Leopard Wrasse info gathering

[LeonardTheWrasse]

Hi, I'm in a toss-up between a Leopard Wrasse or a Gold Nugget Wrasse, they are all pretty readily available, but the Gold Nugget is double the price of the Leopards. I don't know what the Leopards need care wise, so I figured I should ask.

My LFS is able to get this variety of Leopard Wrasse in pretty easily, and the Gold Nugget Wrasse.
Blue Star - Macropharyngodon Bipartis
Chaoti - Macropharyngodon Choati
Meleagris - Macropharyngodon Meleagris
Black - Macropharyngodon Negrosensis
Gold Nugget - Xenojulis Margaritaceus

I don't know much about the care that the Leopards would need, I haven't been able to find much info on them. I know that they are considered difficult care level fish, but from what I've heard, once they're eating and healthily acclimated to captive life they should be good to go. The Gold Nugget is definitely in my skillset, but quite a bit more expensive.

I would really appreciate any advice on them, which ones to avoid (seen that M. Choati is much more difficult to keep), easier ones (Been told M. Bipartis should be the one of the easiest out of the leopards available here), and general care for them.
I'm up for a challenging fish, but I want to make sure that I could still give them a good life. If they're genuinely too difficult, I'll accept that.

Thanks

 

[JoJosReef]

I think the challenge is getting them into your tank alive. My M. bipartitis started out worrisome, but then came out of the sand and has been steady and robust as can be ever since. Fat fish. Have a good sand bed, is all. I also hatch baby brine shrimp to feed the tank, but that is more for their enrichment than nutrition, since the M. bipartitis eats everything that goes into the tank. Always hunting for pods, nonstop.

@i cant think @Slocke

@Crabby48 @SaltyT have also been known to enjoy the leopards!

 

[i cant think]

Hi, I'm in a toss-up between a Leopard Wrasse or a Gold Nugget Wrasse, they are all pretty readily available, but the Gold Nugget is double the price of the Leopards. I don't know what the Leopards need care wise, so I figured I should ask.

My LFS is able to get this variety of Leopard Wrasse in pretty easily, and the Gold Nugget Wrasse.
Blue Star - Macropharyngodon Bipartis
Chaoti - Macropharyngodon Choati
Meleagris - Macropharyngodon Meleagris
Black - Macropharyngodon Negrosensis
Gold Nugget - Xenojulis Margaritaceus

I don't know much about the care that the Leopards would need, I haven't been able to find much info on them. I know that they are considered difficult care level fish, but from what I've heard, once they're eating and healthily acclimated to captive life they should be good to go. The Gold Nugget is definitely in my skillset, but quite a bit more expensive.

I would really appreciate any advice on them, which ones to avoid (seen that M. Choati is much more difficult to keep), easier ones (Been told M. Bipartis should be the one of the easiest out of the leopards available here), and general care for them.
I'm up for a challenging fish, but I want to make sure that I could still give them a good life. If they're genuinely too difficult, I'll accept that.

Thanks

Having kept (and still keeping) Leopards and a Gold Nugget I’d say they’re both as easy as eachother. I’ve not found one harder than the other.

The hardest part about leopards and gold nuggets is the acclimation period. They don’t like to be beaten around by other tank mates - Such as tangs, other wrasses etc. They also tend to come in with internal parasites which ends up with them not feeding well and even if they do feed they end up incredibly skinny.
Another issue with these is when they’re shipped, they don’t get shipped with sand during the importing stage. This causes them to come in with mouth damage which ends up with them not feeding or struggling to feed in the long term.

However, once past the settling in stage these are some of the easiest wrasses you can keep. They love to just swim and peck at the rocks so keep as much variety as you can when it comes to the natural food sources in your tank.

Here’s my two (A Blue Star Leopard and a Gold Nugget). They’re both transitioning by the looks of it but definitely take their time with it.

Now, as for the Choats I see you’re in Sydney which is where these guys are from (The GBR). Many of the difficulties you see is to do with these wrasses having a different clock to us in the northern hemisphere. Considering you’re in Australia you are likely to have better success with these wrasses as long as you keep swings low (Specifically, reducing risks of salinity and temperature swings). These are no longer as hard as they were a few years ago as we can give them different foods. However all in all, still remain cautious with this species and keep the other leopards before taking your hand at a choati.

 

[doubleshot00]

Im on number 3 on leopard wrasses. My first 2 (LFS purchased) only lived for a week then died. This last one is still alive but I got it pre quarantined from Dr. Reef and 3 weeks later its still alive. And will say its the most active fish in my tank. I can literally pet him. He eats everything.

 

[LeonardTheWrasse]

Thanks for the help, really great, hoping to find a healthy specimen at my LFS at some point. I'm going to wait for the best option to pop up and not rush into getting one.

 

[Crabby48]

I say they are all east of healthy and no parasites. If they are in a reef tank then they will eat pods until they eat frozen. To be honest a healthy wrasse will eat. Small wrasse may not eat until they get about 2” or bigger. Choats are the big chance as far as getting healthy out of your chances with black a close second. Blue star meleagris and gold nugget will be a better chance getting healthy