Leopard Wrasse burrowing

[guitareefs]

I saw my leopard wrasse flinging sand around then he was gone. Is this normal behavior for them? If so how long do they hide? Why do they burrow?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I saw my leopard wrasse flinging sand around then he was gone. Is this normal behavior for them? If so how long do they hide? Why do they burrow?

They do that if frightened or ready to sleep.

 

[HiddenUser]

I saw my leopard wrasse flinging sand around then he was gone. Is this normal behavior for them? If so how long do they hide? Why do they burrow?

Many wrasses will burrow in the sand when they go to sleep. Mine buries himself an hour or two before lights out every night, then he's back out and about the next day.

I'm guessing they burrow as a form of protection from predators while they sleep similar to how some wrasses will make a mucus cocoon to hide their scent from predators.

 

[ca1ore]

Yes. completely normal. Quite a few wrasses hide/sleep in the sand.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

100% Normal, they sleep in the sand. I have a small harem (3) of Black Leopard Wrasses and they all go to bed about 8pm...

 

[guitareefs]

Thanks yall!

 

[Centurio]

They burrow for protection. It's harder to get eaten in the ocean while sleeping if you're buried beneath the sand. Other things to know about them is they are jumpers as well. You need a very tight cover on the tank or invariably they will end up on the floor. They are not good fish for beginners or even a lot of experienced reefers. They rarely survive a tank that isn't very well-established with pods, etc. They are often hard to get to eat most foods. Experienced reefers often make sure they have some live food available and spend time weaning them onto frozen or other foods -- and many never will. Finally they often have internal parasites when they first come in. They may eat fine for a few days and look happy and then suddenly die. Only way around this is QT and treatment and they need a QT that caters to their sleeping needs. It's one of those fish that are cheap and LFS's sell the heck out of them -- that they probably shouldn't. If your store took your money and didn't even ask about a sandbed I'd reconsider buying fish there.

 

[guitareefs]

Thanks. He was in the setup long before I bought the system.

He's eating pellets and frozen and algae. He' fat lol. He's been in the 300 gallon for I'd say a couple years

 

[Centurio]

Good to hear.