The Moorish Idol Thread
- Thread starter zfunk007
- Start date
CrazyLionfish
New member
I think around $70
In our area $30 to $75.kysmith said:
fwiw: mine were $48.
They go as low as 50 around here. I almost bought one a few weeks ago...healthy, eating, looked pretty good. And I had a 25% off coupon to the fish store which would have made the price around 38 bucks...not too shabby.
By the time I decided to get it, it was already gone. Go figure.
By the time I decided to get it, it was already gone. Go figure.
Shawnts106
New member
You guys cant be talking about Catalina Gobies being 30 to 70 dollars??? US???
At my work I can get them RETAIL for I think 19.98 or so...
depending on the suplier!...very nice fish I think
Yes they are a cool water species, but can also do well in reef tanks provided the water doesnt get in the 80's....
As fo the clownfish, no he has no more ich... cured it 2 days like it says.... and I am still watching him, and I will be medicating him untill saturday TO MAKE DARN SURE!!!
Someone was earlier talking about Cu something or other...
I dont think we can get that here.... however there is a product by.... well doesnt matter, anyway its called Coppergaurd or something... its basically Cu ...and something else, anyway... I have used it too, works well... just I worry about any INVERTS!.... so thats why I have only used it in QT tanks of COURSE... and I am using it at work.... seems to work...
another good product is Paragaurd by Seachem.... VERY VERY good!!!! it is very useful!
anyway... everything is going to plan with the clown... and the regal tang I purchased and am also medicating too... just to make sure!
the tang seems VERY healthy.... so thats a wonderful thing!
I have absolutely decided on the Achillies tang for the tank too...
I will be keeping it at the LFS untill it gets to eatting very well and is looking in TIP TOP condition!... at a minimum I will have it there at the store for 2 weeks!!.... treating for Ich, Protos, Bacteria, Virus, etc....
and making sure it gets its nutrition!!! like seaweed, shrimps, plus some Zoecon for extra nutrition and such....
Anyone had an Achillies before? any TIPS OR SUCH?
thanks!!!
At my work I can get them RETAIL for I think 19.98 or so...
depending on the suplier!...very nice fish I think
Yes they are a cool water species, but can also do well in reef tanks provided the water doesnt get in the 80's....
As fo the clownfish, no he has no more ich... cured it 2 days like it says.... and I am still watching him, and I will be medicating him untill saturday TO MAKE DARN SURE!!!
Someone was earlier talking about Cu something or other...
I dont think we can get that here.... however there is a product by.... well doesnt matter, anyway its called Coppergaurd or something... its basically Cu ...and something else, anyway... I have used it too, works well... just I worry about any INVERTS!.... so thats why I have only used it in QT tanks of COURSE... and I am using it at work.... seems to work...
another good product is Paragaurd by Seachem.... VERY VERY good!!!! it is very useful!
anyway... everything is going to plan with the clown... and the regal tang I purchased and am also medicating too... just to make sure!
the tang seems VERY healthy.... so thats a wonderful thing!
I have absolutely decided on the Achillies tang for the tank too...
I will be keeping it at the LFS untill it gets to eatting very well and is looking in TIP TOP condition!... at a minimum I will have it there at the store for 2 weeks!!.... treating for Ich, Protos, Bacteria, Virus, etc....
and making sure it gets its nutrition!!! like seaweed, shrimps, plus some Zoecon for extra nutrition and such....
Anyone had an Achillies before? any TIPS OR SUCH?
thanks!!!
zfunk007
Premium Member
Shawn! I'm so sorry to hear about your fish!! Thats terrible!! I had a similar experience with my quarantine tank a month ago and every fish died for no reason except my Broomtail which I managed to save. I hope things are going better now.
In reference to the Catalina Goby, I can answer your question billpa. Unless you plan on keeping your tank under 70 degrees I would not get one. They are from the same area the Garibaldi Damsels are from. The cold waters off the coast of california.
I made the mistake of getting a Garibaldi last year and he didn't last 2 months. He got really sick for no apparent reason and wasted away. We also kept a Garibaldi at the LFS I used to work at. For all I know he could still be there. I think we had him for almost a year to this point. However he was never a pinnacle of health and always looked "sick" to some degree.
In my opinion fish from cooler temperatures such as the Garibaldi Damsel and the Catalina Goby should not be kept in tropical aquariums because in most cases they will not do well and will suffer. Just my 2 cents.
