Divided leopard wrasee

toygrr

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I recently added a leopard wrasse to my reef as the copepod population is pretty solid, I dosed more just to be safe. So far it looks like he's foraging all day, and luckily my clowns leave him alone, they seem to all get along.

He also eats mysis shrimp and pellets (if he can beat the clowns to them). Did I get lucky with him eating whatever I toss in there? People seem to say these are hard to keep due to their diet. It seems anything I throw in here I've gotten pretty lucky in all regards.
 

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Getting lazier and lazier with upkeep!
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You've gotten real lucky if the Leopard Wrasse is eating pellets, frozen, etc... They can be very difficult to train to eat other-than-live foods. I was successful converting one many years ago.
 
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toygrr

toygrr

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You've gotten real lucky if the Leopard Wrasse is eating pellets, frozen, etc... They can be very difficult to train to eat other-than-live foods. I was successful converting one many years ago.
Awesome, I had a feeling. Hopefully it keeps it up!
 

JoJosReef

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Awesome, I had a feeling. Hopefully it keeps it up!
Leopards are actually pigs and will eventually eat everything you throw into the tank. Trick is getting one that hasn't bashed its brains out during transportation. They get very stressed during transit and do what instinct tells them to do: dive headfirst into the sand... that doesn't exist in a bucket or plastic bag. Hitting a taut plastic bag is like hitting concrete. Second thing they must do is get over the jetlag. Sleeping in the sand on a set clock means they might be waking at night when no one is feeding them.

Find one that looks healthy and is awake, and it will quickly adapt. Pigs, I tell you.
 

JoJosReef

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Edit: not to diminish your work in preparing a home for your bipartitis! Looks great!

That is a female, by the way. When it gets a greener, metallic sheen, it will be transitioning to male and will become darker.
 

Euphyllia97

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In my experience once you get over the initial phase of getting it comfortable in your tank, they are really easy to care for. The only reason I would
Look into his nutrition is because mine could become too fat because he literally eats everything. So or you are lucky or you did something right getting him used to the tank.

I am now growing out a baby regal angelfish and I must say that this guy is another level of difficulty.
 

Ryan15236

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I just added a female to my tank. I was expecting a battle to get it to eat. The fish was eating frozen Mysis 10 minutes after being introduced into the tank. I was surprised. I had it shipped and it arrived in great shape.
 

mfinn

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I got my leopards eating frozen food while in quarantine.
Wasn't that hard. I would mix in a little with live food and then on to just frozen.
Getting them to live after being shipped was the hard part for me.
 

56longroof

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I have 3 in my tank. The biggest obstacle is getting them comfortable in the new surroundings. My Ornate hid for at least a month. The Choati even longer but that was because the Ornate hated him for some reason. But the black leopard didnt go through any of this. It was visible and eating from day 1.
 

dedragon

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Leopards are actually pigs and will eventually eat everything you throw into the tank. Trick is getting one that hasn't bashed its brains out during transportation. They get very stressed during transit and do what instinct tells them to do: dive headfirst into the sand... that doesn't exist in a bucket or plastic bag. Hitting a taut plastic bag is like hitting concrete. Second thing they must do is get over the jetlag. Sleeping in the sand on a set clock means they might be waking at night when no one is feeding them.

Find one that looks healthy and is awake, and it will quickly adapt. Pigs, I tell you.
exactly this. they dont transport well but if they do they all eat like pigs.
not a hard fish to keep, just hard to source a well transported one
 

56longroof

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exactly this. they dont transport well but if they do they all eat like pigs.
not a hard fish to keep, just hard to source a well transported one
I'd love to add another but I dont think the Ornate would allow it.
 

Slocke

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I recently added a leopard wrasse to my reef as the copepod population is pretty solid, I dosed more just to be safe. So far it looks like he's foraging all day, and luckily my clowns leave him alone, they seem to all get along.

He also eats mysis shrimp and pellets (if he can beat the clowns to them). Did I get lucky with him eating whatever I toss in there? People seem to say these are hard to keep due to their diet. It seems anything I throw in here I've gotten pretty lucky in all regards.
It all depends if they can survive the initial stress and get used to aquarium food. Once they are established they are easy and hearty fish.
 
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toygrr

toygrr

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Awesome, I had a feeling. Hopefully it keeps it up!
Leopards are actually pigs and will eventually eat everything you throw into the tank. Trick is getting one that hasn't bashed its brains out during transportation. They get very stressed during transit and do what instinct tells them to do: dive headfirst into the sand... that doesn't exist in a bucket or plastic bag. Hitting a taut plastic bag is like hitting concrete. Second thing they must do is get over the jetlag. Sleeping in the sand on a set clock means they might be waking at night when no one is feeding them.

Find one that looks healthy and is awake, and it will quickly adapt. Pigs, I tell you.
Haha that's really funny, this one seems very active and adapted well to my tank fortunately.
Edit: not to diminish your work in preparing a home for your bipartitis! Looks great!

That is a female, by the way. When it gets a greener, metallic sheen, it will be transitioning to male and will become darker.

Good to know, thanks!
 

dedragon

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i might be wrong but i think its
Macropharyngodon meleagris- leopard
Macropharyngodon bipartitus- blue star
 

56longroof

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what tank size. I kept my leopard and bluestar in an IM50 just fine. Never any squabbles
Its 150 gallon. The problem is the Ornate. He's just a butt head to other leopard wrasses. I was kinda shocked about this at first because I have always heard how peaceful the leopards are. I later found out Ornates are the exception. They have a tendency to be aggressive.
 

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