Leopard wrasse decision

[Millwright]

3 just came in to a local shop. $20 each.
If they do not eat would you risk buying one or more?

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

$20 a piece is a good deal, especially with Covid pricing. I know that my leopard wrasse is bulltproof. He survived a heater failure, a 15 degree temperature drop, a sperate electrocution event, and skyrocketing nitrates (this was in my wife's tank).

pull the trigger and grab some LRS.

 

[Jseimo]

Lucky. I just got one for 30. I did see him eat at the lfs though

 

[Millwright]

Ended up buying the smallest one. He immediately ate when the food at the water. The other two did not even try.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Leopard wrasse are sensitive and delicate. I would absolutely NOT buy one that isn't eating. They are also sensitive to quite a few medications, so quarantining is pretty difficult. Typically the most expensive fish you buy is one that dies on you right away. Typically if a LFS is not able to get them to eat then most hobbyist will struggle.

 

[JAMreef]

3 just came in to a local shop. $20 each.
If they do not eat would you risk buying one or more?

I just bought one about 2 months ago. I made sure she was eating at the LFS before I brought her home. The transition went extremely well and eats any frozen food I put in the tank.

I’m glad I made sure she was eating before I brought her home. Glad I went through with it. I will say I would not have made the purchase had I not seen her eat.

 

[kitpoon0315]

I've had a Leopard Wrasse for nearly 4 years and mine is also bullet proof. I've had a mini tank crash (because of a basement renovation) and it killed half of my fish inhabitants but no effect on my Leopard.

 

[homer1475]

Once you get them to eat, they are a pretty bullet proof fish. Both of mine(melagris, and blue star) transitioned fairly easily, and are the most active fish in my tank.

 

[ca1ore]

The thing to look for in leopard wrasses is loss of mass in the dorsal musculature - in other words, pinching behind the head. I would have no problem buying one from LFS that did not eat (they can take a week or two to get the hang of frozen) but I would not buy one with pinching. It almost always means the fish is a goner.

 

[jda]

I would be more worried about those fish being kept with no sand than them not eating. They can take a while to eat. If they used copper or hypo, then I would not buy them either.