Round 2 on Leopard Wrasse ....

[Xandernfs]

I will be adding a leopard wrasse to my RSR250 this weekend. The first time around she didn't make it. :( She'll be going in with 2 clowns, McKosker's wrasse, & wheeler's watchman/pistol pair. There is lots of hiding places and plenty of sand for her. Any suggestions on how to increase survival rate? Thanks.

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Following

 

[Lb71]

Following

If your not quarantining your fish first I would say chances are your wrasse won’t survive. It’s been my experience that these fish ship poorly and are usually stressed out by the the time you get them. They need to be in a tank of their own with dim lighting. Make sure you have a spot where they can bury themselves. Usually they will bury themselves for a few days and slowly stay out longer in the open as they get use to the surroundings. Try to entice them to eat with live black worms, gut packed brine shrimp, mysis and pods. Don’t put much food in the tank until you see them really starting to eat well. I have seen these fish afraid of anyone going near them and you have to monitor them from afar. Once you have gotten them eating start standard prazi pro treatment and monitor for any other problems. If you Google quarantine of leopard wrasses you will find lots of info from others.
Larry

 

[cancun]

Hi...I have 5 leopards....2 Melegris, 2 blue stars, and a Moyers Leopard. I have had them several years. I didn't QT any of my leopards. I bought them from one of my LFS that I frequent. I made sure they had them for at least 2 weeks. I also made sure they were eatting frozen before I took them home. I have never had a issue. The only time I had a issue with one is when I took him home too soon from the LFS, or didn't see him eat. I like to sit and watch them being fed, to make sure they are attacking the food, not just spitting it out. If possible I would never order a leopard online. Here are some pics..

 

[Oshengems]

QT is a bit overrrate to me but of course it’s good practice idk why I feel to some species it’s actually more stressful to QT than getting them To their final destination as fast as possible so they could adjust,i have never quarantine any of my fishes haven’t lost any to disease. Leopard do seem to ship poorly and they are mild so any bully’s in your tank they won’t fight back. I tried 3 blue star leopard the 3rd one was the charm but had to take out my Melanurus he wanted to kill him try a acclimation box so others could at least see him a see if you can see any aggression before letting him free also keep the others nice and plum to decreased some aggression,

Is she eating already? I think this is when QT is most helpful get new aquasition in a space alone with minimal flow to teach them to eat that’s all after they are eating I think they can fend of pest

 

[Oshengems]

From my experience just noticed you haven’t bought it yet,
1. Make sure he’s active nor just scare in a corner
2. If you don’t have a good amount of pods and LR for them to much make sure he’s alre accepting food
3. Scare him to see his response also if he’s easy to catch he won’t last long those are signs of too much stress.

I sold my old leopard he was too big and I wanted a blue star instead.

The first was weak he had slow reaction he was pecking food but spitting it back out I assumed he was going to make it only lasted a few days

The 2nd was eating but in the store just 2 days after his trip from the other side of the world it was one left i was hasty took him home woke up to a dead fish

Now the 3rd was active eating, running just on my sight and did not want to get caught, also she was in the store for a week before I took her so far she’s good thinking of getting a 2nd

 

[Neo Jeo]

I have 16 fish and did not QT any. I dipped them in Instant Quarantine by Blue Life.. I have read leopard wrasses are hard to keep even more in a new tank. Very nice lookin fish.

 

[lion king]

Hi...I have 5 leopards....2 Melegris, 2 blue stars, and a Moyers Leopard. I have had them several years. I didn't QT any of my leopards. I bought them from one of my LFS that I frequent. I made sure they had them for at least 2 weeks. I also made sure they were eatting frozen before I took them home. I have never had a issue. The only time I had a issue with one is when I took him home too soon from the LFS, or didn't see him eat. I like to sit and watch them being fed, to make sure they are attacking the food, not just spitting it out. If possible I would never order a leopard online. Here are some pics..

The thing that jumps out at me about your post is 1: you got them several years ago, and 2: they were eating at your lfs before you brought them home.

Now let's fast forward to today, 1: they almost always come in with internal parasites, so some form of treatment for internal parasites is highly recommended, either by you or from your source. 2: fish are moved through the system so quickly today, many of these guys aren't eating from the water column before you get them home,

So my recommendations for success id as follows; set up a qt with sand and rock for grazing, supply pods, live brine shrimp, and live black worms if necessary; while training to eat from water column. Treat for internal parasites.

If you don't get a leopard that has been treated for internal parasites and are already eating from the water column, and you add them directly to your dt, good luck. If lucky enough not to have internal parasites, once they decimate your pod population, most times they starve.

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

Where I used to volunteer we had a leopard wrasse that would eat pellet food. It has been going on for a year now but I doubt its the correct diet. As everyone here has said qt the fish, and before buying inquire what the fish is eating if possible.

 

[Tamberav]

I bought 3 leopards from LA, one was doa and the other two went into a conditioning tank (like a QT tank but with live rock/macro/sand). I started with live baby brine but after about 3 days they were eating anything. I sold one and kept one that has been with me awhile now. The conditioning tank let me slowly acclimate the light and overfeed without caring about nutrients and no other fish to compete with.

 

[mannyhernz]

I will be adding a leopard wrasse to my RSR250 this weekend. The first time around she didn't make it. :( She'll be going in with 2 clowns, McKosker's wrasse, & wheeler's watchman/pistol pair. There is lots of hiding places and plenty of sand for her. Any suggestions on how to increase survival rate? Thanks.

Feed it...
So heres my secret..ready?
Cyclopods,mixed with oyster feast and small marine S pellets. Soak the concoction for 5 minutes then baste. The feeding frenzy will be crazy, they will go for cyclopods, but at the same time take in pellets since they are in a frenzy. Takes me 2 weeks to train wrasses to pellets. Ive had leopards and fairy wrasses, even worked on my borbonias...

 

[Brian1f1]

Ordered two blue stars from LA about seven months ago. Came in small and healthy. I placed them in a conditioning tank full of pods, some rock, and a sand tray, with dim light. Trained them on mysis. I treated them with two rounds of prazi. Kept them in the qt for one month. They’ve been in my display for prob 6 months now. Growing like crazy. One of them eats flakes and nori (really, lol).

I lost exactly zero fish in the process. The conditioning tank was critical. So is having a big supply of pods. People gamble with these fish too often. Sometimes they live going straight to dt with no conditioning/prazi, but that’s def not best practice. Neither is putting them in small tanks that can’t sustain them.