Dace

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I took my two leopard wrasse out of my 340 tank which had sand and placed them in my barebottom 90 gallon tank. i know that they need sand for best survival rate, But i was wondering if i always have some sort of light in the tank they keep active 24/7 which i guess wouldn't give them a reason to bury themselves. they are never hiding behind rock or anything. There just active all the time. or can i get away with putting some pvc pipes in the back. I will not build a sand box. I have too Much flow in my tank to put sand in it.

Please let me hear your thoughts.
 
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The 24/7 light is a bad idea and will likely drive them crazy. I have heard reports of Leopards doing alright in tanks without sand beds, but it is certainly not natural to them and not what they prefer. Since they have thrived in captivity for so long, they might be able to make the adjustment. I guess you'll find out.

What I would not like to see is other folks reading this and thinking it is a good idea to purchase Leopard ( and other sand burying) wrasses for their bare bottom tanks because " I read on MR some guy did it and it worked just fine."

It is NEVER a good idea to purchase animals whose preferred care requirements don't match your system or habits.
 

Dace

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Manhattan
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The 24/7 light is a bad idea and will likely drive them crazy. I have heard reports of Leopards doing alright in tanks without sand beds, but it is certainly not natural to them and not what they prefer. Since they have thrived in captivity for so long, they might be able to make the adjustment. I guess you'll find out.

What I would not like to see is other folks reading this and thinking it is a good idea to purchase Leopard ( and other sand burying) wrasses for their bare bottom tanks because " I read on MR some guy did it and it worked just fine."

It is NEVER a good idea to purchase animals whose preferred care requirements don't match your system or habits.
Randy, Your 100% right.
I've had these for about 5 years and i can bare my self to let them go.
as for the light. I always have luner lights on my tank 24/7. about 5x 1 watt led. But I'm just going to have to go with a Tupperware Just like jim said.
 

Dace

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By the way my fish look like this.
Not actual picture though.
I liked my leopard wrasse color on the bottom when it was a Juvi better, But now it turned green.
 

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Dace

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Looks like 2 different species. The one on the left is M. bipartitus female, on the right is M. meleagris male and below it M. meleagris female
Yes, your right randy. The weird thing is that i had the left bottom (meleagris female) and it must have gone male on me. Cause its definitely green now.
 

Dace

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dace, I think a 5x9" is fine if you can fit it in. if not, a 4x6 and they shouldn't be more than 3" high (and a 1.5-2" sandbed)

Ideally, though, if you plan on staying barebottom, you should consider a new home for them (I have room :)

Hope that helps,

jim
:-(
I know you do. I'm stressing. I don't know what i'm going to do. I should be upgrading this weekend hopefully to a 48" x 30" x 22" Built by Reefoman(Mark) and i would hate to put sand in there. I"m tearing down my 340 this saturday and can Siphon out the top layer of sand if i decide to do sand in it but still don't know if that's what i want.
Oh Lord.
 

Dace

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Well here are some bad pictures.
These guys move too much.
 

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Dace

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Here's the one that was mostly white and now it's green.
 

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MIKE NY

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beautiful wrasses and agree with all the good advice given....my Meleagris is about 4-5" and is staying in the beautiful female coloration because I have a large male Melanarus maybe by adding a large male wrasse it will turn back..I know some species of angels do...
 

Dace

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Manhattan
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Tank hopefully will be completed and swapped out but this weekend.
I hope.
:-(
Did not want to add sand to this tank but i guess i will have to.
2" sand bed , here we come.

I will just try and find another female and buy it.
 

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