Green Leopard Wrasse - Female - (No Online Purchases)

Care Level: Advanced/Expert. Leopard Wrasses are beautiful but challenging fish to keep due to their specialized diet and need for a very established, mature aquarium.

Female Green Leopard Wrasse Appearance:

• Body: Females are generally white to bluish-white with a distinctive pattern of multiple black or dark brown irregular spots (like leopard spots or guinea fowl spots) covering the entire body. These spots often have thin white or blue margins.
• Fins: Their fins may have accents of yellow or tan.
• Size: Females are typically smaller than males.

Male Green Leopard Wrasse Appearance (for comparison):

• Males exhibit a more vibrant coloration, usually an orangish-red background color with green mottling or intricate patterns covering the body. The spots are often still present but are less distinct against the brighter background.

Adult Size:

• Green Leopard Wrasses typically reach an adult size of 5 to 6 inches (13-15 cm) in captivity.

Natural Habitat and Distribution:

• Found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Western Indian Ocean to the Maldives, inhabiting lagoons and sheltered seaward reefs.
• They spend their time foraging among sand and live rock for small invertebrates.
• Leopard wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning all are born female, and the most dominant female in a group can change sex to become a male.

Aquarium Care (Advanced/Expert):

• Minimum Tank Size: A 90-gallon (approx. 340 liters) or larger aquarium is recommended for a single Green Leopard Wrasse. Larger tanks are always better, especially if considering a group or a male/female pair (see "Compatibility" below).
• Water Parameters: Maintain pristine and highly stable marine water conditions. They are sensitive to poor water quality.
  • Temperature: 72-78°F (22-26°C)
  • Salinity: 1.020-1.025 specific gravity
  • pH: 8.1-8.4
  • Alkalinity (dKH): 8-12 dKH
  • Ammonia and nitrites must be 0 ppm. Nitrates should be kept as low as possible (ideally below 10-20 ppm).
• Filtration: Robust filtration, including a good protein skimmer, is essential to maintain water quality.
• Water Flow: Moderate water flow is suitable.
• Substrate: This is CRITICAL. A deep, soft sand bed (at least 3-4 inches or 7-10 cm deep) of fine-grained sand (sugar-fine aragonite is ideal) is absolutely essential. They bury themselves in the sand at night for sleep, and when startled or threatened. Avoid coarser or sharp substrates, as these can cause injuries.
• Diet:
  • Carnivorous: Their primary diet in the wild consists of small invertebrates like foraminiferans (shelled protozoa), copepods, amphipods, small snails, and bristle worms, which they constantly pick from the sand and live rock.
  • In Captivity (The Challenge): They can be notoriously difficult to get eating prepared foods. Success often hinges on a well-established, mature reef tank with a thriving population of live microfauna (copepods, amphipods).
  • Recommended Foods: Offer a variety of small, meaty frozen foods such as vitamin-enriched mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, cyclop-eeze, finely chopped clam, and other quality frozen marine preparations.
  • Feeding Frequency: Due to their active foraging and high metabolism, they need to be fed multiple times a day (2-3 times at minimum, often more).
  • Some individuals can be trained to accept high-quality marine pellets, but this is not guaranteed and shouldn't be relied upon as their sole diet.
  • Look for one already eating in the store! This significantly increases your chances of success.
• Temperament:
  • Peaceful: Generally peaceful towards most other tank mates. They are shy and can be easily harassed by more aggressive fish.
  • Territorial: Can be territorial towards other wrasses, especially other Macropharyngodon species.
  • Best kept: As a single specimen. If attempting a group, it requires a very large tank (hundreds of gallons) with ample hiding places, and ideally, all individuals introduced simultaneously as juveniles or a pre-established male/female pair.
• Reef Compatibility: Generally considered reef safe. They will not bother corals but will actively hunt and consume small crustaceans and worms, which can be beneficial for pest control (e.g., flatworms, pyramid snails). Caution should be exercised if you have ornamental shrimp or very small, desired invertebrates.
• Tank Setup:
  • Plenty of live rock with caves and crevices for additional hiding spots and foraging.
  • A tight-fitting lid is absolutely essential as they are notorious jumpers, especially when startled or new to the tank.
  • A well-established tank (at least 6 months, ideally a year or more) with a stable ecosystem is critical for providing their natural food sources.
• Acclimation: Slow and careful drip acclimation is crucial due to their sensitivity.