Blue Star Leopard Wrasse

Blue Star Leopard Wrasse

Macropharyngodon bipartitus

Also known as: Vermiculite Wrasse, Divided Wrasse

🧂 Saltwater ✌️ Peaceful 🔴 Advanced 🥩 Carnivore Reef Safe

A beautiful wrasse covered in intricate blue-green vermiculated patterns. Males develop striking blue markings. Sleeps buried in the sand and hunts tiny invertebrates on the substrate.

Tank Size

55 gal
minimum (75+ preferred)

Temperature

74–80°F
23–27°C

pH Range

8.1–8.4
water acidity

Max Size

5"
12.7 cm

Lifespan

5–8 years
typical in captivity

Swim Level

Bottom
preferred zone

Care Notes

Requires a deep sand bed (3+ inches) for sleeping. Difficult to acclimate — best added to mature tanks with established microfauna. Not for beginners.

Feeding

Frozen mysis, enriched brine shrimp, and copepods. Getting this species to eat prepared foods can be challenging.

Compatible Tank Mates

Blue Green Chromis 3" Pink Skunk Clownfish 3.5" Skunk Clownfish 4" Orange Skunk Clownfish 4.5" Talbot's Damselfish 2.5" Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse 3" Melanurus Wrasse 5" Cleaner Wrasse 4" Yellow Coris Wrasse 5" Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse 3" Firefish Goby 3" Yellow Watchman Goby 4"

Use Caution With

Ocellaris Clownfish 3" True Percula Clownfish 3" Yellowtail Damselfish 2.5" Blue Tang 12" Yellow Tang 8" Kole Tang 7" Clarkii Clownfish 5" Tomato Clownfish 5" Scopas Tang 8" Naso Tang 18" Convict Tang 8" Azure Damselfish 2.5"

Incompatible With

Maroon Clownfish 6" Blue Devil Damselfish 3" Powder Blue Tang 9" Achilles Tang 10" Purple Tang 10" Three Stripe Damselfish 3" Domino Damselfish 5" Four Stripe Damselfish 3" Jewel Damselfish 6" Clown Tang 15" Catalina Goby 2.5" Volitan Lionfish 15"

Check Compatibility

Want to check if Blue Star Leopard Wrasse is compatible with a specific fish? Use our compatibility checker to build your complete tank.