resa@lewis
New member
can somone give me any idea i have read that they dont last long is this true ?
moorish idol
- Thread starter resa@lewis
- Start date
resa@lewis
New member
ok thanx for the info i think i will have to pass on them
whatcaneyedo
Member
Our LFS brought one in two weeks ago. It was dead after 3 days.
zemuron114
In Memoriam
Hawaiian ones that are 3-4" do very well actually. they always eat and stay healthy. I kept 3 (1 was 3" the other 2 were 5") for an experiment in a holding vat for 3 months and all 3 lasted and ate mysis very well.
the ones coming in from indo and philippines are a waste of time. If you can get your hands on a small Hawaiian one you have a good chance of it doing well.
the ones coming in from indo and philippines are a waste of time. If you can get your hands on a small Hawaiian one you have a good chance of it doing well.
resa@lewis
New member
ok thanx for the info i seen something about that one was a bit hardyer than the other.
3 months is hardly a time frame you should aim for, or use as an indicator of success. Idol's should be left in the ocean, and not purchased by us. The more that get bought the more that get collected from the Ocea, do your part and don't buy one no matter how beautiful they are.
Chibils
halide loyalist
I agree. Three months is a good starting point, but keep in mind that many of these fish live for two decades plus. It's like saying keeping your dog was a success because you had him for two months (if the average lifespan of a dog is ~13 years). Then again, we don't know what happened to them after the three months...
philter4
New member
I have strong feellings about this fish, I've collected them myself in mexico and started feeding them right away and they have lived more then 2 years, after that I don't know because I moved from San Diego to Miami and got gave all the fish away during the move. I have also collected 10 in Hawaii in nov 2006, a couple were fed the whole trip and a couple were not fed until I returned home, all but one of the ones fed during holding are still alive and the ones that were not fed all died within a few months. I think as holding and collecting methods become better the survival rate will increase. I think that zemeron's Hawaiian experiences are better because he and others in Hawaii take care of the fish the entire time they are waiting to be shipped or taken to a shop. Does this mean you should get one? That is up to you, they are not easy fish to care for, and there is no guarentee that even ones shipped from HI will survive, but if you get ones that are cared for from collection to your tank you will have a much better chance of them doing well.
zemuron114
In Memoriam
3 months is not a long time, but considering it is a holding facility feeding once a day with many many fish coming and going, it is a good chunk of time. I agree most should be left in the ocean, but small hawaiian ones do much better then the indo ones, and actually have a survivability track record as phil noted. Im not saying we should be collecting mass numbers, but with an experienced hobbyist and a small idol, it is very possible for long term success.
resa@lewis
New member
well i have decided to leave them to someone with more experience than i have but i do ty all for the input thanx again
Peter Eichler
New member
I've seen Moorish Idols eat like pigs and still mysteriously die or slowly waste away over the course of a year or two regardless of how much they eat. So I think it's a stretch to say that the Hawaiian ones will do well. Getting them to eat is only part of the battle...
zemuron114
In Memoriam
there have been many local people who have kept them for years with no problems. Granted they didn't ship it across the country and eliminated that stress, but 5+ years is a notable amount of time. I prefer not to get them, but the small ones i can manage and so far, so can the customers who buy them.
resa@lewis
New member
well i feel like if im going to put it in my tank i should know that i can take care of it. i know its always a chance it might live or die but if i know its that hard to find ppl who have had success with them long term i know i would kill one and thats not kewl . but im glad that ppl like myself can come on here and pick the brains of the experienced ppl so keep all the good work
