Are moorish Idols reef safe?

[Bobtail1075]

I am looking into the idea of putting a moorish idol into my new setup. I looked it up and the only reservation I have is that it says "with caustion" under reef safe. Does anyone know why this would not be reef safe? It said invert safe so I would assume it picks at coral. Does anyone have experience with this fish? Should I consider putting him in my setup or move on to another fish? I think larryBird may have something to say on this one, just a guess though.

Thanks for taking the time to read.
Jeremy

 

[daveverdo]

One of the hardest fish to get to eat in captivity. I have read that over 98% don't survive. Don't know about reef safe however.

Dave

 

[Bobtail1075]

Well that is enough info then. I can not take a chance and kill a fish for no reason other than just trying. Thanks for the heads up. My wife wanted to get a fish and that was the first one she picked that I might entertain but I did not know much about them.

Thanks
Jeremy

 

[St.james of reefdom]

Jeremy,
Vinsfins in Syracuse had a 2 of them for awhile in his 180. You could shoot him a PM or an email he could give you the lowdown on these fish..

 

[razzmatazz]

they need lots of sponge to eat. hard to get to eat but I have always wanted one till I saw one in a shop eating zoanthids like candy.

 

[POSEIDOMORS]

on a reef safe note they will pick zoos of rocks, whether they actually eat them is the question. i have do know that they do eat sponges and coralina algae. a trick i know from personal experience with the fish sounds backwards, but it works 95%. acclimate them very slow hour an half or two. best to shut the lights off before putting them in. heres the part that is hard to understand, for at least the first week DO NOT FEED THEM. with everyone knowing they are hard to feed, most people try to hard to get them to eat, in the process stressing the fish even more. with giving the fish time to settle in they are likely to eat. as far as food choice frozen blood worms, mysis shrimp are the best options to initiate feeding. thats about the just of it. hope it helps

 

[larrybird]

Ok Jeremy here is my experence with Idols.... They are not the easiest to keep, they will pick on corals, they feed primerely on sponge. I have kept them sucessfully for over 10 years in fish only tanks with live rock. I fed them clams on the half shell and mussels . In my experence they Always do better in groups of 3 or more. They are one of the most beauliful fish but IMO shuld be left in the ocean because of the diffuculty of feeding.and not to insult you Buddy you are not at that level to sucessfully keep them, no insult intended....

 

[POSEIDOMORS]

i had successfully kept a group of seven alive for over five years before desiding to get rid of them because i was moving

 

[nwrogers]

Jeremy check out this fish...

Heniochus diphreutes

Easier to keep and more reef compatible :thumbsup:

 

[Bobtail1075]

Thanks for the heads up everyone, I am definatly gonna pass on the idol at least for a FEW years. I will go check out that fish nate. Thanks

Jeremy

 

[Bobtail1075]

That fish you mentioned is AWESOME nate. Looks just like a moorish idol. I have some research to do but its looking good so far.. Thanks for the heads up.

Jeremy

 

[nwrogers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12356384#post12356384 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bobtail1075
That fish you mentioned is AWESOME nate. Looks just like a moorish idol. I have some research to do but its looking good so far.. Thanks for the heads up.

Jeremy

Glad to help

BTW the petco in Johnson City carries them! Make sure to get the Heniochus diphreutes not Heniochus acuminatus