Breeding Wrasses

[Kal93]

Last week, I received a jeweled leopard wrasse. She is eating very well and seems healthy--in fact, she has started to transition into a male! I think that this is largely due to the frequent feedings and being the sole fish in my tank.

If she does fully transition, I'm considering purchasing another female to see if they will spawn. There's sparse information on leopard wrasses (although since this species is borderline Halichoeres/Macropharyngodon, I could try protocols from Halichoeres melanurus).

Has anyone tried this? If so what triggered the spawning behavior, did you need a tall tank, and did you try to raise the eggs/larvae?

 

[ichthyogeek]

Haven’t tried, but most if not all wrasses are pelagic spawners (the taller the tank, the better).

@evolved ?

 

[Kal93]

Haven’t tried, but most if not all wrasses are pelagic spawners (the taller the tank, the better).

Exactly. I came across Elizabeth Groover's MACNA talk on breeding yellow and melanurus halichoeres, which provided a lot of useful information (https://macna.org/MACNA-Recordings/elizabeth-groover-ornamental-wrasse-culture/).

My second leopard wrasse is being shipped this week!

While I currently don't have the space for a breeder tank, I will be relocating next year. I'd like to turn a spare bedroom into a fish room with a breeder pool. This should address the height issue for spawning at a low cost. This pool is an option that I'm considering: https://mkaquariumstore.com/product...c-breeding-fish-farms-aquarium-pond-fish-tank

Beyond the breeder area, I'd like a station for culturing phyto and copepods and a few 5 gallon tanks for rearing larvae.

 

[ichthyogeek]

I'd go for Big Round Tubs instead of 5 gallon tanks ,or 10 gallon tanks outfitted with a kreisel system instead of 5 gallon tanks.

 

[ThRoewer]

Exactly. I came across Elizabeth Groover's MACNA talk on breeding yellow and melanurus halichoeres, which provided a lot of useful information (https://macna.org/MACNA-Recordings/elizabeth-groover-ornamental-wrasse-culture/).

My second leopard wrasse is being shipped this week!

While I currently don't have the space for a breeder tank, I will be relocating next year. I'd like to turn a spare bedroom into a fish room with a breeder pool. This should address the height issue for spawning at a low cost. This pool is an option that I'm considering: https://mkaquariumstore.com/product...c-breeding-fish-farms-aquarium-pond-fish-tank

Beyond the breeder area, I'd like a station for culturing phyto and copepods and a few 5 gallon tanks for rearing larvae.

That better be an extra large master bedroom in a mansion!
I would rather shoot for the garage, ideally a 2 or 3 car garage, insulate it well, add AC and central heat, and if not present, add a large sink... you gonna need a whole lot of space.
And expect to have spills, leaks, and floodings!

Now, if it was me and I had a countryside house with enough land, I'd rather build a green house or steel building to have even more space and be able to have at least 5 isolated sections for phyto cultures, rotifer cultures, copepod cultures, broodstock tanks, and larvae tanks...

 

[Poseidon's snail]

wow! :)