Now back on topic. Sorry I haven't posted in so long, been busy getting my business up and running.
My Idol is doing great in his new tank. He continues to grow, his streamer is as long as ever now (especially since there is no one to rip it off) and the ich problem he had has subsided over the past few weeks. So, so far so good.
I have been getting him sponge from my dive trips. I basically have just been collecting small rocks with blue sponge growing on them and putting them in the tank so he has something to pick on during the day. And he seems to like it. He also has a new food source. Blue leg hermit crabs. I added about 150 blue legs to this tank and after a week or so I noticed that he was "sucking" them out of their shells and eating them! It doesn't really bother me because I can get tons of them. And anything that will help the Idol is a good thing. So I'm not concerned.
I have also been putting strands of Caulerpa from my refugium into the tank as well. And he has been devouring it. So he's getting all kinds of new foods he wasn't getting before.
I will post some new pictures of him pretty soon. And some pictures of the rocks I have with sponge on them so you all can see what it looks like. Hope all your Idols are doing as well as mine!
In reference to the Catalina Goby, I can answer your question billpa. Unless you plan on keeping your tank under 70 degrees I would not get one. They are from the same area the Garibaldi Damsels are from. The cold waters off the coast of california.
I made the mistake of getting a Garibaldi last year and he didn't last 2 months. He got really sick for no apparent reason and wasted away. We also kept a Garibaldi at the LFS I used to work at. For all I know he could still be there. I think we had him for almost a year to this point. However he was never a pinnacle of health and always looked "sick" to some degree.
In my opinion fish from cooler temperatures such as the Garibaldi Damsel and the Catalina Goby should not be kept in tropical aquariums because in most cases they will not do well and will suffer. Just my 2 cents.
Now back on topic. Sorry I haven't posted in so long, been busy getting my business up and running.
My Idol is doing great in his new tank. He continues to grow, his streamer is as long as ever now (especially since there is no one to rip it off) and the ich problem he had has subsided over the past few weeks. So, so far so good.
I have been getting him sponge from my dive trips. I basically have just been collecting small rocks with blue sponge growing on them and putting them in the tank so he has something to pick on during the day. And he seems to like it. He also has a new food source. Blue leg hermit crabs. I added about 150 blue legs to this tank and after a week or so I noticed that he was "sucking" them out of their shells and eating them! It doesn't really bother me because I can get tons of them. And anything that will help the Idol is a good thing. So I'm not concerned.
I have also been putting strands of Caulerpa from my refugium into the tank as well. And he has been devouring it. So he's getting all kinds of new foods he wasn't getting before.
I will post some new pictures of him pretty soon. And some pictures of the rocks I have with sponge on them so you all can see what it looks like. Hope all your Idols are doing as well as mine!
Shawnts106
New member
... ok, that was... NEVERMIND...
anyway!...
WOW, Z, Thats great that your Idol is getting all this wonderful nutrition!!!! I think yours is going to be one of those that live 8+years!!!!
Hermits... did you get them from the Ocean, or from the LFS?... I know in the gulf, at... I think it was, um... Panama City Beach or something around there... anyway.. a few years back when I was down there, there were HUNDREDS of white legged hermits!! small, and I MEAN HUNDREDS!!!!!!!!!!!! if not MILLIONS! I must have collected, but didnt bring back, about 2 hundred of them , and that was just a few hours worth of picking them up!... of course, I let most go... and acctuall BROUGHT BACK about 20 or so... they did fine .. didnt eat any corals or anything, then I had a Nitrate problem, and whiped everything (nearly) out in the tank,
that was YEARS ago though... now I have a fuge, and now I no longer have an Idol
, so my trates are already going down... 20 now... or less... Yes, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see this blue sponge, I want to see if its the same species that my Idol was eatting... I think that it probably is, that or Blue Haliclona.... those seem to be very favorable among IDOLS
!
zfunk007
Premium Member
I got the blue legs right here in south florida. They are abundant here. You can get them on the mud-flats near the mangroves or on just about any reef in the coral rubble. Yeah if I actually paid for the crabs I'd be a little upset about my Idol eating them .
I've got a busy day ahead of me but I will try and get some new pictures of the Idol eating that sponge. Hopefully there will be some left. He was DEVOURING it yesterday. If it is gone I will get more when I go diving this week. Hope all is well.
