Leopard wrasses

[marcq]

I noticed that some of you (Brian I think) keep leopard wrasses.

I love these fish but have had zero luck with them (0 for 3). I'd love to try them again but not without some clue as to how to improve the odds. What's your secret with these wrasses?

Thanks,
Marc

[BrianD]

Hi Marc

I wish there was an easy answer. I have failed more times than I have succeeded with leopard wrasses. They are very poor shippers, and that doesn't help matters. They will only have a chance in a well established reef system with plenty of live rock. A refugium is a big help. They just need a constant supply of food available while they are being acclimated, or they will starve to death. Once they start eating prepared foods, feed them several times a day.

Your best chance for success is to buy the leopard just as soon as the LFS gets it in (like that day). Putting it in your reef system is much better than a steril display tank at the LFS.

I bought a pair of m. negrosensis a couple of weeks ago. I put them in a 30 gallon tank that I use for a caluerpa grow-out tank. The tank is full of live rock and has a deep sand bed, and has a ton of life. Worms and other critters are crawling over the sandbed. Anyway, both the wrasses looked bad when I got them, but now they are both actively swimmning around the tank and eating very well. I am feeding the spirulina enriched brine and plankton soaked in zoe. These fish have very small mouths, so you have to make sure they get the proper sized food.

Anyway, two weeks isn't safe yet, but I have high hopes that both these fish will survive. They will complement my pair of m. meleagris :)

Brian

[marcq]

Thanks for the quick reply!

The LFS where I bought my three keeps theres in shallow reef tank but govem the number of creatures in it, there probably aren't enough bugs for them.

Good luck with your new ones!

Marc