Blue Star and Leopard Wrasse Successes

67chevellemalibu2 · Dec 7, 2018

Who has had success with these wrasses? What were you able to get them to eat? I got two females on Tuesday. I thought for sure that my Melanarus was going to harass them but that hasn’t been the case. I haven’t seen them eat.
I put Nori sheets, fresh shrimp, clams, mysis, frozen bloodworms, pellets and flakes in my tank.
They have been swimming around since day one. The Blue Star hides more than the Leopard. The Blue Star is a medium and the Leopard is a small size.

67chevellemalibu2 · Dec 9, 2018

67chevellemalibu2 said:
Who has had success with these wrasses? What were you able to get them to eat? I got two females on Tuesday. I thought for sure that my Melanarus was going to harass them but that hasn’t been the case. I haven’t seen them eat.
I put Nori sheets, fresh shrimp, clams, mysis, frozen bloodworms, live black worms,pellets and flakes in my tank.
They have been swimming around since day one. The Blue Star hides more than the Leopard. The Blue Star is a medium and the Leopard is a small size.

Brautumn · Dec 9, 2018

I have 8 leopards and they all ate from the beginning except the choates would only eat cyclopees for a month and now anything like the others. I had plenty of pods plus fed a mix of frozen, pellets, flakes and nori. It will take them a bit to settle in.

Jesterrace · Dec 9, 2018

67chevellemalibu2 said:
Who has had success with these wrasses? What were you able to get them to eat? I got two females on Tuesday. I thought for sure that my Melanarus was going to harass them but that hasn’t been the case. I haven’t seen them eat.
I put Nori sheets, fresh shrimp, clams, mysis, frozen bloodworms, pellets and flakes in my tank.
They have been swimming around since day one. The Blue Star hides more than the Leopard. The Blue Star is a medium and the Leopard is a small size.

My Blue Star took a beating for the first couple of weeks from my established Melanurus and didn't come out much for the first few days, but then began eating seaweed and LRS Reef Frenzy. I agree that it will take a bit for them to settle in. Some people have them burried for a week or two before they come out at all.

4FordFamily · Dec 9, 2018

If they survive the first month usually you’re good. The first week is tough. Internal parasites kill them I’d feed them food soaked in general cure and focus to keep it bound.

They’ll hardy otherwise, and after that time period. With the exception of choati which randomly dust and are sensitive to nearly every water parameter.

RMS18 · Dec 10, 2018

I have a couple. Once i acclimated them to the QT tank all of them shot into the sand where they stayed from 3-5 days. Once out i gave them frozen brine which they ate up along with live trigger pods. Then after a week or two i tried mysis, all went well there. Then onto live blackworms. Fast forward years later they will eat anything i put into the tank. -hoping my new potters wrasse will have the same success.

I truly believe the the key to great QT success is low stress for new fish. I do not keep multiple fish in a QT unless they came together. I do not have powerful water flow, air stone for extra oxygen, lights off until the fish is out swimming, and i keep water quality pristine. - when i say pristine i mean super clean.

Multiple foods on hand. Lastly i find if the back glass is painted black and the bottom is also painted i find the fish are more calm and do not do the up and down movements and don't try to keep swimming downwards.

Js.Aqua.Project · Dec 10, 2018

I have kept harems of Blue Stars, Black, and Guinea Leopard wrasses. They spend most of their time pecking around looking for pods but all of mine took to @Reef Nutrition R.O.E. very quickly and then on to TDO small pellet from there. They all also ate mysis for me.

ca1ore · Dec 10, 2018

It can take a bit of time for leopards to eat. I agree that a properly setup QT can be invaluable. Try brine or calamus.

Oshengems · Dec 10, 2018

I tried one a few weeks ago but didn’t ship well, my LFS has about 5F 1 M from Africa they seem very active and are more red than other blue stars, but I’m giving these a few days to let them adjust and try again

ihavecrabs · Dec 10, 2018

Live white worms usually entice them!

jolt · Dec 10, 2018

I've always been able to get them started on live baby brine, I start mixing in mysis until I see them eat that too and then taper off the live brine.

ReeferReefer · Dec 10, 2018

Jesterrace said:
My Blue Star took a beating for the first couple of weeks from my established Melanurus and didn't come out much for the first few days, but then began eating seaweed and LRS Reef Frenzy. I agree that it will take a bit for them to settle in. Some people have them burried for a week or two before they come out at all.

I also got my blue star to start eating on LRS Reef Frenzy. I slowly mixed in dry foods with it and now she eats pellets and flakes like a champ!

Jonathan4848 · Dec 10, 2018

I got a leopard wrasse about a year ago and than a second about 6 months ago. Both are doing great and the larger one turned into the male. Mine eat pellets, flakes, and mysis when it is flying by from the powerhead. I guess it resembles something moving. They also share algae sheets and algae wafers with the tang.

MIKE NY · Dec 10, 2018

All my Leopards started eating with PE mysis and Larry’s then eventually everything else including flake and pellets...

Jesterrace · Dec 11, 2018

ReeferReefer said:
I also got my blue star to start eating on LRS Reef Frenzy. I slowly mixed in dry foods with it and now she eats pellets and flakes like a champ!

I stick to Reef Frenzy even after, better for the whole tank in the long run

ReeferReefer · Dec 11, 2018

Jesterrace said:
I stick to Reef Frenzy even after, better for the whole tank in the long run

I still feed LRS when possible but dry food is a bit more convenient on those busy days.

Jesterrace · Dec 11, 2018

ReeferReefer said:
I still feed LRS when possible but dry food is a bit more convenient on those busy days.

I understand, I just don't like the nasties they put into the tank.

I still keep some PE Mysis Pellets around as a backup though.

67chevellemalibu2 · Dec 11, 2018

It’s been a week now since I got them. They came out of the sand for the first four days or so. Haven’t seen them in a few days. Is this normal ?

lion king · Dec 11, 2018

Pods, live brine shrimp, live black worms, live ghost shrimp; then mixed in frozen brine and mysis with the live brine to get them to start eating everything.

Jesterrace · Dec 11, 2018

67chevellemalibu2 said:
It’s been a week now since I got them. They came out of the sand for the first four days or so. Haven’t seen them in a few days. Is this normal ?

Yes, it can be. Mine was super active for a few days and then disappeared for a few days and then reappeared and stayed out.