My unicorn...

[Chad]

Yes, that was a "Gone in 60 Seconds" reference...

 

Anyway, is anyone having luck with these?

 

From my understanding, they are quite sensitive to the acclimation process, usually arrive with 'jet lag', and I am guessing there are collection issues that come in to play here, but if they survive more than a few weeks they are usually quite hardy. My problem is that I am unable to make it through those few weeks :( Meleagris is the species that I have chosen to be my poison...

 

Anyone having luck with these that might share some secrets with me? I REALLY REALLY want one (to survive) in my seagrass tank.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 12, 2010 by Chad

[zygote2k]

which "gone in 60 seconds" are you referring to? the original by HB Halicki or the hollywood remake...

 

There was an article in "CORAL" magazine about the Leopard Wrasses- you might find more info there...

[Chad]

which one, do you happen to know off hand? I have the first year, but have sporadic issues since...

 

the hollywood remake, I LOVE the cars in that movie, the 67 fastback is one of the coolest cars ever built.

 

Edit: I just searched through their back issues and was not able to find it, if you could dig it up for me I would greatly appreciate it... I did renew my subscription while I was there though... is there a "Rob" coupon code? hehe

Edited April 12, 2010 by Chad

[ctenophore]

I've had pretty good luck with them in the past. Mine ate frozen mysis right out of the bag. I would set up ~30br QT with some sugar sand for it to bury in- you may not see it for a week or two. Even better would be a supply of live mysis in the QT.

[Chad]

hehe, have one you want to transfer my direction? jk

 

I have tried three times... different experiences all three times, only thing they had in common was all except the one that came not quite, but close to DOA ate PE mysis and live brine almost immediately, all perished within three weeks, though... Have you treated with prazipro? I think at least one of the ones I had succumbed to intestinal parisites.

[ctenophore]

I never treated with prazipro. You're probably right about some sort of parasite though. They seem to be pretty hardy fish once they're eating well. I wonder if something about the chain of custody has changed for the worse since I had mine (3-4 years ago).

[Chad]

Well, I am trying again... I ordered two small females last night to be here tomorrow, we will see how it goes this time. From what I can tell, I am doing everything correctly, so here goes again!

 

I suspect something in the chain of custody with them as well... I was trying to imagine how exactly a collector would catch one, when their first instinct is to sand dive... It seems to me that collecting out of the sand may be very stressful for them. (everything I just said is wild speculation, I know nothing about their collection). Hopefully all goes well and I will have two healthy leopards!

[scott711]

I have a female that I have had for a long time that eats spectrum pellets.

[Chad]

Thanks Scott, it is hearing things like that that gives me hope that once I am able to make it past a few weeks, I will have them for a long time...

 

Mind if I ask where did got yours and what you did to acclimate?

[scott711]

I got it at a LFS. I acclimated it to my frag tank that has a sand bed with just a few fish in it. It was dimly light so it could get used to the tank. There was ample macro algae in it for it to eat the pods from. I guess it learned from the other 2 fish in there to eat the pellets, but I do feed some other frozen foods too.

[Chad]

Thanks Scott, I appreciate you sharing your experience.

 

Well, here goes again! Two arrived this morning bright and early. I have them in a very dark container drip acclimating. I hope all goes well!

[Chris-]

Yea, good luck and let us know how it goes, fingers crossed.

[WaterDog]

Good luck! I've always liked wrasses.

[Chad]

After acclimation, one went sand diving and the other went pod hunting and ate PE mysis right away (really cool watching they break the mysis up into small chunks on the rocks btw). A few hours later I saw the early sand diver, and she also ate and was out and hunting for the rest of the evening...

 

Fingers are crossed that these are the ones!

[Chad]

So far so good!!! Both are still alive and eating PE mysis

[Chad]

It is the 10 day mark and both are still coming out every morning at 10 and disappearing every night around 6, they hunt constantly and take PE and hikari mysis... it is a lot of fun watching them break the large PE mysis into small bite-size chunks on the rocks

 

I need some wood to knock on, but so far so good!!!

[Chad]

It has been more than two weeks, and I cant even say how happy it makes me to watch these two fish swim around my tank, take prepared foods and just look happy and healthy Two weeks is usually my cutoff to stop reducing constant mothering, it has been more than two weeks now, but I am still intently watching them and making sure they are healthy like I just put them in there. I think it will be a long time before I stop holding my breath on this one as I am not past the longest I have had one yet.

[lanman]

My Splendid African Leopard Wrasse was one of the original batch of fish I put in my 240 almost 2.5 years ago. It is still happy and healthy and dives into the sand every night around lights out. What's amazing is how FAR he travels in the sand. I guess I had never noticed before - but the other night he dove in, and I saw the trail of sand moving for 2 feet.

 

bob

[Sharkey18]

Congratulations! That is awesome news.

 

Pics??

 

Laura

[Chad]

They really are very amazing to watch, like you said, Bob, it really is "no holds barred" when they go sand-diving!!! straight down, lightning fast, and way further into the sand than I would think!

 

Thanks Laura! I am not quite ready yet to 'unveil' the seagrass tank, it is still a new part of the system and not quite where I want it yet... so no pictures yet, soon