Kennyboy1984
Member
I would jump on it. Eating idols are good idols!
The Moorish Idol Thread
- Thread starter zfunk007
- Start date
cthetoy
Active member
Its hard to find a Moorish Idols that are eating. I would jump on the MI that had a previous owner and maybe the other 2 from Hawaii. I bought 2 Moorish Idols direct from Hawaii while I was on vacation. Hawaii ones tends to do better that the ones from Indonesia. Unfortunately after the 1st month the two Idols fought constantly until one perished. The other Idol is still doing great after 5 months. Its growing and getting fat. The trick is that you have to feed it constantly. I feed mine 4x a day. 2x from the automatic feeder and the other 2 while Im at home. I know my bioload will increase but thats what I have to do to keep an healthy idol and hope I can keep it as long as Paul B's Idol
kyrie_eleison
In Memoriam
That is a beautiful video! Can you email that to me? Or post more of them?
Paul B
Premium Member
Chevy, a 12" and a 10" tang. I call that dinner. You have some herd there, even for a 200. I personally would not put moorish Idols in that tank. The only reason I say that is because of the stock you have. You will have to feed the Idols at least three times a day, four would be better. And they eat a lot. I don't know how you would do that with those other large fish in there. I think they would steal most of the food. My Idol is the largest fish I have by far and he is able to push the other fish away, but a 12", 10", 8", 6". 5" etc fish will be hard to out-compete. Idols have no defense mechanisms like tangs and they can't even bite anything (very weak mouths and tiny almost non existant teeth)
In the sea they eat a diet of mostly sponge which very few other animals eat so they have any competition. They also live in very shallow water so most of their companions are smaller than them. I saw many more of them while snorkling in 10" of water than Diving deeper. I don't know if you will even have luck with Idols in a 400 gallon tank with those large fish. Their longivity depends a lot on how much food you can get into them and how often you can feed them. You know about my feeding dish but it only works because none of the other fish I have will eat pellets. For the third feeding I always feed with a baster. I need to get the food to the Idol before the fast eaters steal it.
Anyway Chevy, that is just my opinion, I could be entirely wrong. I can only go by my experience. Now if you diden't have those two large fish, that would be an entirely different story.
One more thing, While my Idol eats almost anything, He will not touch nori.
About feeding bananas, I freeze them then slice off small pieces just like I do for clams. Freezing them makes them a little tougher and they stay together better. A moorish Idol will not eat anything large. They can't bite hardly at all.
Have a great day and good luck Chevy.
Paul
In the sea they eat a diet of mostly sponge which very few other animals eat so they have any competition. They also live in very shallow water so most of their companions are smaller than them. I saw many more of them while snorkling in 10" of water than Diving deeper. I don't know if you will even have luck with Idols in a 400 gallon tank with those large fish. Their longivity depends a lot on how much food you can get into them and how often you can feed them. You know about my feeding dish but it only works because none of the other fish I have will eat pellets. For the third feeding I always feed with a baster. I need to get the food to the Idol before the fast eaters steal it.
Anyway Chevy, that is just my opinion, I could be entirely wrong. I can only go by my experience. Now if you diden't have those two large fish, that would be an entirely different story.
One more thing, While my Idol eats almost anything, He will not touch nori.
About feeding bananas, I freeze them then slice off small pieces just like I do for clams. Freezing them makes them a little tougher and they stay together better. A moorish Idol will not eat anything large. They can't bite hardly at all.
Have a great day and good luck Chevy.
Paul
Kennyboy1984
Member
LOL. They eat bananas? Mine are voracious nori eaters! I'll get some video of them attacking a clip of nori.
Thanks for you input Paul. I always reguard your input as you've been doing this for a bit and have done some research in the wild with them. That's why I came here to ask questions.
I had already asked the owner of the LFS to put the 2 on hold for me for a week. Now I'm not so sure if I want to attempt them. I did get a PM from the guy who owned the one for 4 months. Winds up he's in my local club. He gave me the scoop on all of the fish. He had the one in his holding tank for 4 months and it was eating just fine. Also all of the MI's came from his supplier in Hawaii and that supplier holds them in his tanks and insures their eating before he ships them out.
I am a little hesitant now because of the tangs but I do have a lot of smaller fish that seem to get plenty to eat. I feed large and small pellets to the tank at different ends. I also feed the tangs a sheet of nori each day. Most of my rocks are covered with sponges as well. Also the tank is set up with a small long island of LR down the middle so as to give plenty of swimming room in the tank.
I'm kind of in a holding patteren right now as I had a deal on a complete setup dropped in my lap and I'm now working on that. So I'm not sure if I'll get the idols yet or not.
