IDOL UPDATE Long Beach Aquarium Visit today

[salt e]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7951901#post7951901 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NicoleC
Also, if the guy was just visiting, how the heck does HE know what the real scoop on the Idols at the aquarium are anyway?

agree...thats my point... i edited above to place IN THIS DISPLAY in BOLD... a few other things have been edited as well...Nicole you should have a peek thats why i think he seemed kinna dismissive towards some of my questions even though i was taking notes during the conversation like a collage student with his scholarship on the line i went back to the aquarium again YESTERDAY and i took my son to go and spend some quaulity father and son time with him (which his mother NEVER lets me get since we are not together sorry that's OT) he had SO MUCH FUN BTW that was his first trip there, he was soooo excited. he is ALMOST 3 come November... i still could not get a answer about the algae in the pool... and the problum here is....they didn't even seem very busy in husbandry from what i could see.... but you never know...there may have been a sea turtle giving LIVE birth for the first time in history behind the sceens

 

[noschmo]

I mean like Salt E who really cares? Why don't you just go buy the fish already and spare us all the talk and drama?

 

[Tachyon]

the idols are in the pool outside near the mangroves. last time i saw them there were 2 (in march). anyways, those pools are huge, like what 20 feet long? way more room than the average aquarist

 

[salt e]

im going to build a salt water pond in my backyard, with a mangrove and a Duck-Billed Platypus, perhaps an otter or 2 with 4-7 sea bass....very large ones

 

[Paul B]

Also PaulB's tank doesnt look the "cleanest" IMO (Sorry Paul )

:lol:
This is entirely true. I have always said that if no algae is growing in your tank it may not be as healthy as you think it is.
As for the Doctor, I never met him but I have also dove many times with these fish and over almost 40 years I have had quite a few of them. Not as long as I would have liked but I am getting there.
I think any fish will live in an outdoor pool in the sunlight without feeding, especially with sharks. This is no surprise. The last time I dove with Idols there were many more sharks than Idols. They live along with sharks in all of their habitats. I do believe they eat algae, I know mine grazes on algae all the time. I can't get the sponge they eat in the South Pacific so I collect NY sponge which I am sure is a very poor substitute so I try to enhance it with calcium, vitamin A and other things. But feeding aside I believe the biggest obsticle is swimming room and a mate.
These fish should live ten years (IMO) and I will keep trying different things until I achieve that. If you just get one and try to feed it well and keep it "happy" you will probably fail to keep it long at all. That has been tried many many times. There is a secret we are missing and we may never uncover it.
Good luck and have a great day.
Paul

 

[sunfishh]

Salt e if you really want to know how they are keeping those fish become a volunteer aquarist. I volunteered about 10 years ago when I was in college. You will get to know the professionals and most of them will spend time with you. Plus its really cool to work behind the scenes

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Last time I was there, several years ago, there were like 6 or more swimming in a group. I saw them several times head to teh side of the pool to eat the alage that grows on the side of the pond. They very rarley were very far apart from each other. Nicole, you must have been blind to miss them. Or preoccupied with something else.

I'm not sure of the alage but it was a bright green from what I remember. It would be nice to do a behind the scene tour and a chance to get to have a discussion with the biologest who matain that tank.

 

[salt e]

pics from that day...i like the volunteer aquarist idea...i will look into it


<marquee> <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/nicenswift/View066.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/nicenswift/View059.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/nicenswift/View058.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/nicenswift/View057.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/nicenswift/View065.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a> </marquee>

 

[Konadog]

Now that was cool!

 

[Felixc]

Any new developement from the aquarium Salt e? Have you been able to talk to anyone else there?

 

[salt e]

nope... not much as of late... i bought that MI and donated it to the Aquarium, i felt it would be better there then in my tank... thats pretty much the story of the fish i wanted so bad... they will be QT the fish and will be in the Shark Lagoon withen about 1-2 weeks from today... they gave me 2 free passes and a date to come see the little guy they also gave me a Tax write off

the fish was in my tank for like 2 days before moved to the LBA... i will post pics in a bit.

 

[IsaaX]

That was really cool of you to donate the MI to LBA. I was there a couple weeks ago and enjoyed watching the lil group of MI's swimming in the pond along with the Naso and Powder Blue tangs.

 

[salt e]

there was just alot of talk about -If i dont buy it, someone else will, and someone else will kill it- so i figgured that since my lfs was giving me a really cool deal on the fish, why not bring him home.... but i have already learned that the fish would most likely not stand a great chance in my tank.... i was prepaired to donate him from the start... i just wanted to see how he would react with the rest of my fish... funny enough, he would rub off, or more so...glide off my Sting Ray as it was swimming along... and during his entire stay in the tank...followed my Sail Fin Tang around like they were brothers from another mother... he would ONLY eat what the Sail Fin would eat... so the MI played a very submissive role to the Tang... i found that interesting... since the MI was removed from the tank, my Sail Fin has paired up with my Long Nose Butterfly... they are hardly found swimming apart in the tank... but i sure do miss my MI... cant wait to see him when he hits the display... he is MUCH SMALLER then the rest of the fish that are in the pond... i hope he does alright

 

[CW from the OC]

salt e

Good call on the fish, and a nice ending to this story that many have learned from.

Cheers to you!

C Dub

 

[salt e]

THx much C....

~sigh... wish i kudda been able to keep the fish... looked great in the tank... but im sure it wouldnt have looked that great DEAD

 

[salt e]

please review as needed

 

[zeuss zoso]

Maybe when I do the 300 gallon FOWLR i can try a MI out. I will of course research so dont flame me.