Why is my new Leopard Wrasse burying itself in the sand during the day?

This is entirely normal behaviour. Newly imported Leopard Wrasses suffer from a form of jetlag due to the time difference from their native waters. It may take a couple of weeks for their internal clock to adjust to your aquarium's lighting schedule. They also dive into the sand when stressed or frightened.

Can I keep a Leopard Wrasse in a bare-bottom tank?

No. Leopard Wrasses instinctively dive into the substrate to sleep and hide. In a bare-bottom tank, they will repeatedly ram their faces into the glass, causing severe, often fatal, injuries to their mouths and snouts.

How do I get a Leopard Wrasse to eat prepared food?

Patience and live foods are key. Start by heavily seeding the tank with live copepods. Then, introduce live enriched brine shrimp mixed with frozen Calanus, cyclops, and small mysis shrimp. Over time, the wrasse will usually learn to accept the frozen foods as they catch them in the water column.

Is the Leopard Wrasse completely reef safe?

Yes. They are considered completely reef safe and will not harm corals. They may occasionally pick at tiny pest snails or flatworms, but they leave ornamental shrimp and larger invertebrates alone.

Can I keep more than one Leopard Wrasse together?

Yes, but it is best to introduce a group of juveniles or all females simultaneously. Over time, the dominant individual will morph into a male, creating a natural harem. Never attempt to house two adult males together, as they will fight relentlessly.

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Leopard Wrasse

Macropharyngodon meleagris

The Leopard Wrasse is a visually stunning but notoriously delicate marine species, suitable only for advanced aquarists with mature, pod-rich reef tanks and a deep sand bed.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 23 – 26 °C
pH range: 8.1 – 8.4
Hardness: 8 – 12 dGH
Salinity: 1.021 – 1.025 SG
Adult size: 12 – 15 cm
250 Litres: 250 litres+
Lifespan: 5 – 8 years
Diet: Carnivore (Micropredator)
Water flow: Moderate
Preferred setup: Mature reef with extensive live rock and a deep sand bed (at least 5-7 cm of fine aragonite sand).

About the Leopard Wrasse

The Leopard Wrasse is renowned for its intricate, maze-like patterns, which serve as beautiful camouflage amongst the dappled light of the reef. They are strongly sexually dimorphic, with females displaying a silvery-white background covered in brown or black spots, while males boast striking red and orange tones with intricate green and blue markings. Despite their undeniable beauty, they carry a reputation for poor survival rates during the initial weeks of captivity, demanding expert care to thrive.

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Where Leopard Wrasse comes from

Native range

Indo-Pacific, Western Pacific

Countries / regions

Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan

Habitat

Coral-rich areas of lagoons and seaward reefs, strongly associated with sandy patches where they forage and sleep.

Widespread across the Indo-Pacific, though distinct regional colour morphs are sometimes observed.

Similar species

Bipartite Wrasse
Macropharyngodon bipartitus
Ornate Leopard Wrasse
Macropharyngodon ornatus

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Peaceful, occupies different tank zones, and will not compete heavily for the wrasse's natural benthic food sources.
Great
Firefish
Nemateleotris magnifica
A docile mid-water swimmer that will not bother or outcompete the timid wrasse.
Great
Sixline Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Often highly territorial towards other wrasses and will aggressively compete for the same copepod food source.
Compatible with caution
Mandarin Dragonet
Synchiropus splendidus
Both species require massive amounts of live copepods; housing them together in anything but the largest mature reefs will lead to starvation.
Compatible with caution
Picasso Triggerfish
Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Far too aggressive and boisterous; will induce fatal stress in the easily spooked Leopard Wrasse.
Not recommended

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