One idea is to put them in my 60 sump until the 400 is ready and then put them in there first and let them get the run of the tank before I slowley add in the other fish, with the large one's going in last. As I said before, my tangs are big babbies. They've been in the 400 for about 4 1/2 years now with only a few months of that being in the 200 while I move the 400. They haven't bothered a thing including my smallest fish.
I had already asked the owner of the LFS to put the 2 on hold for me for a week. Now I'm not so sure if I want to attempt them. I did get a PM from the guy who owned the one for 4 months. Winds up he's in my local club. He gave me the scoop on all of the fish. He had the one in his holding tank for 4 months and it was eating just fine. Also all of the MI's came from his supplier in Hawaii and that supplier holds them in his tanks and insures their eating before he ships them out.
I am a little hesitant now because of the tangs but I do have a lot of smaller fish that seem to get plenty to eat. I feed large and small pellets to the tank at different ends. I also feed the tangs a sheet of nori each day. Most of my rocks are covered with sponges as well. Also the tank is set up with a small long island of LR down the middle so as to give plenty of swimming room in the tank.
I'm kind of in a holding patteren right now as I had a deal on a complete setup dropped in my lap and I'm now working on that. So I'm not sure if I'll get the idols yet or not.
One idea is to put them in my 60 sump until the 400 is ready and then put them in there first and let them get the run of the tank before I slowley add in the other fish, with the large one's going in last. As I said before, my tangs are big babbies. They've been in the 400 for about 4 1/2 years now with only a few months of that being in the 200 while I move the 400. They haven't bothered a thing including my smallest fish.
Paul B
Premium Member
Chevy a lot of people think that if an Idol is eating the problems are over, I have had about a dozen of them and they all ate.
If you think you could get food into it a few times a day without over polluting your tank then you may have a chance. I would be hesatant with your tank. Being your a veteran your chances are doubled.
Speaking of Veteran stuff, an hour ago I received a large package in the mail from a General who was my Captain in Nam. We traveled the country on choppers and set up and lived on 14 firebases or LZs. Anyway on each LZ he had me draw a picture of the firebase with the artillery guns, tanks barb wire bunkers whatever. My wife (who was my girlfriend then) sent me colored flair pens.
He had four of them framed and sent them to me.
I never knew he kept them. I will hang them tonight. Really brings back memories.
There are some pictures of firebases here. I am in 5 pictures on the first page.
Take care and have a great day.
Paul http://www.77fa.org/photos177.html
If you think you could get food into it a few times a day without over polluting your tank then you may have a chance. I would be hesatant with your tank. Being your a veteran your chances are doubled.
Speaking of Veteran stuff, an hour ago I received a large package in the mail from a General who was my Captain in Nam. We traveled the country on choppers and set up and lived on 14 firebases or LZs. Anyway on each LZ he had me draw a picture of the firebase with the artillery guns, tanks barb wire bunkers whatever. My wife (who was my girlfriend then) sent me colored flair pens.
He had four of them framed and sent them to me.
I never knew he kept them. I will hang them tonight. Really brings back memories.
There are some pictures of firebases here. I am in 5 pictures on the first page.
Take care and have a great day.
Paul http://www.77fa.org/photos177.html
Yea, I'm starting to rethink things a bit and wait for a while. I also just had a complete system droped in my lap ( another 400G tank 
)and now I've got to figure out what to do with that. So the MI's are going on hold once again.
That's cool about the drawings. Even more so that he kept them and now has sent them to you. I'm sure you have a special place to hang them.
While I was at home during Xmas, my Mom gave me my grandfathers American Legion hat. He had some of his old WW I ribbons and medals on it. Seems he was in the AA, 156 airborne I beleive, was also in a costal patrol battery down in Florida and was a expert rifle. He also had what we beleive is his deployment ribbon with 5 stars on it, we know he was in France for a while, and also what looks like a comendation ribbon. I'm going to try and find out some more about his service time as he didn't talk much about it. But we do have a picture of him in uniform that's pretty cool.
I remember talking to him once and he told me that he saw Hitler. Said if he knew then what he knew now, he'd have shot him when he had him in his sights.
Take care and we'll talk talk later.
)and now I've got to figure out what to do with that. So the MI's are going on hold once again. That's cool about the drawings. Even more so that he kept them and now has sent them to you. I'm sure you have a special place to hang them.
While I was at home during Xmas, my Mom gave me my grandfathers American Legion hat. He had some of his old WW I ribbons and medals on it. Seems he was in the AA, 156 airborne I beleive, was also in a costal patrol battery down in Florida and was a expert rifle. He also had what we beleive is his deployment ribbon with 5 stars on it, we know he was in France for a while, and also what looks like a comendation ribbon. I'm going to try and find out some more about his service time as he didn't talk much about it. But we do have a picture of him in uniform that's pretty cool.
I remember talking to him once and he told me that he saw Hitler. Said if he knew then what he knew now, he'd have shot him when he had him in his sights.
Take care and we'll talk talk later.
Covey
New member
Well PaulB I am in the club. I got a Idol today. I wanted one for a while and past on a few at the fish store. They don't get them very often but his supplier said he got a few healthy ones in then. One of them was picking at Nori in the display tank and I decided to pull the trigger.
Honestily I am thru the first 10pages of this thread so I hope to catch up soon.
Tank setup:
150G mostily SPS BB
Heavily skimmed
Other fish:
Yellow Tang (Biggest and in charge)
Palette Blue tang (Tiny)
Lawnmower Blenny
6x Green Chromis
Food I feed so far:
Formula One
Formula Two
Prime Reef
Mysis
Cyclopeeze
Nori and some other seaweeds from the Asion food store across the street.
I am planning to pick up some of that Angel sponge food from SF Bay Brand soon.
How in the world do you feed Bananas? Somehow I don't think it will stay in my algae clip.
I know it was a gamble but I am going to do my best succeed with this fish. Day one it is picking at the sponges in the tank so I am taking this as a good sign.
Honestily I am thru the first 10pages of this thread so I hope to catch up soon.
Tank setup:
150G mostily SPS BB
Heavily skimmed
Other fish:
Yellow Tang (Biggest and in charge)
Palette Blue tang (Tiny)
Lawnmower Blenny
6x Green Chromis
Food I feed so far:
Formula One
Formula Two
Prime Reef
Mysis
Cyclopeeze
Nori and some other seaweeds from the Asion food store across the street.
I am planning to pick up some of that Angel sponge food from SF Bay Brand soon.
How in the world do you feed Bananas? Somehow I don't think it will stay in my algae clip.
I know it was a gamble but I am going to do my best succeed with this fish. Day one it is picking at the sponges in the tank so I am taking this as a good sign.
Kennyboy1984
Member
Pics!
Paul B
Premium Member
To feed bananas I first freeze them then slice off small pieces and feed with a baster. Feed it at first with shellfish like clams or oysters. Freeze them first also. These fish need to eat a lot and often. You should also add frozen plankton to that other stuff. Mysis is kind of small and plankton which is about 1/4" is just the right size.
Goog luck.
Paul
Goog luck.
Paul
my idol is still small and he/she only pics up the smaller pieces of mysis, whole ones are being avoided. atleast he/she is getting their fair share of pellets though.
and is also feasting on some of the sponges that are growing on my rock... i have not seen it eat nori yet.
and is also feasting on some of the sponges that are growing on my rock... i have not seen it eat nori yet.
Covey
New member
I had to be at work all day I got home to see the tank of 15 min with the light on. My LR is real mature I have noticed the MI picking at the sponges. I might have to wait until it burns thru the existing sponges in the tank.
So far:
Formula Two-passing interest
Mysis Shrimp-passing interest
Nori-I think the MI would eat it but my tang is being real protective of it from the Idol.
Bananas-no interest so far but the tang and blennie ate it.
My Yellow Tang so far is the bigger issue. It's not what I would call full scale aggression but the Tang follow the Idol around. Sometime it almost seems like flirting. The Idol isn't game. The tang has been pretty mild with anything else I've intoduced but taking a interest in the idol.
I am hoping it will pass. Has anyone issue with tangs bothering their Idol?
Also I noticed Paul's feed bowl do people Idol prefer feeding off the bottom or do some of them feed in the open water?
So far:
Formula Two-passing interest
Mysis Shrimp-passing interest
Nori-I think the MI would eat it but my tang is being real protective of it from the Idol.
Bananas-no interest so far but the tang and blennie ate it.
My Yellow Tang so far is the bigger issue. It's not what I would call full scale aggression but the Tang follow the Idol around. Sometime it almost seems like flirting. The Idol isn't game. The tang has been pretty mild with anything else I've intoduced but taking a interest in the idol.
I am hoping it will pass. Has anyone issue with tangs bothering their Idol?
Also I noticed Paul's feed bowl do people Idol prefer feeding off the bottom or do some of them feed in the open water?
Kennyboy1984
Member
Don't forget to try new life spectrum pellets. Fish cannot resist that stuff. Yeah I noticed the same exact thing. They either never sleep or sleep while swimming? Weird eh. Yours do that paul? They are always swimming even when the lights are out.
Paul B
Premium Member
My tank is in a finished basement and it is pitch dark when the lights are out, however, as soon as I come down (my computer is down here) and put on the room lights he comes over to greet me. Him and the copperband, they hang out together. He is giving me a dirty look now. I guess he is hungry.
I am going to try to get a better feeder that will feed him four times a day. Mine only works twice a day.
Paul
I am going to try to get a better feeder that will feed him four times a day. Mine only works twice a day.
Paul
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