Melanurus Wrasse or Leopard Wrasse

[marinereef]

If you had to choose one or the other, a melanurus or a leopard, which would you choose and why?

From what I have found, it is completely possible to keep both in the same tank. If it is alright to keep them both, I don't want to add them both at the same time.

 

[ninjamyst]

What size tank? Leopard is better because melanurus does get fairly big and will kill your snails. But healthy leopard is hard to find as they can be picky eaters

 

[JoJosReef]

If you had to choose one or the other, a melanurus or a leopard, which would you choose and why?

From what I have found, it is completely possible to keep both in the same tank. If it is alright to keep them both, I don't want to add them both at the same time.

Leopard. 1000 times over, leopard. I love Halichoeres, but Macropharyngodon is my favorite genus, hands down. Just wish they didn't get less pretty if/when they transition. Peaceful, active, playful, beautiful. Great fish. Melanurus works great in many people's tanks, but are known to become a bit boisterous as they age.

 

[fishface NJ]

leopard...I have a peaceful tank...love my leopard

 

[tbrown]

I have both. I love my Leopard more for sure.

 

[Tamberav]

Another vote for leopard

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I put Melanarus in every tank I do. Beautiful fish, hardy, eat all kinds of undesirables, and while not the softie that the leopard wrasse is, I have not observed any kind of aggression that was noteworthy.

 

[steveschuerger]

Leopard. Active, peaceful and much more colorful

 

[Jasonak]

Ive tried Melanurus twice and have had to rehome both because they got aggressive as they got older. I have a leopard now now issues.

 

[Spare time]

What size tank? Leopard is better because melanurus does get fairly big and will kill your snails. But healthy leopard is hard to find as they can be picky eaters

I've never seen a melanarus go for snails

 

[Spare time]

Leopards hardly eat frozen or dry food. I almost never recommend them.

 

[Singspot]

I put Melanarus in every tank I do. Beautiful fish, hardy, eat all kinds of undesirables, and while not the softie that the leopard wrasse is, I have not observed any kind of aggression that was noteworthy.

what about its interaction with medium size (Peppermint and cleaner) shrimps and snails?

 

[JoJosReef]

Leopards hardly eat frozen or dry food. I almost never recommend them.

I lucked out with mine. She eats frozen, liquid, pellets, pods, really anything I throw into the tank. She also does this adorable choreographed swim when I'm feeding the LPS near lights out, because she wants a Medium TDO pellet (which I naturally oblige).

 

[tbrown]

I've never seen a melanarus go for snails

Mine eats everything - especially small snails and Stomatellas.

 

[tbrown]

Leopards hardly eat frozen or dry food. I almost never recommend them.

Mine eats anything and everything. She's a little chonker.

 

[exnisstech]

Never had a leopard but I added my melanurus a few months ago and haven't seen a flat worm since adding and I was having to blow them off my leathers daily. I bought it for pest control not looks but it's is a beautiful fish. Mine is in an 84x30x25" tank and sleeps in a clay pot full of sand. I haven't seen it bother other fish but I have a group of larger tangs and small fish are tough damsels. I had one previously that was great also. Again this was with larger fish in a 6ft tank.

 

[ninjamyst]

I've never seen a melanarus go for snails

Do your research. Every individual fish is different but it is well known that full grown melanarus will kill snails and even small shrimps.

 

[RedReefer]

My melanarus would only eat snails when not getting enough meat. I've had him 5 years and after year 2, I started feeding meaty foods daily. I have not seem him eat a snail in years.

 

[tbrown]

what about its interaction with medium size (Peppermint and cleaner) shrimps and snails?

I have a Peppermint Shrimp in my tank for a year with a nearly full grown Melanurus. I also had Berghia Nudibranches breeding in the tank.

I have an H. chrysus, H. melanurus, and M. meleagris in a 3' 70 gallon tank.

 

[crazyfishmom]

All fish have their own personalities. I have a very sweet leopard that lives with a dusky and never seen any signs of aggression. My melanurus is also a teddy bear (different tank) and lives with a mckosker’s and a blue side.