Melanurus Harassing New Leopard Wrasse - Help!

[Chipper1978]

So I added my new female divided leopard wrasse to my 4 foot mixed reef tank on Saturday and my melanurus wrasse is not having it. The melanaurus has been in my tank for approximately six months, but has never harassed any new fish additions. Also, the leopard wrasse is only an inch or two big, compared to the melanurus being around 5 inches. I figured adding the leopard would not be an issue. Boy was I wrong.

The leopard buried itself in the sand after a few minutes of being chased and nipped at on Saturday. She came back out yesterday morning for only a few minutes and again buried in the sand after being harassed constantly for several minutes. This morning, it was more of the same and she is buried again. She appears very healthy, but I am concerned that she is going to starve due to not being out long enough and relaxed to eat anything.

Do you think this behavior will subside and I am overworrying, or do I need to intervene? I guess I should have used an acclimation box (which I do not own), but hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Chipper1978]

Anybody? Should I put the melanurus in my sump?

 

[Tamberav]

I would probably rehome the melanurus. I don’t have one of those with my leopards since they can be a bit more aggressive than some others.

 

[Chipper1978]

I would probably rehome the melanurus. I don’t have one of those with my leopards since they can be a bit more aggressive than some others.

Not what I wanted to hear, but I will do that if I have to. I know you never know until you try, but I was under the assumption that they are generally compatible. Thanks for the reply!

 

[ca1ore]

At the very least get the hoevens out for a while ....otherwise the leopard will stay in the sand.

 

[Chipper1978]

At the very least get the hoevens out for a while ....otherwise the leopard will stay in the sand.

I put him in my sump for now. I think I will just attempt to rehome to avoid any further problems.

 

[OrionN]

Hope your Leopard is doing well, and that you got the Melanurus out in time. If your Leopard is doing well, I would agree with your decision to rehome the Melanurus. Melanurus are easy to to get whild Leopard are not. Once the Leopard is establish, if you want you can always get another Melanurus in the future.

 

[Chipper1978]

Hope your Leopard is doing well, and that you got the Melanurus out in time. If your Leopard is doing well, I would agree with your decision to rehome the Melanurus. Melanurus are easy to to get whild Leopard are not. Once the Leopard is establish, if you want you can always get another Melanurus in the future.

New Leopard is doing great (see pic). Melanurus has a new home. Good call on a new one down the road. I love how he would cruise the tank and hunt all day. Thanks for the reply!

 

[ChopperX]

New Leopard is doing great (see pic). Melanurus has a new home. Good call on a new one down the road. I love how he would cruise the tank and hunt all day. Thanks for the reply!

Nice fish

 

[OrionN]

Look at what I saw at Galactic Coral in Houston. I did not get them becasue I have a harem of Meleagris and Black Leopards.

 

[jmichaelh7]

So the melanurus and the leopard species won’t get along ?

 

[Chipper1978]

So the melanurus and the leopard species won’t get along ?

I'm sure that some do. Mine didn't, so I had to make a decision to rehome the melanurus to save the leopard.