The Moorish Idol Thread

Just thought I would POP back in and say hello and ask how everyones MI's are doing?

I havent been on here since I lost mine ever so long ago. and I havent thought of doing another since.

BTW: do they bother SPS like Acros, Montis and do they bother Zoathids?

Mine never did.

anyone had any problems?
 
i have two, one in my main display that i've have for around 4months. He only ate clams for the first couple months but now eats flakes really well. He nipped at one of my brains and one sps colony but seemed to leave the others alone.

the other one i have in my 60gal frag tank for the last couple months bc when i tried to add him to the display the smaller, original one, almost killed him...constantly nipping at him for 3 days. but he's all better now and his streamer has grown back. He eats spectrum pellets, formula 2 pellets, and flakes. doesnt seem to be interested in any corals at all.
 
Mine is doing fine. He is almost four but since I don't keep records or remember much He could be closer to three or five.
Paul
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8577897#post8577897 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BlueNWhite
The owner's name is John, and NAFB is on Kingston Road just east of Kennedy Road. It's at the south end of Scarborough.

He usually orders shipments about once a month, and I highly recommend that you check him out because his shipments are HUGE and the prices are virtually unbeatable. He'll be doing a huge shipment in December. He just flew down to select his shipment last week.

I'll give you some more details later since I have to go out to eat now.

Raymond:)
Click to expand...

THANKS!!
 
Update,

My MI is doing great, very acclimated to his new home and my dominant Powder Blue completely leaves him alone; an occasionaly nudge but not a chase.

It's amazing how the PB set up his dominance against the MI. My MI so far is only taking to vitamin enriched mysis.

I feed the other fish green flakes and sinking pellets, the moorish will ocassionally take in a large flake but back it right out.

On his first day I saw him nip at the tentacles of my trumpet coral and then never again.

He has also a couple of times scrape the rocks for coraline or other vegetation; but since day one he has been on the heavy feedings.

You guys are right, they want to eat at least 2 times a day if not more.

I feed mine only once per day and twice on the weekend.

I will be broadcasting or should I say sharing a movie on him swimming in my 72 gallon reef for all to see.

I get my new camera next week...

More to come...

MG
 
I have some sad news this Thanksgiving morning.

Zeke, our MI, has died. When I got up this morning and looked at the tank, I could tell something was wrong. I turned on the lights and found Zeke lying at the bottom of the tank.

He was in his dark color, as he turns when the lights go off. I pulled him out and put him a small container. I decided to put some water in the container, just to give him a shot if he had one, but mainly to examine him. No gill movement, no reaction to being caught, no reaction to being pulled out of the water. In the container of water, the dark color is slowly receding, not to normal coloration, but a dull, murky version of himself.

I have been worried for him for about the last 2 days. He was still palling around with his friend the little Blue Tang. They would swim everywhere together. However, I noticed he wasn't going after food with his normal zest. He was thick and healthy in appearance though. I thought he was perhaps finding food in the tank to eat. I had seen him picking at things in the tank. In the container, he is still full-bodied.

I'm not sure what went wrong, but we'll miss you Zeke.
 
I can't believe it. My MI died today, day after thanksgiving. Yesterday I saw him eat less mysis, he ate a couple of pieces and spit out others.

He just didn't have the zest of eating like before. Then during the night I noticed he was sleeping behind the rocks, where he will sleep in the front of the tank with nemo.

As I wake up to see all the other fish swimming, I don't see him and cannot find him. I assume he found a place in the back of the rocks to die.

I learned a valuealbe and sad lesson, I only had him 1 week and was really attached to him for his grace and beauty.

I will never purchase another, even if I had a 200 gallon reef. This is a great forum to share experience I just wish I would have found it before I purchased my MI.

MG
 
I can't believe it. My MI died today, day after thanksgiving. Yesterday I saw him eat less mysis, he ate a couple of pieces and spit out others.
Click to expand...

That is a classic Moorish Idle death. That is the way most of them die. For some reason they slowly give up eating and die within a day. Unfortunately, we still don't know if it's related to diet, water conditions, stress or lack of a mate. I still think it has something to do with living without a mate as they do in the sea but it also could be a combination of all or none of these factors. Some day we will find out. So far mine is fine, it could have something to do with the sponge I feed almost every day but I really have no idea.
Paul
 
I did find a new favorite food for my Idol anyway. Oysters. He loves them beter than sponge which was his favorite and clams which he also likes. So now I am stocking up on fresh oysters which I freeze.
Have fun.
Paul
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8718995#post8718995 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
I did find a new favorite food for my Idol anyway. Oysters. He loves them beter than sponge which was his favorite and clams which he also likes. So now I am stocking up on fresh oysters which I freeze.
Have fun.
Paul
Click to expand...

How different did you Idol react to the Oyster vs. the sponge or clam? Did it tear up the oyster faster than the clam? I may try the oysters as well
 
He took a bite then went crazy fighting off the other fish for even the smallest pieces. He will eat anything but I know when he really likes something and so far oysters are his favorite followed by sponge then clam and bananas.
Paul
 
I bought two moorish idols last sunday.. They were pecking at my rocks every morning and I see them eat some pieces of Nori.. Is that a good sign? And I saw some ich.. Will they survive? Thanx
 
Thats a hard question. You have a large enough tank. You should feed them at least three times a day, along with the nori you should give them a variety of food like clams, mysis, worms, etc. They need to eat a lot. Good luck.
Paul
 
Oh.. Thanx paul! :) How about the ich? I saw them scratching against my lipstick tang.. Is it a bad sign?Thanx for the help in advance paul.. I really want to make it my centerpiece.. :S
 
It is certainly not a good sign. Healthy fish just about never scratch. Did you quarantine them? I bet you diden't. If you did not and the fish are in there there is not much you can do but see if the fish are healthy enough to eliminate the ich on their own. You will read all about garlic and kick ich along with numerous cures that do not work. Ich is a very easy infection to cure just not in a 350 gallon tank with other animals. Even if you removed the moorish Idols to cure them the paracites will still be in there and it will take about 6 or 7 weeks depending on temp to eliminate it. If your fish are healthy enough they may not get a full blown case of ich. My fish do not get it and I am sure a lot of other tanks don't either. I would do nothing now except try to feed them with quality food, no flakes, just fresh or frozen. Also at least for the Idols you should put some Selcon on sinking pellets almost every day for one of their feedings. IMO there is something missing from an Idol's diet that we are having a hard time suppling so for lack of information I use Selcon and so fat mine at least is thriving. I diden't do this with all the other Idol's I have had and none of them lived over two years. I also give this one sponge so that may also have something to do with it but I really can't be sure.
Paul
 
Oh thanx paul.. they had ich.. :( Its weak already and im so depressed.. I liked them so much.. I have no spare tank for quarantine.. i guess it would be my next project... Thanx paul..!
 
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