Preparing for Leopard Wrasse

[obscurereef]

I'm getting a female next week. Some guy who was moving out of the country had her for 2 years and gave it to my LFS so it is already used to a captive diet. My question is though, do I need a acclimation/breeder box to put the wrasse in for 2-3 days b/c I already have a cleaner wrasse? I read this is the best way to introduce a different species of wrasse to a wrasse already established in that tank. Will it be okay to not do this b/c it seems it would stress it more than anything or would it be best?

 

[Mr. Crabs]

I think the leopard will be ok with a cleaner. I don't think I would do the acclimation box because they really need the security of sand and live rock to feel at home during the transition to your tank. The first thing the leopard will probably do is dive into the rocks or beneath the sand for a period of time. They are a tricky fish to keep, but it's great that it has already been acclimated to captivity over the course of a couple years. Getting him to eat probably won't be a problem, but for some reason they have a dismal record in captivity and I think it is related to stress from capture and shipping.

 

[obscurereef]

Yeah that's what I thought. Well I was just reading an article for introducing a different wrasse. Also when I added my cleaner wrasse to my tank, my already established McCosker's wrasse disappeared a few days later. I really don't want this to happen to the leopard wrasse :/. Wild caught leopard wrasses are very picky eaters so only about 30% or less (not a scientific percentage) survive which is really sad. Luckily I think this guy will survive, I mean he's transitioned nicely with the LFS.

 

[Mr. Crabs]

They are such beautiful fish. Isn't it always the case, that the most colorful and desirable are the hardest to keep? My nemesis has been the Larvatus Butterfly. I hate to admit defeat, but it has lurred me into thinking I could make one happy on more than one occasion. Surprisingly enough, I have been "successful" with a Moorish Idol though. =-)

The Idol has been deemed all but impossible for the longest time and now there are many accounts of successful longterm keeping all over the globe. I've had "Mickey" for 2 years now. He is the toughest fish in my tank and doesn't take any crap from anyone.

Good luck with that Leopard. It's so cool watching them walk on the sand like the dragon wrasse. I think it stands that you have a great chance for winning here. I might consider rehoming the cleaner wrasse if you fear he might be such a threat. The Leopard is iconic.

 

[obscurereef]

Wow the larvatus Butterfly is beautiful, but quite expensive, especially for a risky fish. That's great that Mickey made it through! Did you slowly get him to eat certain foods or he willingly ate?

Thanks I hope she does well also. I don't think the cleaner wrasse will be too much of a threat. I mean the leopard wrasse is already in a tank with like 10 wrasses. I didn't know they "walk on the sand". I'm picturing the way an angler walks on the sand .

 

[Mr. Crabs]

Yeah, I really wouldn't think a cleaner would be either. They spend so much time in the "customer service" business, it's hard to believe he might have had a bad day and whooped some wrasse--get it? wrASSe=-)

I had 2 idols and failed with both in less than 6 weeks. Both were from the Maldives if memory serves me. I got them to eat a little, but they succumbed to ich each time in QT....bad response to copper, putting the nail in the coffin.

I gave up. Year later, a Moorish Idol from Hawaii came around size small. It was a little more in price believe it or not. I think I paid $70 plus shipping. Got him and he was about 3 inches. Lots of energy, ate mysis and pellet the first day. Very bold fish. 4 weeks in QT then into the display without issue. He eats just about everything.....flakes not so much. The only thing I have done with him that I wouldn't have if not read to do was to feed him 3-4 times a day. I think they have a very high metabolism and need to be constantly gut loaded. I believe it is transit times without food that causes an irreversible slide down hill. In this case, he was from Hawaii and I think that may have helped reduce stress and malnourisment. I don't see Hawaiian MI's come up anymore. Maybe it's just me. They are really common out there too.

 

[CleverBs]

Also note on the wrasse feeding a few times aday is really important. I was told over and over again by people that dragon wrasses never do well in an aquarium and you will lose them in a few weeks. But i got one anyways the first one i got a year ago died in 2 weeks. so i gave up on it. then i got another one about a month or 2 ago because i wanted to give it another go and thought it would be a great addition to my larger fish tank. I made some changes however by changing my sand to a really soft sand. I also feed him 2-3 times a day. Normally i just feed enough for him beings the other fish are fine with once a day feeding. i feed one tiem with shrimp pellets that he loves and will gather as many as he can in his mouth then take them to the corner of the tank and spit them out and eat them all. Then i feed him a nice sized krill or chunk of fresh seafood such as clam, scallop, shrimp, or Squid and he goes nuts for it. and then I feed all the fish mysis or brine at some point in the day. you can see how small the stomach is on a wrasse after a large feeding because their stomach will blow up like a balloon and then in like 3 hours they will look thin again...its so crazy. I think by feeding often and a nice variety in foods your you will have great sucess with her. Good luck mate. Enjoy

 

[obscurereef]

Thanks a lot for the advice. I only feed my tank once every 2-3 days so I should really start feeding 2-3 times a day now! I just don't want to overfeed. And I hope she gets food since my clownfish and other fish hog all of it before it reaches to the bottom.