Leopard wrasse aggression?

[Pete Paschall]

I have had a leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) my 100g DT for a couple of months. She has been doing extremely well and has been very peaceful to the other fish. I liked her so much that I decided to try a blue star leopard (Macropharyngodon bipartitus). The LFS that I trust had 2 and suggested I get both as they seem to be a pair. After doing some research, it seemed like adding them shouldn't be a problem, so after putting them through QT (GC treatment, eating like pigs), I put them into the DT last night. I didn't use an acclimation box (regretting THAT now), but I did put them in pretty late so that the other tank inhabitants were winding down for the night.

The leopard wrasse lost her mind and basically pummeled the blue stars into submission. This morning, I trapped the leopard and put her into the QT. My question is should I wait until the blue stars are settled into the DT and reintroduce the leopard after her "time out", or should I just re-home the leopard?

 

[Big G]

The wrasse guys can help here:
@4FordFamily
@HotRocks

 

[4FordFamily]

I have had a leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) my 100g DT for a couple of months. She has been doing extremely well and has been very peaceful to the other fish. I liked her so much that I decided to try a blue star leopard (Macropharyngodon bipartitus). The LFS that I trust had 2 and suggested I get both as they seem to be a pair. After doing some research, it seemed like adding them shouldn't be a problem, so after putting them through QT (GC treatment, eating like pigs), I put them into the DT last night. I didn't use an acclimation box (regretting THAT now), but I did put them in pretty late so that the other tank inhabitants were winding down for the night.

The leopard wrasse lost her mind and basically pummeled the blue stars into submission. This morning, I trapped the leopard and put her into the QT. My question is should I wait until the blue stars are settled into the DT and reintroduce the leopard after her "time out", or should I just re-home the leopard?

I think you can reintroduce. They usually just set a pecking order and then calm down, in my experience. Was she the only wrasse?

 

[Pete Paschall]

Well, I had a melanarus wrasse that I re-homed because he pounded on the leopard when I first put her in. I also have a Pygmy Possum wrasse, but he keeps to himself. So she has basically been the only wrasse for the last month.

 

[67chevellemalibu2]

I added a Male Blue Star Leopard a week ago to an established Melanarus and a Christmas and haven’t seen any issues and I thought I would with the Melanarus.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Can an acclimation box be used with strict pod eaters? Dont want to say try one and causes further stress on the fish.

Maybe something as simple as temp aquarium divider? eggcrate has worked well for me for this still get flow but fish larger than the gaps are separated while they size each other up.

 

[Pete Paschall]

Can an acclimation box be used with strict pod eaters? Dont want to say try one and causes further stress on the fish.

Maybe something as simple as temp aquarium divider? eggcrate has worked well for me for this still get flow but fish larger than the gaps are separated while they size each other up.

That's a good question. I'd like to use one to reintroduce the leopard, but then I wondered about her need to bury in sand.
@4FordFamily
@HotRocks
any thoughts?

 

[ca1ore]

Are you certain the meleagris is female? Leopard gender are quite apparent in these two species. Males don’t mix well. Even a larger female may be problematic.

 

[MIKE NY]

Personally I always use an acclimation box when introducing new fish especially wrasses. Sand dwellers like Leopards In my experience are fine without sand for night or so, but if they need a few days for the aggression to subside I’ll add a few inches of sand in the box. Also adding a piece or two of PVC pipe in the box helps ....GL

 

[MIKE NY]

Here’s a pic of my Potters in the box...

 

[Pete Paschall]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. The two Blue Stars are settled in the DT, so I am going to put the Leopard back in this afternoon using a DIY acclimation box. It won't have sand, as it's eggcrate, but I will just keep her there for a few hours and see how things go. Hopefully this will make for a smoother transition. Here is a pic of the new girls making friends. Sorry for the pic quality - I still haven't gotten the hang of photographing a reef tank.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Leopard wrasse aggression can vary greatly. Some work out a pecking order and settle down once the hierarchy is determined, some develop a crazy hate for other leopards. Females are usually more tolerant of each other than males, but sometimes a female that has been established on it's own for sometime will behave like a male. A few days in an acclimation box can help, but if the aggression persists she may need to be rehomed.

 

[Jesterrace]

Yup, it's about 50/50 on whether the time out will work. Generally a rockscape rearrangement is recommended to help, but it is possible that nothing will fix this. Personally I would keep the Blue Stars and get rid of the other if it came down to it. Then again, I am slightly biased :

 

[Pete Paschall]

Good news! Added the original leopard back to the DT the night before last and all is well. The three actually swim together a good bit, with no signs of aggression so far. Fingers crossed that this is their new normal...

Thanks again to everyone for their feedback and suggestions!

 

[OrionN]

Great. I hope that it will continue to work out for you. I have one Potter, two Negrosensis and one Meleagris in my 320 and it have been well. Only male is the Potter.
I really love my Leopards. Beautiful and graceful wrasses.