.I've got a busy day ahead of me but I will try and get some new pictures of the Idol eating that sponge. Hopefully there will be some left. He was DEVOURING it yesterday. If it is gone I will get more when I go diving this week. Hope all is well.
fangblenny
New member
I have a MI who is celebrating his 1 yr b-day in captivity. He was at a lfs for 6 months! before I bought him. He was thin when I got him (not enough feedings) but looks good now. He lives in a 110 reef with at least 100 lbs live rock, tons of flow. I try to keep the temp around 75, as I know this fish is from Hawaii and the waters are cooler- more oxygen- there. Also have a small (2 gal) refugium.
Every day I feed seaweed and frozen angel food, usually both soaked in garlic and selcon (yes, I read the garlic article!) The foods are attached to the glass with a modified lettuce clip. Usually a supplemental feeding of another type of frozen food in the evening.
in addition to the MI, a potter's angel, royal gramma, and bangaii cardinal live in the tank. All fish were added at the same time. (the tank was full of mature live rock, though.)
Everyone thought I was crazy to get this fsh, so it give me much hope to see that others have kept them in captivity far longer than this.
I am concerned that for the whole 6 months I've had him, he occasionaly gets 1-3 spots of what I think is 'ich'. Never more than 3 spots, and usually totally clear. I wouldn't quarantine him even if I could catch him, I think he needs the live rock. so I just hope he isn't suffering more damage than is visible .
Also, he ate an entire lobophyllia of decent size, and then set to work on annihilating my zoanthids, but I moved them out. Ate a clam as well. I do agree they seem to be attracted to bright reds, yellows.
i keep buying sponges to supplement his diet, thus has resulting in my tank filling with beautiful sponges he won't touch. Although he did eat an entire paddle-shaped pacigic sponge (I should look up the id)
I really have to wonder if they don't eat more coral in the wild than the literature says. I watched them while diving in Hawaii this summer, but of course that was limited and I'm not sure of everything they were eating.
Thanks, everyone, for the good info! I'm glad to find this thread!
Every day I feed seaweed and frozen angel food, usually both soaked in garlic and selcon (yes, I read the garlic article!) The foods are attached to the glass with a modified lettuce clip. Usually a supplemental feeding of another type of frozen food in the evening.
in addition to the MI, a potter's angel, royal gramma, and bangaii cardinal live in the tank. All fish were added at the same time. (the tank was full of mature live rock, though.)
Everyone thought I was crazy to get this fsh, so it give me much hope to see that others have kept them in captivity far longer than this.
I am concerned that for the whole 6 months I've had him, he occasionaly gets 1-3 spots of what I think is 'ich'. Never more than 3 spots, and usually totally clear. I wouldn't quarantine him even if I could catch him, I think he needs the live rock. so I just hope he isn't suffering more damage than is visible .
Also, he ate an entire lobophyllia of decent size, and then set to work on annihilating my zoanthids, but I moved them out. Ate a clam as well. I do agree they seem to be attracted to bright reds, yellows.
i keep buying sponges to supplement his diet, thus has resulting in my tank filling with beautiful sponges he won't touch. Although he did eat an entire paddle-shaped pacigic sponge (I should look up the id)
I really have to wonder if they don't eat more coral in the wild than the literature says. I watched them while diving in Hawaii this summer, but of course that was limited and I'm not sure of everything they were eating.
Thanks, everyone, for the good info! I'm glad to find this thread!
zfunk007
Premium Member
Thanks for posting fangblenny! I wouldn't worry to much about the few ich spots. Mine has been getting a couple ich spots on and off ever since I have had him and he has been fine. When I moved him from my 210 to my 110 he got a slightly more severe case of ich for about a week. But its been a month now and he has almost completely cleared up.
It sounds like your doing all the right things. Keep it up! And keep offering him different sponges if you can. It took mine a while before he would eat any sponges at all. Now he seems to love the blue ones I get him from around here. I am going to try yellow and orange this week. Pics to come soon!
It sounds like your doing all the right things. Keep it up! And keep offering him different sponges if you can. It took mine a while before he would eat any sponges at all. Now he seems to love the blue ones I get him from around here. I am going to try yellow and orange this week. Pics to come soon!
zfunk007
Premium Member
Welp here we go. Here are some new pictures finally.
