Leopard wrasse easy or hard?

[TCseh]

I am considering getting a leopard wrasse. I was wondering what the difficulty of keeping them was. I don't have a quarantine tank so I was planning on getting it from drreef or another place if anyone has recommendations. I have a 50 gallon long tank that has been set up for 6+months. I only have clownfish and a cleaner shrimp in the tank with a sandbed.

 

[Jason_MrFrags]

leopard are one of the harder wrasses to keep.

 

[OrchidMiss]

@Crabby48 @SaltyT @Slocke

 

[Cigarman]

I am considering getting a leopard wrasse. I was wondering what the difficulty of keeping them was. I don't have a quarantine tank so I was planning on getting it from drreef or another place if anyone has recommendations. I have a 50 gallon long tank that has been set up for 6+months. I only have clownfish and a cleaner shrimp in the tank with a sandbed.

I got mine from Dr. Reef about 8 months ago. He is doing great. He’s in a 100g tank and gets along with all the other fish

 

[Slocke]

I am considering getting a leopard wrasse. I was wondering what the difficulty of keeping them was. I don't have a quarantine tank so I was planning on getting it from drreef or another place if anyone has recommendations. I have a 50 gallon long tank that has been set up for 6+months. I only have clownfish and a cleaner shrimp in the tank with a sandbed.

The issue is getting a healthy one. Once established they are easy but they suffer badly from shipping stress and jaw injuries. I prefer getting these fish from a store because you can see them eat before purchase.

They will also benefit from a good pod population.

 

[codenfx]

I don't find them hard to keep. I have 2 and had no issues, mine eats everything I feed and are very active throughout the day. I think I read somewhere here that they're not great during transport so get them locally if you can. I got mine at my LFS.

 

[OrchidMiss]

I got mine from Dr. Reef about 8 months ago. He is doing great. He’s in a 100g tank and gets along with all the other fish

Getting them from a reputable place that quarantines is a great way to go, as they are already eating.

 

[TCseh]

Update drreef is located in my town so no shipping required

 

[OrchidMiss]

Update drreef is located in my town so no shipping required

That's how I feel having TSM 15 mins away from me!
(Other excellent place that QTs fish)

 

[Crabby48]

Hey are easy if they eat and are healthy. Shipping done proper and the fish was held proper then not much to worry about. I

 

[malacoda]

Depends on the type of leopard.

For example, Choat's (Macropharyngodon choati) and Blue Stars (Macropharyngodon bipartitus) can be finicky, delicate (shy), and a little trickier.

On the other hand, Meleagris (Macropharyngodon meleagris) are, IMO pretty easy ... especially if you are ordering one that was already quarantined.

It's their need for a sand bed and sensitivity during QT that makes leopards 'difficult' ... along with shipping difficulty (e.g. no sandbed).

If you get one that is already healthy and QT'd ... it will have already recovered from most of its ocean-to-retailer shipping trauma and its QT trauma ... and only have to deal with your shipping and acclimation. That means a much better chance for survival.

So, best bets are either...

• a LFT that does QT where you can see it healthy, eating and active
• as you mentioned, DrReef, OceanDevotion, Marine Collectors, the FisHotel, or another online source for QT'd fish

Also understand that it's normal for them to dive into the sand bed the moment you add them ... and stay there for up to 2-3 weeks. Don't go digging for it; you may injure it. Just be patient.

*** I just saw your update that DrReef is local to you. Sounds like the perfect source for a leopard for you.

 

[i cant think]

I am considering getting a leopard wrasse. I was wondering what the difficulty of keeping them was. I don't have a quarantine tank so I was planning on getting it from drreef or another place if anyone has recommendations. I have a 50 gallon long tank that has been set up for 6+months. I only have clownfish and a cleaner shrimp in the tank with a sandbed.

If entirely depends on the species.
Some are more difficult whilst others aren’t much harder than an Iridis

 

[i cant think]

Depends on the type of leopard.

For example, Choat's (Macropharyngodon choati) and Blue Stars (Macropharyngodon bipartitus) can be finicky, delicate (shy), and a little trickier.

On the other hand, Meleagris (Macropharyngodon meleagris) are, IMO pretty easy ... especially if you are ordering one that was already quarantined.

I disagree with this.
Macropharyngodon bipartitus is no more difficult than Macropharyngodon meleagris.

Macropharyngodon choati is one of if not the hardest to keep from this genus as it’s not a species that’s been in captivity long enough for us to study and know what they need to thrive in every tank. Another species I would personally say is very close to this is Macropharyngodon viviennae.

The other thing is that half the time all these issues we hear, is hobbyists won’t face them. It’s people who work in the LFS that will face these issues and truly suffer from it. Anyone working in a good LFS will rather want the fish to be healthy and thriving before it sells instead of selling the fish before it’s healthy just for the sake of money.

 

[OrionN]

Once you get them acclimated, they are not difficult, they eat everything once acclimated. All of the Leopard are consider delicate becasue they need live food (most of the time) during transition from newly captive to tank resident. If you have a healthy, eating the food you can provide for them, they will be fine. This goes for all the fish, not just leopard.

My Black Leopards harem.
Beat up baby by her tank mate at the LFS

healing

female

Male

nuptial male

Baby Meleagris Leopard

a little larger

Juvi-females

Transitional male

Male

nuptial male