Leopard wrasse owners

[Lenny718]

I have a leopard wrasse going on two weeks and he only pics on pods on the glass and back wall of my tank. How did you get yours to eat frozen mysis or pellets? He looks good and doesn't look starving but I'd feel better if he showed interest in other foods. Thanks

 

[MIKE NY]

What species of Leopard ..some are more difficult than others to acclimate so two weeks or longer can be normal. Most will take small pieces of PE mysis or Hikari which are smaller. Also mixed food like Larry's works well too. The difficult ones and most of my Tamarins I started with live black worms and tiger pods.

 

[Lenny718]

What species of Leopard ..some are more difficult than others to acclimate so two weeks or longer can be normal. Most will take small pieces of PE mysis or Hikari which are smaller. Also mixed food like Larry's works well too. The difficult ones and most of my Tamarins I started with live black worms and tiger pods.

Not sure what the exact species is but here's a pic

 

[jedimaster1138]

That's a Macropharyngodon meleagris. A female. I have 2. Well I had 2 females, now I have 1 female, 1 male. They do that.

Be patient. Might take a bit for them to come around to prepared food. When in doubt - live blackworms are your best friend. Mine gobble them up along with frozen mysis and frozen spirulina brine. Mix all 3 together. Eventually the leopard will get the hint that it's feeding time and join the scrum. Mine are as aggressive eaters as I have. No fear at all. Never touches pellets though.

They are constant hunters, so there's that. Probably isn't going to starve any time soon that's to that habit. Just keep on the various foods, she'll figure it out.

 

[Lenny718]

That's a Macropharyngodon meleagris. A female. I have 2. Well I had 2 females, now I have 1 female, 1 male. They do that.

Be patient. Might take a bit for them to come around to prepared food. When in doubt - live blackworms are your best friend. Mine gobble them up along with frozen mysis and frozen spirulina brine. Mix all 3 together. Eventually the leopard will get the hint that it's feeding time and join the scrum. Mine are as aggressive eaters as I have. No fear at all. Never touches pellets though.

They are constant hunters, so there's that. Probably isn't going to starve any time soon that's to that habit. Just keep on the various foods, she'll figure it out.

Thank you! Yes I see her picking on pods most of the day but when I feed the tank mysis she shows no interest. I will try the black worms, thanks!

 

[jedimaster1138]

Pleasure!

Don't forget that Spirulina Brine. I think some people give brine a bad rap. Yeah it's probably more fat than pure protein, but it's still something in their belly and when you mix it with mysis, live blackworms etc, that can sorta jump start a fish from only eating one type to all 3. I've successfully had some difficult to feed fish go from nothing at all to blackworms to spirulina brine to mysis and even pellets. Evansi and Pictillis Anthias, Leopard Wrasses, Copperband butterflies. I still do this day feed my tank 1 cube each of Hikari Spirulina Brine, Hikari Mysis and SF Bay Reef plankton. Occasionally I get black worms and when I do, I just add a small amount to the above stew.

But yeah, when in doubt, live blackworms seem to be the answer to most of the world's problems.

Good luck!

 

[piranhapat]

I agree try feeding all possible frozen food . Like mention brine shrimp. Sometimes it just take that one bite get them started. You can try soaking a little garlic on frozen food. They sell that for fricky eaters. If that doesn't work try LRS frenzy food. Excellent frozen food.

 

[Mattl22]

The trick to these finicky wrasses and other finicky fish
Is to not add them directly to display if u have a seperate tank tied into ur system for a fuge or something put them in there first easier to get them out comfortable and eating no competition or chasing I have had success with a few tough species red striped tile fish yellow tail tamrin leopard wrasse I'm currently looking for a few potters wrasse will do this with them also

 

[bonomo53]

Try sustainable aquatics dry hatch pellets. I've had luck with leopards and tamerins eating them since there such tiny pellets.

 

[NYreefNoob]

i have had mine for 3 years now. wont eat pellets but will eat mysis and spirula brine like a pig. ive personally found putting them in a container for 2 weeks with a very shallow sand bed has worked best. so they dont go into hiding for weeks at a time nd easier to get them started eating frozen

 

[Mattl22]

Picked this male black leopard today awesome hope he makes it got lazy and just added him to display will see

 

[Lenny718]

Nice one Matt! Mines doing well, not eating pellets yet but loves mysis and pods.

 

[MIKE NY]

He's a beauty! I've all my Leopards for a few years now and they all eat pellets. It took awhile for them to try and soaking the hard pellets in water first to make them soft did help. I also use the softer types as well.

 

[JHOV2324]

Cyclopeeze!!! and that other pink stuff LOL i think its called selcon

 

[Lenny718]

Cyclopeeze!!! and that other pink stuff LOL i think its called selcon

Damn where you been? Haven't seen you post in a while lol

 

[oseymour]

I had one that took about a month to eat Brine and then Mysis and then got him to eat Rod's Food. It was a lot of work and I purchased pods twice during the month just to keep him fed. That one disappeared suddenly after about 6 months.

The next time I made sure it was eating at the LFS and there was no acclimation period.

 

[ducati335i]

i have a blue one like the op.. i added two "white" ones, on jumped in-between my screen and overflow top, died.. the other got picked on by my blue for over a week..

is it really hit or miss? i though leopards all got along?

I wanted to add a bunch

btw mine wouldnt eat for 3 day, now he eats frozen mysis and is out and about from morning to night!

matt where did u get the black one? looks awesome!

 

[bonomo53]

Tried adding a bipartitus with my meleagris that has been in my tank for a few years. She harassed the bipartitus to death but i was able to get a Chaoti in there with no issues.

Unfortunately the chaoti disappeared but there was no aggression while it was alive. So yeah i guess hit or miss like other wrasses and once established they can get aggressive.

Try adding a few at once or use a acclimation box.

 

[MIKE NY]

My Bipartitus and Meleagris still bicker and they have been together for years....even more so when the Bipartitus started to change and is stuck in sub-male coloration, but probably more so because of my male Ornate who is the dominate Leopard.