Moorish idol in a mixed reef tank?

[msmith619]

I have an opportunity to buy a flake food eating Moorish Idol for my 120 gallon mixed reef tank.
I am worried about it being reef safe.
I have read the Moorish Idol Primer and it mostly discussed the attempts to get the Moorish Idol to eat.
I want to know, from any experienced with Moorish Idols, their experience with them in a reef tank. I have mostly LPS.

 

[mbingha]

I'd be leery of it eating flake food. Keep in mind they have a metabolism that runs WILD. They are beautiful fish, but with their lack of success stories, well... Either way, if you get it, good luck and be sure to post plenty of pictures for us to drool over. Beautiful tank btw!

 

[ace_92101]

I personally wouldn't do it. While some have had success with them in mixed reefs others have had issues. Additionally, I think a 120 is too small. They really need a lot of swimming space.

 

[RJT]

I had an idol for over a month. He ate ALOT but it wasn't enough. Even after eating an entire cube of formula II by himself, nori and mysis he still ate my clam and torch coral right in front of me!! He was around 4in long.

 

[msmith619]

OK. Nix the Moorish Idol..............
............it was Sooooooooooooo tempting.









I will just buy 3 Naso tangs, a Vlamingii Tang, 2 Achilles Tangs, and a Sohal Tang to keep them all in line! :uzi:

 

[jaa1456]

I had one for 4 years in my mix reef. The biggest problem was water quality because it ate so much food and needed it to stay healthy. I lost my Idol when I was switching to a larger tank and the heater failed in my holding tank. It fried half of my fish, luckily the other half were in a different tank. The Idol ate a sheet of Nori by itself and I added 4 cubes of food a day and pellets.

 

[SDguy]

I had one for 4 years in my mix reef. The biggest problem was water quality because it ate so much food and needed it to stay healthy. I lost my Idol when I was switching to a larger tank and the heater failed in my holding tank. It fried half of my fish, luckily the other half were in a different tank. The Idol ate a sheet of Nori by itself and I added 4 cubes of food a day and pellets.

This would be my concern as well. I have to throw a TON of food at my MI just to keep him full. I can't imagine what that would do to the water quality in a reef, long term.