Green Leopard Wrasse

Green Leopard Wrasse

Common Name: Leopard Wrasse                                                            Macropharyngodon meleagris

Physical Description & Behavior

The Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) is a beautiful and highly sought-after reef-safe wrasse known for its intricate spotted pattern and graceful swimming behavior. Females typically display a cream to tan body covered with dark leopard-like spots, while dominant males develop striking green, blue, and orange coloration with elaborate facial markings. Adults generally reach 5 inches in length.

Peaceful by nature, the Leopard Wrasse spends much of the day actively foraging through rockwork and substrate for small invertebrates. Like other members of the genus, it buries itself beneath the sand at night or when startled, making a well-established sand bed essential for long-term success. Although initially shy, healthy specimens typically become more outgoing as they acclimate to their environment.

Suitable Tank Description

A minimum aquarium size of 75 gallons is recommended, with larger systems preferred for mature specimens. The aquarium should feature a mature live rock structure and a fine sand bed at least 2–3 inches deep to allow natural burrowing behavior. Stable water quality and an established population of beneficial microfauna will help support successful acclimation.

The Leopard Wrasse is best introduced into peaceful reef aquariums and should not be housed with highly aggressive or overly competitive tankmates that may intimidate it during feeding.

Diet

The Leopard Wrasse is a carnivorous micro-predator that benefits from a varied diet offered multiple times per day. Recommended foods include:

• PE Mysis

• Hikari Mysis Shrimp

• Hikari Spirulina Brine Shrimp

• PE Calanus

• Finely chopped marine preparations

• High-quality small sinking pellets formulated for marine carnivores

A mature aquarium with naturally occurring copepods and other microfauna provides an additional food source and can greatly improve long-term success.

Approximate Product Size

2.5 – 4 inches

Our Quarantine Commitment

Every Leopard Wrasse offered by Reef eScape undergoes our rigorous, veterinarian-approved quarantine protocol. This comprehensive process includes proactive treatments, continuous observation, and daily health assessments to ensure exceptional fish quality. Our strict biosecurity measures minimize the risk of cross-contamination between systems, allowing you to purchase with confidence knowing your fish has been carefully prepared for life in your display aquarium.