Another leopard wrasse care post.

[Joiningsession]

Been reading up on possibly getting a leopard wrasse. The hiccup is there are work days where I’m only able to feed my tanks once a day. Is it possible to seed pods monthly as a substitute? This fish would be the only pod scavenger in the tank.

If it would work, is there “easier” leopard wrasse to attempt? The last thing I’d want to do is starve the thing

Thanks in advance.

 

[fishguy242]

@SaltyT @Crabby48

 

[Crabby48]

What size tank? If big enough tank and you don’t have other pod eaters it will be fine. I feed every hour or so my leopards when I’m home. They are slow eaters but will adapt in captivity. Days I can feed smaller morning afternoon and dinner I do. Leopards are easy just need healthy. If healthy they will learn to eat from others.

 

[maroun.c]

The trick with leopards is to get them to eat in QT and to properly deform in QT before introduction to your tank. They also tend to be less tolerant of other leopards in the tank so chose carefully. Amount or frequency of daily feeding isn't a huge deal,.worse case an auto feeder for couple.small pellets feeding per day on top of what you feed and he should be fine.

 

[maroun.c]

As for wrass choice I like the memeagris, bipartitus, negeosensis but all of these looked much better in the juvenile or female colors song need to hopemthey don't turn male many other choices as well.

 

[Joiningsession]

What size tank? If big enough tank and you don’t have other pod eaters it will be fine. I feed every hour or so my leopards when I’m home. They are slow eaters but will adapt in captivity. Days I can feed smaller morning afternoon and dinner I do. Leopards are easy just need healthy. If healthy they will learn to eat from others.

The tank is an IM30 long, this fish will be the only fish in it for roughly 2 months. Tank has been cycled and seeded with live rock and partial sand from my established system for about 4 months now.

the plan would be to purchase one that is already feeding on frozen etc. and to continuously add pods monthly if needed.

 

[Joiningsession]

The trick with leopards is to get them to eat in QT and to properly deform in QT before introduction to your tank. They also tend to be less tolerant of other leopards in the tank so chose carefully. Amount or frequency of daily feeding isn't a huge deal,.worse case an auto feeder for couple.small pellets feeding per day on top of what you feed and he should be fine.

I don’t know why I did not consider an auto feeder, probably because I’ve never used one lol

 

[Crabby48]

The tank is an IM30 long, this fish will be the only fish in it for roughly 2 months. Tank has been cycled and seeded with live rock and partial sand from my established system for about 4 months now.

the plan would be to purchase one that is already feeding on frozen etc. and to continuously add pods monthly if needed.

Should be ok if a melagris or vie star or ornate and eating. Some leopards can get weird in small tanks that aren’t reef like but if eating they should be ok as lfs and wholesalers are not good places for them to eat.
Bottom behind the head is the belly. Make sure it’s not sunken in. Even if it eats and it’s sunken in there is a problem.
Healthy wrasse eat! Some from ocean take a little time. They learn from other fish so always good to have a buddy and it eases stress. $25 brine shrimp hatchery. Not light or anything just add saltwater and eggs. 24 hours you have live food. Cheap and easy to add daily to help preserve pods

 

[homer1475]

The only "expert" part of leopards is getting them to eat. Once they are eating prepared foods, they are no harder then any other SW fish.

I've owned every leopard in the family over the years, some are harder then others, but once they start eating prepared foods, they are no harder then any other fish.

Agree with the others that a melagris, blue star, or negrosensis are a bit on the hardier side of the leopard family.

 

[airvicconcre]

i have a Leopard Wrasse in my 150g reef with other wrasses. its on of the most beautiful fish. it has so much character and mine is always on the hunt. i dont dose pods as i believe i already have a stable population of pods in my system. my fish eats frozen mysis as well as tdo chromaboost. i too was skeptical about getting it at first because of its eating habit, i believe i got lucky i got one which wasnt a finicky eater.

Been reading up on possibly getting a leopard wrasse. The hiccup is there are work days where I’m only able to feed my tanks once a day. Is it possible to seed pods monthly as a substitute? This fish would be the only pod scavenger in the tank.

If it would work, is there “easier” leopard wrasse to attempt? The last thing I’d want to do is starve the thing

Thanks in advance.

 

[Derrick0580]

My ornate is intolerant of anything smaller than he is. So far he has killed a green coris, ruby red dragonette, blue star leopard, and orchid dottyback. But he eats frozen and pellets like a champ. Used paulb’s brine feeder design to train him.

 

[airvicconcre]

My ornate is intolerant of anything smaller than he is. So far he has killed a green coris, ruby red dragonette, blue star leopard, and orchid dottyback. But he eats frozen and pellets like a champ. Used paulb’s brine feeder design to train him.

Well, I actually envy you’ll living in the west and the easy availability of everything marine related. It’s a beautiful fish.

 

[OrionN]

I would second the automated feeder. I feed pellets multiple times a day. My fishes are doing great, not just the wrasse either. Pellets automated feeder is a breeze and cheap.