African Leopard Wrasse

[DeanG13]

Hello friends,

Tank specs: 40 gallon, Cascade 700 pump, 1300 gph powerhead, recently completed cycle, plenty of live rock.

I removed the two Damsels that helped my tank complete it's first nitrate cycle and replaced them with a small Clown and a medium sized African Leopard Wrasse.

After acclimating both fish for 45 minutes, I let them free in my tank. The Clown acclimated nicely and is enjoying the flow of the powerhead. The Wrass immediately dove beneath the sand and burrowed out of view. I dug around and tried to get the Wrasse to come above the sand but he'd only due so for brief moments before returning undersand.

Does anyone know if he'll stay under there all the time? Or is he just freaked out? It's been about 5 hours and I have yet to see the Wrasse above sand!

-Thanks!

 

[parrotchute]

Give him a couple of days, he'll come around.

 

[queenangel77]

+1. when i purchased a wrasse he didnt come out for 3 days from under the sand. Now he swims around all day and goes back to the sand for night. The african leopord is a cool fish. make sure to post pics once he comes out!!!

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

its normal for wrasse nothing to worry about.

 

[Bifferwine]

That's my favorite fish ever. But a 40 gallon tank is a little small for one. Do you know if yours is eating frozen food? They can be very difficult fish to keep, and often starve to death because they usually only eat live food (which is why a 40 gallon tank is too small to keep one, unless it's eating frozen food). You should not buy a leopard wrasse unless you witness it eating frozen food in the store first. Otherwise they really don't have much of a chance in a tank.

 

[mng777777]

+1 Biff

 

[Alexander]

Biff is exactly right about the diet. hopefully he is eating frozen.

The fish is just stressed being in a new environment for yet again another time since his capture from the ocean. whatever you do dont make a practice out of digging in the sand to try to find the little guy. He will get far more stressed beyond what he already is if you poking around for him.

 

[dcantucson]

He may stay buried for several days. I'd leave him be. Hopefully he'll come out sooner rather than later.

 

[Alexander]

if anything you definitely want to leave him be. some of the older folks can tell you what happens when you poke at fish, like with q tips :mrgreen:

 

[mng777777]

Lol!!! Yeah, no qtips in the tank mmmmk!

 

[DeanG13]

Ok definitely no more poking around! What kind of frozen food do you recommend? Brine shrimp? Blood worms?

Thanks for everyone's replies.

 

[yote]

+1 on all the above posts.

 

[dcantucson]

I would recommend Mysis shrimp.

 

[ltljoker]

How about alaskin king crab,:Cheers: ooohhh wait thats what I want to eat. :bowdown: