Moorish Idol - Week 4

[tallreefguy]

So after reading numerous articles about how hard moorish idols are to keep, I decided to get one. I didn't wait to see if it would eat at the LFS because they put it in the same tank as a bunch of angels who were picking on it.

So far, I've manged to get it to eat Seaweed sheets, clams from grocery store, and just today it started to eat the home-made frozen food!!

It lives with a pair of Picasso's, a pair of Black and White Osc & a Potters Angel.

 

[dan-in-gr]

Hi, I would love to get a set of Mooorish Idols, but my local fish store will only order them pre-paid due to high death rate. I believe the high death rate is due to newer tanks or less experienced peope.

Yours looks beautiful, a joy to see.

 

[GrendelPrime76]

always loved the idol, what size tank is ur guy in?

 

[tallreefguy]

He's in a 100g tank - it's a bit tight for him, but he seems to be doing well.

 

[johnwick]

Beautiful fish. What price range are they in at the LFS?

 

[djkms]

My MI has been with me since February. He eats NLS pellets and Nori almost exclusively. However I do feed the tank Rods and live brine as a treat and he eats that as well. As a matter of fact he pretty much eats everything I put in the tank. Always make sure your MI is eating nori, it will help keep its streamer nice, long and healthy.

I would say my MI is the hardiest fish of the bunch. Once they get acclimated and adapted to aquarium life they tend to do pretty well.

I would not recommend getting a pair unless you have a HUGE system and I don't mean a 150 gallon tank, I mean a 600 gallon tank, chances are one will pick off the other in smaller systems.

IMO a 100 gallon is too small, not sure the footprint but MI's need at least a 6ft tank. Even in my 125 it seams cramped at times for him. My MI was about 2 1/2 inches when I got him and he is now over 4" - they grow fast.

Good luck and congrats on getting one of the best ornamental marine fishes out there! Here is a recent pic of my guy:

 

[tallreefguy]

yeah, I agree - a 100g is too small. I thought he'd be okay, but after I got him I realized it needed much more space.

The banner fin on your MI is really long! Good lookin' fish!

 

[Algaeking]

Wow that fish looks incredible , good work! I've never seen one with such a long streamer

 

[jhentr]

I'm going onto two months with mines. Usually small ones around my area is $40 bucks 3-4 inches.

I've been lucky with mines so far too. Eats anything and everything (nori, frozen, NLS, flakes etc) even though it's completing with fishes bigger than it. Thankfully no one messes with it's streamers so they are nice and long.

Good luck with all our MIs.