Macropharyngodon meleagris, Meleagris Leopard

OrionN · Dec 25, 2020

I got a pair of Meleagris Leopard wrasse at Galactic Coral last weekend. These are tiny, the smaller of the two is only 1 inch (without the clear tail) and the other is about 1.25 inches(without the clear tail). Witht he tail, they are 1.25 and 1.5 icehes. Both are pretty thin and have pinched bodies with large heads. I got them in my QT tank and slowly converted them to eating pellets. They both eating pellets now and is gaining weight. Here is the smaller 1 inch Leopard with a full stomach from pellets. The larger one eat pellets quickly, while the smaller one did not eat pellets until the last few days. I only feed once a day with frozen and pellets 4 more time with automated feeder. Too much feeding and my QT system is overload with nutrients. Now that both with full stomach and gainign weight, I am sure they will be doing OK. They will be the 3rd and 4th Meleagris in my DT in a few months.
Both om 12/21/2020. Larger with full stomach and smaller one with pinched stomach

Small on with pinched stomach on 12/21/2020

Small one with full stomach on 12/25/2020

Tamberav · Dec 25, 2020

Beautiful! My LFS has been getting a bunch of these tiny ones in. I picked up a single but will probably try to add more when I have a large enough tank to do so.

This is mine in the peroxide dip. Had her I think 2 or 3 weeks now.

I am mostly feeding live worms and she is in a acclimation box as I need to catch a mantis shrimp in the conditioning/QT tank but there are pods all over the glass she will get to enjoy soon as they exploded with no fish in there and a dirty tank.

ca1ore · Dec 25, 2020

That almost looks like a lapillus. Nice score if so.

OrionN · Dec 25, 2020

Got a little better pictures. These buys are small and shy. The smaller one barely have color coming in, while the larger one have more coloration. Both so tiny. I love tiny fish.
Smaller one, barely 1.25 and larger one at 1.5 inches.
Larger

Smaller

Zionas · Dec 25, 2020

Beautiful fish indeed and I would love to try one if not for the lack of my access to any live foods.

OrionN · Dec 26, 2020

These are a few observation from my tank over the last few days. I got some time off for Christmas vacation. We were going to travel, but COVID sorta shut that down. I have informed my staff about the time I take off, so they all had plans. I did not feel right to cancel their vacations at the last minutes so we just stay home this Christmas.

My Male Meleagris Leopard today. I got picture of him during Nuptial display. The color is brighter, but specifically there is a supple change in coloration of the spots. 4 rolls or so of the spot near the caudal and ventral of the fish change color from blue to green. This is what cause the coloration to be more distinct and beautiful. Also the dorsal fin extended showing the bright red and back of the front of the caudal fin. Thereare some dark, back area around the front and back part of the dorsal fin, and the dorsal area of the fish under these area. The blue to green shift is not clearly pick up by the (my) camera. Enough of this color change is pick up by the camera, but not as mark as in real live. Our eye are such a remarkable organ.

Normal coloration

early stage of nuptial display

These last two are full nuptial display. In full display, the male have a tendency of swimming head down tail up. Very unique motion that it cannot be anything else, as show in the last picture. Also the area where the spots turn green is clearly seen in these pictures.

StlSalt · Dec 26, 2020

Incredible pictures! It's really cool to see all of the different color phases some fish can go through.

RichtheReefer21 · Dec 26, 2020

@Crabby48

RichtheReefer21 · Dec 26, 2020

@Scurvy

OrionN · Dec 26, 2020

I got a series of pictures of the mating dance of my Meleagris Leopard pair. I wish I can get a video instead. I love to observer these peculiar obscure behaviors of fishes.

RichtheReefer21 · Dec 28, 2020

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

OrionN · Dec 28, 2020

This is the best picture that show the color of the male Leopard during mating.

OrionN · Jan 1, 2021

My babies Meleagris are doing well. They are eating pellets with gusto and are full all the time. That have gain a lot of weight, growing and are fat instead of having a pinched body

OrionN · Jan 1, 2021

Quick video of my Leopard babie eating pellets

OrionN · Jan 16, 2021

My Baby Leopards are grown by keeps and bound. Grew about 1/2 inches over the last month that I got them. Both are eating pellets with gusto and bulging full at the end of the day every day. In another month or so I will get them into my DT. I need to move some of my Aptasia infested rock to DT as treat for my CBB. He remove all the Aptasia and worms in about a week and the the other fishes will remove all the algae from the rock in a few days.