Finding Leopard

[HSLSaltwater]

So I’m missing one wrasses now for almost 5 days. The story goes :

I bought 2 leopards a couple of weeks ago one Ornatus and one Bipartitus. Got them acclimated in a box with substrate. And Introduced them to the tank without any aggression in between or from my other fish.

The first morning the Bipartitus was very active and the first to show up roaming the tank for food. On the second day the Ornatus showed up and was following along the Bipartitus on trips around the tank showing zero aggression towards each other.

Now to the mystery. On day number 4 I didn't spot the Bipartitus a single time and haven’t since day number 3 we are now day number 8 since introducing.

Should I be alarmed?

Have a tight lid on the tank and no possibility for it to hide in the overflow.

 

[i cant think]

So I’m missing one wrasses now for almost 5 days. The story goes :

I bought 2 leopards a couple of weeks ago one Ornatus and one Bipartitus. Got them acclimated in a box with substrate. And Introduced them to the tank without any aggression in between or from my other fish.

The first morning the Bipartitus was very active and the first to show up roaming the tank for food. On the second day the Ornatus showed up and was following along the Bipartitus on trips around the tank showing zero aggression towards each other.

Now to the mystery. On day number 4 I didn't spot the Bipartitus a single time and haven’t since day number 3 we are now day number 8 since introducing.

Should I be alarmed?

Have a tight lid on the tank and no possibility for it to hide in the overflow.

You may find the ornatus is too boisterous but it could also be establishing still.

What other fish do you have with her?

 

[HSLSaltwater]

You may find the ornatus is too boisterous but it could also be establishing still.

What other fish do you have with her?

1 clown a goby and pistolshrimo and a firefish. Haven’t seen any aggression in between any of the fishes so far. All of them swim together and explore the tank like a team.

 

[i cant think]

1 clown a goby and pistolshrimo and a firefish. Haven’t seen any aggression in between any of the fishes so far. All of them swim together and explore the tank like a team.

They should all be good, what size is the tank?

 

[HSLSaltwater]

The tank is a 120 gallon DT with about 30-40g sump

 

[HSLSaltwater]

They should all be good, what size is the tank?

The tank is a 120 gallon DT with about 30-40g sump

 

[i cant think]

The tank is a 120 gallon DT with about 30-40g sump

If the sand bed is covering the tank floor she’s likely in there. I’ve found leopards almost impossible to find once in the sand. They use it to acclimate into a tank, the ornatus could be a bit boisterous and thus keeping her in the sand but it could be a completely different reason.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

My biggest concern was that it was out and about for the first days and then disappeared.

If the sand bed is covering the tank floor she’s likely in there. I’ve found leopards almost impossible to find once in the sand. They use it to acclimate into a tank, the ornatus could be a bit boisterous and thus keeping her in the sand but it could be a completely different reason.

Yeah maybe they seemed to get along all fine in the start but maybe it got a bit more territorial. I’m itching in my fingers to try and look for it but I have read that that only can make it worse. So I’m trying to be patient.

 

[i cant think]

My biggest concern was that it was out and about for the first days and then disappeared.

Yeah maybe they seemed to get along all fine in the start but maybe it got a bit more territorial. I’m itching in my fingers to try and look for it but I have read that that only can make it worse. So I’m trying to be patient.

Definitely don’t go looking for her. That can cause a lot more harm than good. The only time i would hunt for wrasses in the sand is if its an upgrade or moving tank.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

Definitely don’t go looking for her. That can cause a lot more harm than good. The only time i would hunt for wrasses in the sand is if its an upgrade or moving tank.

Yeah just worried about a fish dead in the sand making my tank crash but hopefully she is alive and hiding. When should I start to worry? 2-3 weeks or just consider her a loss and just get happy if she appears?

 

[i cant think]

Yeah just worried about a fish dead in the sand making my tank crash but hopefully she is alive and hiding. When should I start to worry? 2-3 weeks or just consider her a loss and just get happy if she appears?

Generally, wrasses come out of the sand before they die.

I’d only really worry after maybe 2 months. These guys can hide for weeks on end!

 

[HSLSaltwater]

Generally, wrasses come out of the sand before they die.

I’d only really worry after maybe 2 months. These guys can hide for weeks on end!

Okey then I can relax. Thanks a lot for the help

 

[Mechano]

Leopards are slow to acclimate. I had a leopard wrasse once that hid for almost 4 months then one day just appeared like it was nothing one day lol(I thought it had died for sure)

I actually purchased a new female ornate and a male blue star this last weekend and the ornate is swimming around and eating instantly , but the blue star is hiding still.

Give it time. It should come out when it’s ready.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

Leopards are slow to acclimate. I had a leopard wrasse once that hid for almost 4 months then one day just appeared like it was nothing one day lol(I thought it had died for sure)

I actually purchased a new female ornate and a male blue star this last weekend and the ornate is swimming around and eating instantly , but the blue star is hiding still.

Give it time. It should come out when it’s ready.

Then I can sleep easy. Was super worried about it since it was so active in the start. But feels a lot better now. Just need to show patience and hope it’s living in my sand enjoying life

 

[Mechano]

Then I can sleep easy. Was super worried about it since it was so active in the start. But feels a lot better now. Just need to show patience and hope it’s living in my sand enjoying life

But still keep in mind that these fish are usually shipped poorly, have lack of food during the travel , etc etc.

it would totally suck “if” he is lost, but I’m sure you know what your doing as your ornate is doing good. He is likely up at dusk or dawn picking at the rock work for pods.

 

[Dburr1014]

Yeah just worried about a fish dead in the sand making my tank crash but hopefully she is alive and hiding. When should I start to worry? 2-3 weeks or just consider her a loss and just get happy if she appears?

1 fish will not make a tank crash.
They hide, just wait it out.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

But still keep in mind that these fish are usually shipped poorly, have lack of food during the travel , etc etc.

it would totally suck “if” he is lost, but I’m sure you know what your doing as your ornate is doing good. He is likely up at dusk or dawn picking at the rock work for pods.

The LFS where I buy from always quarantine the fish and make sure they eat frozen food before selling them. Keeping them in tanks with a lot of sand to make them comfortable. So I hope they didn’t get to stressed out from my trip from the store (2,5h away approximately)

 

[Mechano]

The LFS where I buy from always quarantine the fish and make sure they eat frozen food before selling them. Keeping them in tanks with a lot of sand to make them comfortable. So I hope they didn’t get to stressed out from my trip from the store (2,5h away approximately)

Yeah. He’s likely just stressed. Give him time. Don’t go digging the sand trying to find him.

I bet if u we’re to set up a camera, he will show up when other fish are sleeping.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

Yeah. He’s likely just stressed. Give him time. Don’t go digging the sand trying to find him.

I bet if u we’re to set up a camera, he will show up when other fish are sleeping.

I was thinking about setting up a camera to investigate. Just need to figure out how to capture as much as possible if the tank.

 

[Mechano]

I was thinking about setting up a camera to investigate. Just need to figure out how to capture as much as possible if the tank.

Make sure u share what camera you use or how you do it. I was thinking about trying this but I’m absolutely not TechSavvy