after 72 hrs its leaving QT. I may pull it earlier and risk a partial prazi treatment since Indont know how many more nights it can keep rubbing its beak up.

Experts? Pulling early the best decision?

[RustyFish]

I'd like to get an opinion on building a harem with blue star/splendid/african leopard wrasses. I ordered 3 sm/med females from Live Aquaria. Slight difference in size -- just enough that I can tell them apart. One stayed out immediately, the second came out the third day. On day 6, the 3rd (and smallest) one popped out of the sand. The first two hang together and have been pals for the few days they have been together. As soon as the small/3rd one appeared the medium sized one chased/harassed the new small one - basically acting like males. The largest one ignored the other two during the skirmish. All clearly have female markings and I thought they were all born female. The small one appears to be acting submissive. After 20 min, the small one dove back into the sand. Do I have a timing issue that will work itself out? Or do I have latent males that won't resolve itself until one is gone? I have 180g tank.

[Thornbreaker]

Hey guys & gals,

So I'm about at that point I'm going to be ordering some leopard wrasses.

I'm thinking 3 at this point, a potters, melagris, and negrosensis.

Is my understanding correct that you should only have 1 male at most, rest should be female?

Will 3 be fine in a 20 gal QT with a container of sand placed in side? Do I need a direct light for them due to their day/night clocks? My DT is nearby and will give off light during the day, and some at night with the sump light on.

I had considered TTM, as I've done with my other fish, but this seems a major hassle. I plan to QT them though for a month to observe for ich, parasites, disease, etc. Probably treat with prazi, but no copper/ich treatment unless I see it.

I've gotten my first 4 fish (2 clowns, royral gramma, and a foxface lo) from my LFS. I've had no issues from there so far, and he does order leopard wrasses from time to time, some which he puts in tanks with sand, and some he doesn't at times. I could probably get some ordered, allowing them to be there for a week or two to ensure they are healthy and eating.

Howver, have y'all had good success with LiveAquaria or another online FS that's recommended instead of a LFS?

[Thornbreaker]

So I ordered 3 wrasses. 1 blue star, 1 black, 1 "regular"? from LA.

The regular was DOA. Blue star is medium sized, eating frozen mysis (hakari), but looks less active this morning...

And unfortunately I woke up to the black being dead this morning, after she was initially swimming around a good bit over the last 2 days. (Arrived Thursday. Dead Saturday morning

Any tips I'm missing? How often should I feed them in QT?

I have a sand bed in the QT, in a tupperware container, but neither went for the sand. They've mostly just been swimming around or hanging out.

[OrionN]

I find that the best way to adapt Leopards to our system is to put them in a straight stable reef. I set up a 40 gal breeder system to acclimate my more sensitive wrasses. Even with this my success if far from 100%. I also find that midsize leopards are much more likely to do well. Small, less than 2 inches and very large wrasses tend to not do well.

[pfan151]

Originally Posted by Thornbreaker

So I ordered 3 wrasses. 1 blue star, 1 black, 1 "regular"? from LA.

The regular was DOA. Blue star is medium sized, eating frozen mysis (hakari), but looks less active this morning...

And unfortunately I woke up to the black being dead this morning, after she was initially swimming around a good bit over the last 2 days. (Arrived Thursday. Dead Saturday morning

Any tips I'm missing? How often should I feed them in QT?

I have a sand bed in the QT, in a tupperware container, but neither went for the sand. They've mostly just been swimming around or hanging out.

If they don’t go in the sand at night then something is up. I’d feed them as much as they will take and as often as they will take it. I try to feed my new leopards 5 times a day if I’m able to be home enough to do it. Once they settled in and are past the initial acclimation period in the display I cut back to twice a day.

I’d try feeding them a food with a wormer added. You can use seachem focus to bind the wormer. I usually end up just injecting a little wormer with a syringe into a few PE mysis and I do that every 3 days for 4 treatments. Seems to work well but I really have no way of being certain it makes a difference. I use panacur that I have left over from my seahorses.

