Species Profile
Leopard Wrasse
Macropharyngodon meleagris
Also known as: Black-Spotted Wrasse, Vermiculate Wrasse
Wrassespeaceful
Adult size
4″
Minimum tank
60 gal
Temperature
72–82°F
pH
8.1–8.4
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
mid
Diet
Live copepods initially, transitioned to frozen mysis + brine shrimp + marine pellets
Notes
Cream body covered in irregular black spots. Picky eater — needs a copepod-rich tank for the first weeks. Sleeps buried in sand. Females are duller; males develop electric green and pink markings. Difficult but rewarding.
Photo: Rickard Zerpe / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-2.0