Kenyan Moorish Idols

I have treated my MI with cupramine and later feed him General Cure mixed with his food occasionally just to make sure he stayed healthy. He was sick when I got him and Cupramine cured him. I have had him for 9 months and he is doing great and growing really huge. He eats everything. He is very active. I feed pellets 3 times a day with an auto feeder (he waits under it now) and a variety of frozen twice a day. Plus I drop in Nori alternating purple or green every few days. He will eat anything from my hand at this point. He did not start out that way though, the first thing I got him to eat was frozen mysid and I fed just frozen and nori for a while before trying pellets.
 
Ok how to start...

So I went to the store and bought my Moorish idols. Found out that the Kenyans were bought. They had Maldives so I bought those.

I am currently doing tank transfer with formalin dips. Yesterday, I did transfer #2. This morning I found one stuck to the intake. I released him. He had a suction mark on him but he seems OK now. However, he is breathing a little heavy and not eating. It seems like he is spitting a lot sometimes.

I am afraid that they might have uronema, since I saw fish in the store with it (in another tank). At first both are eating Nls pellets. Now only the uninjured one eats. They clearly do not like the pellets and only eat like 2-3 pellets per feeding.

Should I go ahead and put chloroquine or metro in the tank or would that further kill the appetite.

They look to be getting skinny. I have the temp at 70 to slow metabolism and increase oxygen.
 
I would treat with CP if it were me, some fish seem to loose their appetite when CP is used others seem to be totally fine. The one that was sucked into the pump might have internal issues caused by the pump and may never recover. I myself have never used metro so I can't speak to that (i use NFG and Ciproflaxin) Are they eating nori or any other frozen food?
 
The one that got sucked is on its last breath. I removed it since it is making the water cloudy. I thought that he had uronema, but it was just injury due to being stuck.The other one eats but not with vigor. I need it to eat more.

I fed like 5 times today. Its only eating 1-3 pellets per feeding.

Tomorrow I work 10-6. sighs...
 
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I am sorry about your MI that is injured.If you want to get the other one eating why don't you go with something other than pellets,initially.After it settles in wean it onto pellets,afterward.Moorish Idols are known for early death due to appetite issues.Give it a variety of things until it finds something it likes.If it settles in and lives it's appetite will flourish,and it will eat practically everything.For now you should be trying to get it going on a healthy start.Feed it lots of food,because their metabolism is very high.I would not try to slow the metabolism down,just feed it!
I hope having your aquarium at 70 degrees is recommended for Morish Idols.I have not heard that theory before.It sounds a bit harsh,but that is just my opinion.
 
Well, the issue is I read the Moorish idol forum and the only people who had success either fed nls and seaweed exclusively or fed pellets and sponges plus other food(paulB). Pablo (the maker of nls) said he had a couple for 5 years until a power outage. It seems like nls pellet is the secret to their diet.


I am sorry about your MI that is injured.If you want to get the other one eating why don't you go with something other than pellets,initially.After it settles in wean it onto pellets,afterward.Moorish Idols are known for early death due to appetite issues.Give it a variety of things until it finds something it likes.If it settles in and lives it's appetite will flourish,and it will eat practically everything.For now you should be trying to get it going on a healthy start.
I hope having your aquarium at 70 degrees is recommended for Morish Idols.I have not heard that theory before.It sounds a bit harsh,but that is just my opinion.
 
The Moorish idol ranges to Hawaii, and the temp can go to the low seventies. I figured that lower temperature would also allow more oxygenation.

I am sorry about your MI that is injured.If you want to get the other one eating why don't you go with something other than pellets,initially.After it settles in wean it onto pellets,afterward.Moorish Idols are known for early death due to appetite issues.Give it a variety of things until it finds something it likes.If it settles in and lives it's appetite will flourish,and it will eat practically everything.For now you should be trying to get it going on a healthy start.Feed it lots of food,because their metabolism is very high.I would not try to slow the metabolism down,just feed it!
I hope having your aquarium at 70 degrees is recommended for Morish Idols.I have not heard that theory before.It sounds a bit harsh,but that is just my opinion.
 
I only have mysis right now besides the pellet. Should I try it. I fear that once he eats it, he will reject pellets.

The pellets seem to help. His streamers are growing. When I first got him, his stomach was pinched, now its no longer pinched. However, his back is still pinched.

I am sorry about your MI that is injured.If you want to get the other one eating why don't you go with something other than pellets,initially.After it settles in wean it onto pellets,afterward.Moorish Idols are known for early death due to appetite issues.Give it a variety of things until it finds something it likes.If it settles in and lives it's appetite will flourish,and it will eat practically everything.For now you should be trying to get it going on a healthy start.Feed it lots of food,because their metabolism is very high.I would not try to slow the metabolism down,just feed it!
I hope having your aquarium at 70 degrees is recommended for Morish Idols.I have not heard that theory before.It sounds a bit harsh,but that is just my opinion.
 
The small one was dominant and I feel that he probably stressed the big one because he would occasionally pick on him. Is was surprising as initially the big one ate better and was fatter. Thought it would be him that makes it.
 
I would give it the mysis.Mine doesn't eat the pellets,however,he is healthy and will eat endlessly.That is why I feel you should feed yours whatever it takes to encourage it to eat for now.Mine has grown practically twice it's size,since October,when I purchased it.
Initially your plan should be to stabilize your MI,in it's new home,and do whatever it takes to consume nutritious foods.Once it is fattened up you can teach it to eat it anything.If they are healthy,they have a huge appetite. Trying not doing anything to cause it stress and make sure to try to give it a variety of foods.

BTW, I am no expert,a little luck goes along way too.Mine stopped eating for 24 hours during the first week I had it.Eventually it started to eat once again when I gave it Oyster eggs.I bought every type of food I could think of to get it eating again.It is very sad to see them starve.I was very fortunate that it started eating again .Many do not. Happy to say that mine has a girth of about 1/2" now.
 
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Just a follow up.

Fish is eating better. Less skinny but still skinny.

Seems like he has ich even though I followed tank transfer to the letter (3 transfers). It looks like I should have done the forth.

Should I copper?
 
I wouldn't because copper kills fish appetite.. you need to keep the MI eating. TTM is a proven method, so I'd look into what went wrong.

all my MI love eating giant clams on half shell. I feed them clam/mysis/spirulina brine. The MI get very fat! I get those palm sized clams and leave it in the tank for 2 days. It gets completely devoured
 
Hi Monkie. Mind if I ask how you feed the half clam and is it from the butcher / sea food in the local grocery store?
 
Asian market. Some american markets have it too. Fresh large clams about 2-3inches big. They cost about 10 for $5. I just snap it open and toss it in. All the fish go for it.

If you really cant find it, dr foster and smith sell small ones in bags.
 
Just a follow up.

Fish is eating better. Less skinny but still skinny.

Seems like he has ich even though I followed tank transfer to the letter (3 transfers). It looks like I should have done the forth.

Should I copper?

I have used copper with mine (7+ years old) several times. It did not seem to bother it at all. TTM is probably still better, but just some input on copper for you.
 
Today saw normal poo.

Everything went positive when I started metro and hypo a week ago.

Will continue until tanks are available for tank transfer.

Other tanks are occupied with new fish.
I'm not putting this guy with them just in case he has mycobacteria, which is incurable.

If he wasn't so skinny, I would have tank transferred with the new fish.
 
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