Here is the blue sponge I got him. (it is completely gone now, this was a few days ago)
Here he is doing his "dance"
Man, now that there is noone to mess with his banner, it is longer than ever! I measured it at 8"
A rear view, that rock that I have circled was the one with the sponge on it. He completely cleaned it in a matter of 2-3 days! I'll be getting him more tommorow.
I finally got him extending his dorsal fin.
Welp, hope you all enjoyed the pictures. He is doing very very well. I feel bad though cause this tank is too small for him. As soon as I possibly can I am going to get him a bigger one.
Also, lately I have changed his diet a bit. I feed him the spectrum Thera A+A 3 times a day. As well as the live sponge, live fern caulerpa and dried sea weed. I haven't been treating any of it with selcon or garlic. I plan on going back to that diet pretty soon. But I figured some live foods would be good also.
Come on all! Lets get some Idol updates!!
Here is the blue sponge I got him. (it is completely gone now, this was a few days ago)
Here he is doing his "dance"
Man, now that there is noone to mess with his banner, it is longer than ever! I measured it at 8"
A rear view, that rock that I have circled was the one with the sponge on it. He completely cleaned it in a matter of 2-3 days! I'll be getting him more tommorow.
I finally got him extending his dorsal fin.
Welp, hope you all enjoyed the pictures. He is doing very very well. I feel bad though cause this tank is too small for him. As soon as I possibly can I am going to get him a bigger one.
Also, lately I have changed his diet a bit. I feed him the spectrum Thera A+A 3 times a day. As well as the live sponge, live fern caulerpa and dried sea weed. I haven't been treating any of it with selcon or garlic. I plan on going back to that diet pretty soon. But I figured some live foods would be good also.
Come on all! Lets get some Idol updates!!
Shawnts106
New member
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THATS THE EXACT SPECIES OF SPONGE THAT MY IDOL LOVEDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW! we are on to something here!!!!!!
WOW! we are on to something here!!!!!!
zfunk007
Premium Member
Well we know sponge is an important part of their diet in the wild. And most people don't have a garden of live sponge to choose from like we do here in Florida. So who knows. That could be it.
I went diving yesterday, and I got him 3 other different kinds of sponge. I got him another blue one which grows differently than the normal blue one I have been feeding him. A yellowish-orange one (which he seems to love) and a red one.
So far I have seen him picking at all 3 at one time or another. But he is particularly interested in the orange-yellow one.
I took some pictures of the sponges when I first got them home. I'll post them later today when I get a chance.
I went diving yesterday, and I got him 3 other different kinds of sponge. I got him another blue one which grows differently than the normal blue one I have been feeding him. A yellowish-orange one (which he seems to love) and a red one.
So far I have seen him picking at all 3 at one time or another. But he is particularly interested in the orange-yellow one.
I took some pictures of the sponges when I first got them home. I'll post them later today when I get a chance.
CrazyLionfish
New member
Well shawnts ate that same sponge.. and... uh... lol
Anyways zfunk007 CONGRATULATIONS that is the BEST looking idol I've ever seen, he looks very happy and healthy. AWESOME JOB.
Anyways zfunk007 CONGRATULATIONS that is the BEST looking idol I've ever seen, he looks very happy and healthy. AWESOME JOB.
Shawnts106
New member
... matt.... I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GEESZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
haha.... anyway... Yeah, I am thinking that Sponge is the VERY OBVEOUS link in their diet that they need to live longer in captivity... however, as to the blue or yellow or whatever color... I suppose that just isnt known, but hopefully will soon be known!
good luck!!!!!!!! LET US KNOW HOW EVERYTHING IS!
haha.... anyway... Yeah, I am thinking that Sponge is the VERY OBVEOUS link in their diet that they need to live longer in captivity... however, as to the blue or yellow or whatever color... I suppose that just isnt known, but hopefully will soon be known!
good luck!!!!!!!! LET US KNOW HOW EVERYTHING IS!
zfunk007
Premium Member
Welp, hurricane Wilma is on the way. I am prepared though, got a nice sized generator for my fish tanks. So HOPEFULLY my Idol will be ok. They are saying it may be a category 3 by the time it gets here though . Lets hope not.
I'll give you all an update once the storm has passed.
. Lets hope not.I'll give you all an update once the storm has passed.
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