Leopard wrasse

Joshua I. · 06/21/2018, 12:10 PM

I got a leopard wrasse about 3 weeks ago and he is doing fine but isn't really eating pellets yet but he ate a couple the other day any tips on how to get him to eat the pellets. also if you have or had a leopard wrasse in the past leave your experiences here!

mcgyvr · 06/21/2018, 01:14 PM

If the tank has sufficient pod population they dont need pellets,etc...
Is it out actively hunting?...
Its likely fine and will eat pellets when needed..

billdogg · 06/21/2018, 01:16 PM

By far my most favorite reef safe fish. I had a pair (sadly the female passed a couple weeks ago) that rid my tank of a flatworm infestation in short order.

Try soaking the pellets in Selcon, or even in with some frozen spirolina or something to make them a bit more enticing. Use very small pellets too. For a long time mine would only eat the NLS .5mm. He's now big enough that the 1mm are perfect.

Like mcgyvr said - if it is out cruising the reef, it is almost certainly eating while picking at the rocks. My is out on the prowl all day every day.

If you don't yet - you MUST put a cover on your tank! Eggcrate squares are way too big - they'll slip through them first try. The 1/4" mesh from BRS and a DIY top is your best option for that IMO. It will also benefit from a few inches of fairly fine sand to sleep in.

hth

homer1475 · 06/21/2018, 01:28 PM

Sadly I lost my leopard and all my fish to ich! One of the best fish I've ever had, you could set your watch to her on her sleeping habits. 1/2 before lights out she would dive into the sand. The second the lights came on, she was out hunting.

As billdogg mentioned, try soaking in selcon. Mine just started eating pellets one day when she saw the rest of the fish eating them.

As long as it's out cruising around and pecking at the rocks, it's eating.

d2mini · 06/21/2018, 02:39 PM

They have tiny mouths. Hopefully those are tiny pellets.
I feed mine Larry's Reef Frenzy or Rod's Food. They have a mix of particle sizes.
You could also supplement with some Cyclops.

Tripod1404 · 06/21/2018, 02:42 PM

Mine used to eat only pods and colonista snails. Now she eats everything, including hikari jumbo sized mysis. It just picks one and smash it to the rocks until it breaks into smaller pieces that it can ingest. So yeah, they have small mouths, but they are also resourceful when happy. The trick is to have enough micro fauna for the first 6 months or so, until they get accustomed to prepared foods.

mfinn · 06/21/2018, 08:12 PM

I don't think I've ever seen any of my leopard wrasses eat pellets. At least not 2 in a row.

WVfishguy · 06/21/2018, 10:20 PM

I set my 90 gal. up for leopard wrasses and Mandarins. One of the outflows is in the far end at the bottom. I simply squirt food into the pump intake, and it flows across the tank bottom. Now, if I can only find a leopard wrasse....

I'm surprised leopard wrasses eat dry food.

Joshua I. · 06/22/2018, 12:10 AM

the pellets I'm using are small and she is out hunting actively I have pods in the tank and small snails and it will eat any kind of small frozen shrimp like brine or mysis but I'm going away for a week coming up and am not sure what to do any advice? Also should I get another someone said they would do better in a group and would you guys recommend getting pods from algae barn but mind you I don't have a sump

hkgar · 06/22/2018, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

If you don't yet - you MUST put a cover on your tank! Eggcrate squares are way too big - they'll slip through them first try. The 1/4" mesh from BRS and a DIY top is your best option for that IMO. It will also benefit from a few inches of fairly fine sand to sleep in.

hth

+1 on the cover and1/4 inch. I had 1/2 inch over the center section of my tank and 1/4 on the two sides. My Red Head Salon was found one day on top of the 1/2 netting.

Yes, all 3 sections are now 1/4 inch.

hkgar · 06/22/2018, 01:33 PM

I have had success converting fish to pellets by starting (in TTM tank!) feeding Mysis and (if you can find it) Cyclopeas nand slowly adding pellets to the mix.

All my Wrasses are eating my homemade frozen and if I go away I set up the auto feeders to feed pellets. I have never seen my Possum eat prepared foods so (S)he must be finding enough to eat.

I don't have Leopards but have been considering a couple. Maybe they are just more difficult to convert?

AlSimmons · 06/22/2018, 01:55 PM

Check these out.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...hcs3/index.php

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2369454

HTH.

Tripod1404 · 06/22/2018, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

I have had success converting fish to pellets by starting (in TTM tank!) feeding Mysis and (if you can find it) Cyclopeas nand slowly adding pellets to the mix.

All my Wrasses are eating my homemade frozen and if I go away I set up the auto feeders to feed pellets. I have never seen my Possum eat prepared foods so (S)he must be finding enough to eat.

I don't have Leopards but have been considering a couple. Maybe they are just more difficult to convert?

