Leopard wrasse questions

[JenniferMcK]

I have been eyeing leopard wrasses for a while but haven't bought one due to it being considered an expert only fish. I really want to buy one though and since I treat everything prophylacticly, this fish will have no exception. Just need some advice on what I should do to prepare for its arrival, as I would have to order it online, what online fish store is best to buy from, advice on treating it with copper, abx, prazi, etc. And also what all I need to do to care for it properly in the long run. Just want to do the right thing and make sure I'm prepared to handle and take good care of this fish.

 

[mfinn]

I've bought more than a few leopard wrasses in the past. Currently have 3 females in my display tank.
Before I order them, I make sure the quarantine tank is ready.
By that I mean clean, new water and a good working bio-filter.
I use 5" dia air powered sponge filters that have been pre seeded for at least a couple months in the sump of my display tank.
I also like to have on hand several different first foods ready.
I usually have 1-2 bottles of fresh Tigger Pods. ( Can't go wrong with live food)
I also have nutramar ova, although I'm almost out of it and it looks like it may be hard to find.
I also use ROE.
In addition I also use Hykari frozen mysis in the cube packs. It seems to be a smaller variety.

When starting copper ( which I always do)I take 4-5 days to get it at 2.0 ppm.
This is only after they are on all prepared foods.
30 days minimum.
Then 2 rounds of prazipro.

I used to say Live Aquaria was the best place for fish, but with the changes in the last year or so, I just don't know anymore.

In the display tank they are going to hunt for pods and other critters from the moment they come out of the sand until the go back into it.
So lots of live rock and pods. And don't be afraid to buy extra.

 

[JenniferMcK]

I've bought more than a few leopard wrasses in the past. Currently have 3 females in my display tank.
Before I order them, I make sure the quarantine tank is ready.
By that I mean clean, new water and a good working bio-filter.
I use 5" dia air powered sponge filters that have been pre seeded for at least a couple months in the sump of my display tank.
I also like to have on hand several different first foods ready.
I usually have 1-2 bottles of fresh Tigger Pods. ( Can't go wrong with live food)
I also have nutramar ova, although I'm almost out of it and it looks like it may be hard to find.
I also use ROE.
In addition I also use Hykari frozen mysis in the cube packs. It seems to be a smaller variety.

When starting copper ( which I always do)I take 4-5 days to get it at 2.0 ppm.
This is only after they are on all prepared foods.
30 days minimum.
Then 2 rounds of prazipro.

I used to say Live Aquaria was the best place for fish, but with the changes in the last year or so, I just don't know anymore.

In the display tank they are going to hunt for pods and other critters from the moment they come out of the sand until the go back into it.
So lots of live rock and pods. And don't be afraid to buy extra.

Ok thanks so much for all of that much needed info. This makes my eases my apprehension so much. My dt is overflowing with pods as I seeded it with them when I started the tank up but haven't put a single fish in it yet so it's overflowing with them. I always get the qt ready beforehand with any fish I buy, so no problem there. I've read the leopards need a thick sand bottom, do you use sand in your qt with them? Also where would I be able to buy pods without worrying that ich, velvet or anything worse may be introduced into my dt when I add the pods? That's the only thing that worries me about pods. I take so much time to quarantine and treat, so I would hate to inadvertently add a parasite I've already treated for. Thank you so so much.
Just to clarify, my tank is over 8 months old, I just haven't added fish to it yet.

 

[mfinn]

Ok thanks so much for all of that much needed info. This makes my eases my apprehension so much. My dt is overflowing with pods as I seeded it with them when I started the tank up but haven't put a single fish in it yet so it's overflowing with them. I always get the qt ready beforehand with any fish I buy, so no problem there. I've read the leopards need a thick sand bottom, do you use sand in your qt with them? Also where would I be able to buy pods without worrying that ich, velvet or anything worse may be introduced into my dt when I add the pods? That's the only thing that worries me about pods. I take so much time to quarantine and treat, so I would hate to inadvertently add a parasite I've already treated for. Thank you so so much.

I like to use a dish of sand ( tupperware low profile dish) for leopards in my quarantine tank. I've seen some others say no.
One thing I do know is most sand that we use will absorb copper out of the water, so daily testing IMO is mandatory.
I use the Hanna High Range copper checker. It is awesome. No guessing what the color in the tube actually is.
For Tigger Pods, I use https://reefnutrition.com/product_tigger_pods.php
For adding pods to my display tank I use https://www.algaebarn.com/

 

[mfinn]

Just to clarify, my tank is over 8 months old, I just haven't added fish to it yet.

I've added wrasses in a tank that was newer, but it has a couple hundred lbs. of live rock.

How big is your tank?

 

[JenniferMcK]

I've added wrasses in a tank that was newer, but it has a couple hundred lbs. of live rock.

How big is your tank?

70 gallon. It's 8 months old. Has a bunch of live rock and a few corals in it. I added fish a few months in and then had a velvet outbreak. So then I learned all about treating my fish. Then I got a bigger tank and transferred everything over so I wanted to make sure everything had smoothed out before I added fish to it. I do have fish that have been treated in qt's but i just haven't added them to dt yet is all.

