The Moorish Idol Thread

[AliciaP]

I rubberbanded the Nori to a rock to get him eating to begin with so, I'll start doing that again. I was hoping he would see his buddy the Yellow Tang eating them and start eating them. I often wonder if he just doesn't know how since he blows at them or if he's playing with the food.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Are you still trying mysis and fresh scallop, clam and shrimp from the grocery store? If not, I would try to wean the MI to these meaty foods and then worry about transitioning to flakes and pellets. It will eat them over time as MIs are big eaters.

You could also get the MI eating nori soaked in garlic extract and then introduce flakes and pellets soaked in garlic. Similarly, get the MI eating mysis and introduce flakes and pellets soaked in mysis juices.

 

[Seebastiian]

Guess I could share a picture of my Moorish Idol with you all
Although I am sorry for the bad quality, you can't really see his colour on the picture which is kinda sad, cuz he's a beautiful and colourful fish.

 

[AliciaP]

Are you still trying mysis and fresh scallop, clam and shrimp from the grocery store? If not, I would try to wean the MI to these meaty foods and then worry about transitioning to flakes and pellets. It will eat them over time as MIs are big eaters.

You could also get the MI eating nori soaked in garlic extract and then introduce flakes and pellets soaked in garlic. Similarly, get the MI eating mysis and introduce flakes and pellets soaked in mysis juices.

He doesn't eat shrimp, but no local stores have clams. I will take a 2 hr ride for him though, well 4 by the time I'm done making the round trip. Do I get live clams? Can I freeze them so they don't die off and spoil?

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

He doesn't eat shrimp, but no local stores have clams. I will take a 2 hr ride for him though, well 4 by the time I'm done making the round trip. Do I get live clams? Can I freeze them so they don't die off and spoil?

How about scallop?

You can get live clams, open them, chop them up, and freeze the chopped pieces (maybe mixed with scallop, shrimp, and salmon). $5 of seafood chopped, mixed and frozen will last a long time.

If you are only going for clams, I don't think I would drive 2 hours each way. Does your grocery store have fresh scallop and/or fish? Any fish will do. I use salmon, but a piece of flounder, tuna, cod, etc. should do.

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

How many of you run a UV sterilizer?

 

[Paul B]

Do I get live clams? Can I freeze them so they don't die off and spoil?

You can buy clams and freeze them, then shave off paper thin slices, I do it every day. Clams are much better than scallop, shrimp or salmon because when you fed a clam, you feed the entire animal with the guts. Scallop is just the adductor muscle and shrimp and salmon would also be just the muscle. You should feed the guts of an animal. We don't eat that part of the animals but fish need that.

 

[SDguy]

You can buy clams and freeze them, then shave off paper thin slices, I do it every day. Clams are much better than scallop, shrimp or salmon because when you fed a clam, you feed the entire animal with the guts. Scallop is just the adductor muscle and shrimp and salmon would also be just the muscle. You should feed the guts of an animal. We don't eat that part of the animals but fish need that.

My fish, disgusting as they are, tend to also like those parts best :lmao:.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

You can buy clams and freeze them, then shave off paper thin slices, I do it every day. Clams are much better than scallop, shrimp or salmon because when you fed a clam, you feed the entire animal with the guts. Scallop is just the adductor muscle and shrimp and salmon would also be just the muscle. You should feed the guts of an animal. We don't eat that part of the animals but fish need that.

Just to clarify for others reading this, scallop, shrimp and fish are perfectly fine foods for fish. I am not arguing against clams, but don't skip other good and perhaps more readily-available foods. The nutrients in clam bellies (or the guts of other animals) just supports why you want to feed a variety of foods. Fish in the wild will eat anything readily available and not just clam bellies.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

How many of you run a UV sterilizer?

Not me.

 

[Paul B]

scallop, shrimp and fish are perfectly fine foods for fish

Yes they are, I eat them myself al the time

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

Just an update, I finally got him some scallops to try, and he took them kindly! He didnt like them floating around and I couldnt get them to stay on the bottom with my flow, so I put some in the Nori clip and this is what happened!!


So he is now eating Nori, mysis (although not his favorite), flake, pellet, and scallops! What should I try next?

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Fresh clam, fish and shrimp from the grocery store like the scallop, Ocean Nutrition Angel Formula (it has sponge), NLS pellets if you are using a different brand, and flakes with spirulina in them.

 

[gofor100]

Just an update, I finally got him some scallops to try, and he took them kindly! He didnt like them floating around and I couldnt get them to stay on the bottom with my flow, so I put some in the Nori clip and this is what happened!!


So he is now eating Nori, mysis (although not his favorite), flake, pellet, and scallops! What should I try next?

Hey Xavier,

I'm feeding mine three types of pellets (NLS, Formula 1 & Formula 2), and then a mixture of frozen/raw seafood (including scallops, clams, shrimp, mysis, vitamin enriched brine, Formula 2 frozen food, Marine Angel Formula- first ingredient listed is sponge, Rod's Food, and some others I can't remember right now... mixed all up with some Selcon and minced garlic).

I actually just put the Idol in my DT after treatment in my QT for about 4 to 5 weeks and after just nibbling for the first half day or so, he's back to eating everything really well. As you can see, he's also got some algae to pick at (which he has) on the rocks as well. I'm in the process of minimizing that problem, but that's another thread entirely.

Here's some pics I took over the weekend...

Hope everyone's Idols are still doing well.

-Chad

 

[Outerbank]

MI still doing well

MI still doing well

My MI is still doing very well. As you can see, over the 4 years, my tank has overgrown itself. MI will be 4 years old come August 8th. Click on the picture to see video of my tank.

 

[Outerbank]

http://youtu.be/1zIeF4xu4JQ

Youtube link.

 

[pinnatus]

Mine is 3 1/4 years old. Here he is last night:

 

[Outerbank]

Glad to see so many nice MIs!!!

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

Glad to see so many nice MIs!!!

Glad to see so many doing so well!!

 

[ghrowl]

I bought an idol from my LFS last week, he eats everything we put in the tank, Emerald Entree, Marine Cuisine, squid, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, pellets, and a constant supply of nori.. I was wondering about having to feed him sponges.

Do you guys that have had an MI for 4 years ever feed him any sponges??