Acclimation box with a Leopard wrasse?

steallife904 · Jan 11, 2019

My LFS has a couple leopard wrasses in, they have had for over 2 weeks and they are eating so I want to give 1 a shot (I have sand bed). I normally use an acclimation box for a couple days with new fish because I have an aggressive longnose hawk fish and starry blenny. Im wondering though since the leopard likes to burry itself in the sand if I shouldn't use the box? No sand in the box, just a piece of PVC, wondering if he would stress out not having the sand. ALso wondering if he will get beat up if I don't use it? Or........... should I pass?

Hemmdog · Jan 11, 2019

I wouldn’t use it. Mine was fine directly in the tank, he’s still doing good. I now have a potters leopard wrasse to, same thing, plopped him in.

They are super quick, I wouldn’t worry.

Hemmdog · Jan 11, 2019

Make sure you give him lots of mysis. Mine don’t eat pellets at all.

steallife904 · Jan 11, 2019

That's what I was leaning 2, I am worried about those 2 fish... they are evil to new guys. I guess if so the wrasse will hide in sand?

I feed frozen rods food to tank which has Mysis mixed it, should do the trick.

Hemmdog · Jan 11, 2019

steallife904 said:
That's what I was leaning 2, I am worried about those 2 fish... they are evil to new guys. I guess if so the wrasse will hide in sand?

I feed frozen rods food to tank which has Mysis mixed it, should do the trick.

Yea the wrasse will go in the sand if they are scared, some days I don’t see my black leopard, they are pretty reclusive. The potters is more social.

My black leopard is in with a flame angel, thalasoma quinquevittatum, and a trigger. So I deff wouldn’t be worried about aggression. He keeps all those bad boys in line.

Jesterrace · Jan 11, 2019

I tried to acclimate my Blue Star Leopard but it couldn't wait and found a way to get out in the tank. My Melanurus Wrasse gave it a very hard time for 2 weeks (and still doesn't much care for it at feeding time, but that's about it) but my Blue Star has been very persistent and active and strangely enough is the most people friendly of any of my fish (it will stay out and moving around while the others get spooked and hide). Also what size is your tank?

steallife904 · Jan 16, 2019

tank is a 150......... the leopard wrasse thing didn't go well though

. So I went to my LFS to get her. While the guy was bagging it the wrasse jumped out and hit the floor. He assured me it would be fine since it was swimming in bag, told him I was concerned (it was the only one they had). I took a chance on her, acclimated her for 2 hours and put in the tank. She went straight to the sand. Next morning she was lying on the bottom dead. Either fish was already in bad shape or the floor thing did something? At least the store let me replace it, I just went yesterday and got a really colorful flasher wrasse. Will give the leopard a shot again in the future.

eatbreakfast · Jan 16, 2019

I recommend using the box without sand.

First, it will allow the leopard to get used to the tank's light schedule.

Second, it prevents it from burying excessively, as they have a pretty fast metabolism.

Third, it prevents initial bullying. Even though the fish you have shouldn't care too much, their initial proddings can force it to stay buried longer than it should.

Jesterrace · Jan 16, 2019

steallife904 said:
tank is a 150......... the leopard wrasse thing didn't go well though . So I went to my LFS to get her. While the guy was bagging it the wrasse jumped out and hit the floor. He assured me it would be fine since it was swimming in bag, told him I was concerned (it was the only one they had). I took a chance on her, acclimated her for 2 hours and put in the tank. She went straight to the sand. Next morning she was lying on the bottom dead. Either fish was already in bad shape or the floor thing did something? At least the store let me replace it, I just went yesterday and got a really colorful flasher wrasse. Will give the leopard a shot again in the future.

Just a suggestion for Leopard Wrasses in the future, you have to be really picky about selecting the right individual fish if you want a good shot at long term success with them. I would wait until your LFS does a bulk order of them and then come back a couple of weeks later and see which one(s) are active and feeding. I used this method when selecting my Blue Star and 5 months later I feel it has paid off as I don't do anything special for it and it adapted almost immediately to seaweed and adapted to reef frenzy within a few days. It's very active, visible and eats well. 2 small feedings of reef frenzy per day and 1 small seaweed/nori piece is all I do for any of my fish (and would be doing it with or without the Leopard in the tank) and it seems to keep it well fed as it has. By comparison, of the 6 Leopard Wrasses my LFS ordered, 2 were dead within the first week and one was on it's death bed when I picked up my Blue Star (the other 2 were sold and I have no idea what happened to them). The point is that being picky in selecting a Leopard Wrasse can make a HUGE difference in your chances of success with one.