I find them very easy to convert. All my leopards converted to pellets and flakes without any special attention. The issue with them is; first to find healthy specimens, and second to have enough macrofauna to sustain it for above 3-6 months until it starts eating prepared foods. Mine are like pigs, they eat so much and so fast that I feel like other fish sometimes dont have time to eat enough. They also steal food from corals and feeding sticks

.

Overall, it think most leopard wrasses arrive to shops in such a poor condition that they are beyond recovery. If you find healthy one, I think they are very hardy and easy to take care.

Joshua I. · 06/22/2018, 10:24 PM

Well good news I saw her eating the pellets today! Thanks for all the advice guys.

06/21/2018, 12:10 PM	#1
Joshua I. Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 225	Leopard wrasse I got a leopard wrasse about 3 weeks ago and he is doing fine but isn't really eating pellets yet but he ate a couple the other day any tips on how to get him to eat the pellets. also if you have or had a leopard wrasse in the past leave your experiences here!

06/21/2018, 01:14 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	If the tank has sufficient pod population they dont need pellets,etc... Is it out actively hunting?... Its likely fine and will eat pellets when needed.. __________________ Who me?

06/21/2018, 01:16 PM	#3
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	By far my most favorite reef safe fish. I had a pair (sadly the female passed a couple weeks ago) that rid my tank of a flatworm infestation in short order. Try soaking the pellets in Selcon, or even in with some frozen spirolina or something to make them a bit more enticing. Use very small pellets too. For a long time mine would only eat the NLS .5mm. He's now big enough that the 1mm are perfect. Like mcgyvr said - if it is out cruising the reef, it is almost certainly eating while picking at the rocks. My is out on the prowl all day every day. If you don't yet - you MUST put a cover on your tank! Eggcrate squares are way too big - they'll slip through them first try. The 1/4" mesh from BRS and a DIY top is your best option for that IMO. It will also benefit from a few inches of fairly fine sand to sleep in. hth __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/21/2018, 01:28 PM	#4
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Sadly I lost my leopard and all my fish to ich! One of the best fish I've ever had, you could set your watch to her on her sleeping habits. 1/2 before lights out she would dive into the sand. The second the lights came on, she was out hunting. As billdogg mentioned, try soaking in selcon. Mine just started eating pellets one day when she saw the rest of the fish eating them. As long as it's out cruising around and pecking at the rocks, it's eating. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

06/21/2018, 02:39 PM	#5
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	They have tiny mouths. Hopefully those are tiny pellets. I feed mine Larry's Reef Frenzy or Rod's Food. They have a mix of particle sizes. You could also supplement with some Cyclops. __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

06/21/2018, 02:42 PM	#6
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	Mine used to eat only pods and colonista snails. Now she eats everything, including hikari jumbo sized mysis. It just picks one and smash it to the rocks until it breaks into smaller pieces that it can ingest. So yeah, they have small mouths, but they are also resourceful when happy. The trick is to have enough micro fauna for the first 6 months or so, until they get accustomed to prepared foods.

06/21/2018, 08:12 PM	#7
mfinn Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Olympia. WA. Posts: 8,648	I don't think I've ever seen any of my leopard wrasses eat pellets. At least not 2 in a row. __________________ 240 gallon soft coral tank 50 gallon lps tank

06/21/2018, 10:20 PM	#8
WVfishguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Huntington, WV Posts: 677	I set my 90 gal. up for leopard wrasses and Mandarins. One of the outflows is in the far end at the bottom. I simply squirt food into the pump intake, and it flows across the tank bottom. Now, if I can only find a leopard wrasse.... I'm surprised leopard wrasses eat dry food.

06/22/2018, 12:10 AM	#9
Joshua I. Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 225	the pellets I'm using are small and she is out hunting actively I have pods in the tank and small snails and it will eat any kind of small frozen shrimp like brine or mysis but I'm going away for a week coming up and am not sure what to do any advice? Also should I get another someone said they would do better in a group and would you guys recommend getting pods from algae barn but mind you I don't have a sump

06/22/2018, 01:33 PM	#11
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	I have had success converting fish to pellets by starting (in TTM tank!) feeding Mysis and (if you can find it) Cyclopeas nand slowly adding pellets to the mix. All my Wrasses are eating my homemade frozen and if I go away I set up the auto feeders to feed pellets. I have never seen my Possum eat prepared foods so (S)he must be finding enough to eat. I don't have Leopards but have been considering a couple. Maybe they are just more difficult to convert? __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

06/22/2018, 01:55 PM	#12
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	Check these out. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...hcs3/index.php http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2369454 HTH.

06/22/2018, 10:24 PM	#14
Joshua I. Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 225	Well good news I saw her eating the pellets today! Thanks for all the advice guys.