spotted leopard wrasse

There is a very nice spotted leopard wrasse at one of the lfs. I read up on them a little and they say they are hard to keep because they are finicky eaters. Most of the stuff I read said 55g or bigger only, but a few people said that was because they eat pods and if they are adjusted to frozen and flake food they can be kept in a 30 gal. I have a 28gal nanocube and the fish at the Lfs is eating frozen and flake, but it's in a tiny little 6in by 6in display tank and has nothing else in it. Do you think it might get picky when it's back in a reef with pods to hunt? Is a 28g just too small for this guy? It's just such a pretty fish that it's hard not to want it.

 

28 is too small. They are difficult to get eating anything but pods. For the sake of the wrasse, I'd steer clear.

 

I'd say even a 55 is borderline for tank size. If I were you id check out a tanaka's pygmy wrasse for your 28g. They are bright red with cool white lines and neat swimmers. Not as fancy but leopards gets to be pretty good sized especially for a 28.

 

There is simply no way you can keep this fish long term. These fish tend to be a passion of mine, and regardless of it's diet, it needs a significant farm of pods to stay in decent health.

You could theoretically keep him fat and healthy on a good mix of frozen and pellet/flakes, but their rate of metabolism requires so many frequent feedings you water quality would be completely destroyed in a weeks time.

 

Agreed Andrew, Its a tough fish to keep happy.

 

I'm lucky enough to have one that eats prepaired foods,but none-the-less,a 28g is in no way big enough for one of these fish.

 

Way too small; just echoing everyone else.

I'd suggest at least a 75g for most leopards.