Leopard wrasse—expert only?

[ambuncher]

I was at the lfs store the other day and saw a beautiful leopard wrasse for a great price. I was there picking up a nice China wrasse.

Trying to do my research before being impulsive. I’ve seen varying reports on the difficult of leopard wrasse. Some say expert only—is that true? I’ve been in the hobby about 6 years—not a total novice, but by no means an expert.

Can leopards and chinas coexist? And my understanding is that leopards eat mainly pods—I’m guessing that will rule out having a mandarin later down the line?

90g tank, about 110 pounds of live rock, 36g sump, fuge

 

[Troylee]

@i cant think @Petcrazyson

 

[Goaway]

I keep away from leopards because the first moment they get bullied, they might stop eating. They can be very timid and don't fight back.

Not sure if they can get along with the china wrasse

@SaltyT

 

[homer1475]

Only thing that makes leopards "expert only" is how they eat, and they absolutely suck when it comes to shipping.

If you can find one that is not super skinny, and already eating, they make great tank fish.

 

[homer1475]

I keep away from leopards because the first moment they get bullied, they might stop eating. They can be very timid and don't fight back.

Not sure if they can get along with the china wrasse

@SaltyT

In al the years I've kept leopards(I've kept many, and at least one of each type), I have never found this to be true. Most leopards end up being the most boisterous fish in the tank.

 

[Goaway]

In al the years I've kept leopards(I've kept many, and at least one of each type), I have never found this to be true. Most leopards end up being the most boisterous fish in the tank.

Interesting.

 

[homer1475]

I was at the lfs store the other day and saw a beautiful leopard wrasse for a great price. I was there picking up a nice China wrasse.

Trying to do my research before being impulsive. I’ve seen varying reports on the difficult of leopard wrasse. Some say expert only—is that true? I’ve been in the hobby about 6 years—not a total novice, but by no means an expert.

Can leopards and chinas coexist? And my understanding is that leopards eat mainly pods—I’m guessing that will rule out having a mandarin later down the line?

90g tank, about 110 pounds of live rock, 36g sump, fuge

Do you feed the pods? I currently house 2 different leopard, a tamarin, and 2 mandarins in my 80G cube. All are a few years iold, and none of them are starving.

I do feed my pods daily though, so I know I have plenty to feed everyone. I dose 2ml/G of live phytoplankton daily.

 

[homer1475]

I keep away from leopards because the first moment they get bullied, they might stop eating. They can be very timid and don't fight back.

Not sure if they can get along with the china wrasse

@SaltyT

I guess I should edit my comment some.

With leopards, it depends on their tank mates. If they are kept with large tangs and such, yes they will be cryptic. Kept with similar size fish and temperament, they often become the most boisterous.

 

[i cant think]

I was at the lfs store the other day and saw a beautiful leopard wrasse for a great price. I was there picking up a nice China wrasse.

Trying to do my research before being impulsive. I’ve seen varying reports on the difficult of leopard wrasse. Some say expert only—is that true? I’ve been in the hobby about 6 years—not a total novice, but by no means an expert.

Can leopards and chinas coexist? And my understanding is that leopards eat mainly pods—I’m guessing that will rule out having a mandarin later down the line?

90g tank, about 110 pounds of live rock, 36g sump, fuge

The fact you’re keeping a China says you can go for a Leopard. Leopards are a step up from Halichoeres but a step down from the Anampses. The only one you should avoid until you gain some more experience with wrasses is the Choati.
Most the information I’d add has already been said

 

[i cant think]

Also, if you want a leopard’s body shape but not the exact difficulty yet not the easiness of Halichoeres you can go for a Halichoeres lapillus or a Xenojulis margaritaceus.
Lapillus are gorgeous in person, they’re a stunning bright red with hints of green whilst Margaritaceus are a more green colour with golden flecks in the body and hints of red.
My most recent xenojulis photo is in the background of my lubbocki. It’s not the best but it shows the stunning colouring on the fins incredibly well.

 

[jda]

I have kept leopards for a few decades. They are hardy and sturdy fish that get along with most things, but not at first. They need sand. They do best with a wide variety of pods, worms and things for them to eat all day. They are from the other side of the world where they sleep in the sand and it takes them a while to get used to the jet lag. They often ship bad, but the good shippers put sand in the bag with them. They do not fight for food at first, but eventually, they eat everything for me including flake and pellets.. but they still hunt all day. The best thing for them is to have an introduction tank with sand, reef salinity, no meds and some live rock and stuff. This allows them time to get acclimated and learn to fight for food. When this happens, they are as hardy as any other fish. They are not good with medications and especially copper, but some of that might be the lack of substrate that usually accompanies copper.

 

[Jasonak]

Ive never had luck with them. They are amazing fish though. Ive got one now that a friend gave me and he is doing great. First one out prob half a dozen over the years. Ive had better luck with orange spotted file fish.

 

[doubleshot00]

I tried two and both died within a week but my tank was newer (under 6 months) and I didn’t QT them. Im gonna try again but get a QT-ed one from Dr Reef. The last fish i got from him came in eating everything and happy.

 

[Jasonak]

My last one was from dr reef I put it into my 300 display and never saw again. That was about 2 months ago. The one that I have now was given to me by a friend who had it for a year and he is doing great.

 

[OscarHaglund]

I guess I should edit my comment some.

With leopards, it depends on their tank mates. If they are kept with large tangs and such, yes they will be cryptic. Kept with similar size fish and temperament, they often become the most boisterous.

My leopard is the least scared fish in the tank. When my scaredypants scopas, tomini and foxface are hiding because of something as scary as an algae clip being placed in the tank, the leopard just keeps cruising around looking for pods

 

[OrionN]

You did not mention a sand bed. Leopard needs a sand bed. In a 90 gal, you should be able to keep Mandarin and Leopards, depends on how you run it.
Which species of Leopard? Some are a little hardier and easier to get to eat than other. One, the Blue Star Leopard, can be fairly nasty.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

I would suggest deworming any leopard you get. They’re prone to intestinal parasites. Even if they are eating, they tend to waste away if they have these parasites. If they’re healthy and eating, they’re not hard to keep at all in my experience, but all of mine currently have been fully QTed. I have 6 leopards and a China wrasse amongst other fish. The only leopard that didn’t get along with the China was a very small black leopard. He disappeared into the sand never to be seen again. Maybe it was the leopards small size or coloration, I’m not really sure.

 

[OrionN]

I never deworm any of my fish. Never ever in nearly 50 years of keeping marine fish. I rarely even treat any fish unless I know what I am treating.
To each his own. My method works for me.

 

[i cant think]

You did not mention a sand bed. Leopard needs a sand bed. In a 90 gal, you should be able to keep Mandarin and Leopards, depends on how you run it.
Which species of Leopard? Some are a little hardier and easier to get to eat than other. One, the Blue Star Leopard, can be fairly nasty.

Just going to mention;
The blue star leopard isn’t the nasty species. It’s the Red Sea Blue Star (M. marisrubri) that is nasty.