Moorish Idol

[rogergolf66]

Is anyone keeping one?

Have been interested in one for a long time!!!

I have read that they are very difficult to keep?

Roger

 

[mlivvy]

markandkristen has one and I didn't want to leave his house from watching'em. Such a beautiful fish but difficult to keep when I did my research. mark's idol looks great and he eats fine. Hopefully he'll post some pics.

 

[rogergolf66]

hope he does thanks

Roger

 

[mflamb]

Roger, there are a few folks that have had success with them, but most do not. Study all you can find about this one before buying.

 

[akwtampa]

I had one in a 120 for about 2 years, he was always alert, attentive, an awesome eater, etc.. But for some reason, he just started eating less, being less interested, etc.. until he finally died.. I've read since that that is a common tale for those fish.. They're usually found as pairs in the wild and apparently need a LOT of nautral sponge to graze on.. I wouldn't suggest one unless you're prepared with a huge tank that has what they need in it to survive on..

Just my 2 cents

 

[lifesworksataol]

ive heard that you have to just supply the tank with tons of sponge. so you have to go to the ocean or buy a ton of it. which either way with gas prices its going to hurt in the long run.

 

[MIKE ALERS]

there's a thread on rc about a guy keeping one for 4 years....if im not mistaken his signature name is paul b and his tank benn set up for 20 plus years.if i find it i'll post the thread.

 

[LauraCline]

You are right Mike that Paul B did have one for several years in his 30+ yo reef. He dove for sponge off NY to get sponge for it and fed it some unconventional foods like bananas, avocado, etc. mixed w/ plaster of paris. He lost his idol a while back when he had some kind of emergency with his mother. If any of you guys remember Robthorn- Robert Thornton had one in his 265 before he got out of the hobby. I like the stripes but never really understood the big draw with these.

 

[european freak]

they are so cool,but very heard to take care of.

 

[Acolin]

I love their long flowing fins, bright bold colors and equine snout. When healthy and happy, the dorsal fin can grow to three times the length of their body!

There was an article published in FAMA about the same time that St. Pete Marine opened with a dozen Moorish Idols. The author concluded after 8 attempts that Idols are too difficult to keep. Yet Idols thrive in large public aquariums with many other fish.

Fish that are very difficult to keep in other systems have thrived in algae-based refugium systems. Angelfish, butterflies, anthias, fairy wrasses, clown tangs, and even Moorish idols have done well in this system. (The Natural Mud-Filter Method, by Mike Paletta (Tropical Fish Hobbyist, April 2001)

 

[markandkristen]

yeah i got mine from a fish store in st.pete.
he was eating pellets and all.

so i got him home and he refused to eat the first week and a half..

then he just started eating...
i mean eating... he is a pig

he eats angel formulat with (sponge)
formula one and two ... krill
nori

he is a awesome fish...

 

[mlivvy]

pics! pics! pics!

 

[rogergolf66]

yes pic. please

 

[mflamb]

Adam and I went to Brian Greene's today, and he has one. It eats fresh clam on the halfshell out of his hand. An absolutely beautiful fish. But then, he lost one of the two he bought.

 

[markandkristen]

will do on pics have to clean the glass.. LOL

 

[markandkristen]

 

[rogergolf66]

pretty.

Roger

what are the transformor looking things next to the powerheads?

 

[markandkristen]

 

[sailfin3]

what type of trigger is that?

 

[markandkristen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12141589#post12141589 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rogergolf66
pretty.

Roger

what are the transformor looking things next to the powerheads?

those are modded maxi jets pointed down ( i have 4 of them pointed down in the back of my tank...