I definitely agree with the above post as well. I use an established 30g for my qt. It’s a gross looking tank but is loaded with pods. If it’s a wrasse that I really want to do well like a Choati I buy amphipods and add them to the tank as well. I get them from a place called Royal Reefs. They send a couple thousand and it’s around $50 shipped.

[Thornbreaker]

The remaining blue star is eating frozen mysis.
When you say you are feeding 5 times a day, is that a full cube each time?

I do have a sump on my DT. Has some rubble in it, I could move to the QT, and I could shake some cheato out for a few pods. Think thats a good idea?


Is it possible to add more to a DT later, or is it best to do several at once (like tangs)?
Trying to decide if I should reorder.

May go thru lfs though this time, as he'll be able to make sure it's eating before I take it home.

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[Thornbreaker]

Just a pic

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[pfan151]

Originally Posted by Thornbreaker

The remaining blue star is eating frozen mysis.
When you say you are feeding 5 times a day, is that a full cube each time?

I do have a sump on my DT. Has some rubble in it, I could move to the QT, and I could shake some cheato out for a few pods. Think thats a good idea?


Is it possible to add more to a DT later, or is it best to do several at once (like tangs)?
Trying to decide if I should reorder.

May go thru lfs though this time, as he'll be able to make sure it's eating before I take it home.

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Not a whole cube. Just whatever it will take each time. I throw a few in and if it eats all those I just add a few more. I just de-thaw a cube in the morning, store it in the fridge, and feed a little throughout the day.

You could probably just add a clump of cheato to the qt.

I haven’t had most leopards bother other species of leopards too much aside from maybe a little the first day. Of the ones I have kept ornates have been the most aggressive.

[Cancun]

Originally Posted by Thornbreaker

Just a pic

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I have six Leopard Wrasses.....I never QT any leopards. I only buy from one of my trusted LFS, luckily I have two really good ones. Leopards are there for a minimum of a week and eatting frozen Mysis when I get them. Still not 100% but I have to say 80-90% success rate doing it this way. Just my 2 cents!

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[Thornbreaker]

Well update. As of this morning the 3rd wrasse has past. Not sure why. SHe was eating all weekend, seemed to be swimming well but on Monday became a lot more lethargic, and by evening was laying on her side breathing, but barely. Woke to her deceased this morning.

I think I'll be going to my lfs this week for the next round. I've gotten my previous fish from there with good success, and I'll make sure they are eating well before bringing them home.

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[pfan151]

Originally Posted by Thornbreaker

Well update. As of this morning the 3rd wrasse has past. Not sure why. SHe was eating all weekend, seemed to be swimming well but on Monday became a lot more lethargic, and by evening was laying on her side breathing, but barely. Woke to her deceased this morning.

I think I'll be going to my lfs this week for the next round. I've gotten my previous fish from there with good success, and I'll make sure they are eating well before bringing them home.

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Sorry. They are tough. Sometimes they seem to die for no apparent reason. I’ve had it happen with a couple Choati before. Blue stars and meleagris seem to be the ones with the best odds of success though

[Thornbreaker]

Yeah, should I do a complete water change before QT ing new fish? I don't see ich or a sign of other external disease.

Originally Posted by pfan151

Sorry. They are tough. Sometimes they seem to die for no apparent reason. I’ve had it happen with a couple Choati before. Blue stars and meleagris seem to be the ones with the best odds of success though

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[pfan151]

Originally Posted by Thornbreaker

Yeah, should I do a complete water change before QT ing new fish? I don't see ich or a sign of other external disease.

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I always break the whole qt down and sterilize everything after every fish unless it’s a fish that goes into my established reef QT like I do with leopards.

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by pfan151

unless it’s a fish that goes into my established reef QT like I do with leopards.

If you can swing it, this is a wise way to QT sensitive fish. I have 8 across five different species and they all went through my coral/reef QT.

[Thornbreaker]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

If you can swing it, this is a wise way to QT sensitive fish. I have 8 across five different species and they all went through my coral/reef QT.

This sounds like a good idea. What do y'all add specifically on top of a normal QT, just live rock?

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