Blue star Leopard Wrasse missing

[Nordy]

Hi,
I’ve had a Blue star Leopard Wrasse for about 6 weeks. Got a good aqua scape with a deep sand bed. I feed 4 times a day and there have always been a copepod population in DT. Got an ok lid, and I plugged up any potential exits that would be desirable for a jumper. Wrasse has been MIA for almost 2 days. I’ve got small hermits doing clean up duty, a variety of snails and two Giraffe serpent stars. The only plausible explanation I have for his disappearance would be the starfish, or maybe a Babylonian snail or Nassarius snail attack? Never seen snails take on a healthy fish, but I know little of the serpent star’s behavior. There is plenty for my cleanup crew to be eating, so I’m mystified of this disappearance. This fish was always out from its night in the sand bed as soon as the lights are coming on. I thought I could meet this fishes requirements to keep one successfully, but am unsure what happened. Any thoughts? Are Giraffe serpent stars opportunistic fish eaters when hungry? Is he taking an extended siesta in the sand bed?

 

[tbrown]

Could be. Occasionally they can disappear for a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

 

[malacoda]

Give a few days. When my leopard was a juvenile, it wasn't uncommon for it to take a siesta for a few days now and then. Even as a mature male, there is still the occasional day where it doesn't 'wake' until 3:00-4:00 pm versus the usual 9am.