 

[saltyhog]

For what it's worth I have QT'd several fish with a Tupperware bowl of sand and had no problems with copper levels being unstable once reaching therapeutic levels.

I sure like to get leopards from my LFS when possible to see first hand if they are healthy appearing and are eating.

 

[JenniferMcK]

For what it's worth I have QT'd several fish with a Tupperware bowl of sand and had no problems with copper levels being unstable once reaching therapeutic levels.

I sure like to get leopards from my LFS when possible to see first hand if they are healthy appearing and are eating.

Ive quarantined a diamond goby before with a Tupperware of sand and he had it all over the tank completely out of the bowl in a day. I always use a hannah checker with copper.
Honestly I'd love to be able to just buy one from a lfs but I only have petco and their tanks are awful right now with velvet and algea probs. I talked to the guy I know there and he said he wouldn't order a leopard wrasse for me just bc it'd probably die of velvet in few days after adding to their tanks and then taking home. It's just too big of a risk for me to be wasting my money. So my only option is buying online unfortunately.

 

[saltyhog]

Ive quarantined a diamond goby before with a Tupperware of sand and he had it all over the tank completely out of the bowl in a day. I always use a hannah checker with copper.
Honestly I'd love to be able to just buy one from a lfs but I only have petco and their tanks are awful right now with velvet and algea probs. I talked to the guy I know there and he said he wouldn't order a leopard wrasse for me just bc it'd probably die of velvet in few days after adding to their tanks and then taking home. It's just too big of a risk for me to be wasting my money. So my only option is buying online unfortunately.

I completely understand Jennifer. I was lucky as I got the only Potter's my LFS has had in the last 7-8 years. I couldn't believe it when I walked in and saw it in one of their tanks. It's certainly not a requirement to get one locally, just a little bit of an advantage. Good luck!

 

[JenniferMcK]

I completely understand Jennifer. I was lucky as I got the only Potter's my LFS has had in the last 7-8 years. I couldn't believe it when I walked in and saw it in one of their tanks. It's certainly not a requirement to get one locally, just a little bit of an advantage. Good luck!

Thank you so much! is it a potters wrasse or angelfish?

 

[saltyhog]

Thank you so much! is it a potters wrasse or angelfish?

Sorry should have specified, it's a potter's wrasse. Here's a picture of him hanging with a couple of my other wrasses.

 

[artieg1]

If you would otherwise QT (which I do), I would not hesitate to QT the leopard wrasses. Just go slow, provide sand in a Tupperware, and make sure they are eating voraciously before you start copper. I've got three strong ones in my DT now.

 

[JenniferMcK]

Sorry should have specified, it's a potter's wrasse. Here's a picture of him hanging with a couple of my other wrasses.

So very beautiful!

 

[JenniferMcK]

If you would otherwise QT (which I do), I would not hesitate to QT the leopard wrasses. Just go slow, provide sand in a Tupperware, and make sure they are eating voraciously before you start copper. I've got three strong ones in my DT now.

I will surely do. Thanks for the advice!

 

[JenniferMcK]

Sorry should have specified, it's a potter's wrasse. Here's a picture of him hanging with a couple of my other wrasses.

If you don't mind me asking, what all does it eat?

 

[sfin52]

@Hemmdog thoughts

 

[Hemmdog]

@Hemmdog thoughts

I agree hakari mysis is great and a perfect size for leopard wrasses, roe is great to as an occasional treat. I fw dip all my fish for flukes then put them in observational qt. I don’t treat fish if they aren’t visibly sick, it’s added stress that I feel isn’t always necessary. But yea, qt or whatever you want to do, feed them good food and fairly often (2-3x a day), they really aren’t to hard if they make it past Qt/observation. I have a black leopard, moyers leopard, had a potters leopard but he passed during a long power outage . They are awesome fish, good call on wanting one

Lmk if you have any other questions

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

there was a guy on here that has a ton of them and he said qt was stressful for them and does not do it but he also feeds some form of medication in all of his fish food directly to his reef tank saying it had no effect on any of his corals

 

[mfinn]

there was a guy on here that has a ton of them and he said qt was stressful for them and does not do it but he also feeds some form of medication in all of his fish food directly to his reef tank saying it had no effect on any of his corals

There is no medicated food that will kill ick or velvet.

 

[JenniferMcK]

I agree hakari mysis is great and a perfect size for leopard wrasses, roe is great to as an occasional treat. I fw dip all my fish for flukes then put them in observational qt. I don’t treat fish if they aren’t visibly sick, it’s added stress that I feel isn’t always necessary. But yea, qt or whatever you want to do, feed them good food and fairly often (2-3x a day), they really aren’t to hard if they make it past Qt/observation. I have a black leopard, moyers leopard, had a potters leopard but he passed during a long power outage . They are awesome fish, good call on wanting one

Lmk if you have any other questions

Thank you so much. Your tank is beautiful!