The Moorish Idol Thread
- Thread starter zfunk007
- Start date
bskiba
Member
Yea, i was hoping with SPS and a couple chalice frags that I'd be ok. But the dozen frags I have aren't extending there polyps and I have had to reattach half of them. I have wanted the fish for years and now I am back to the drawing board for something that is active and not a tang.
Outerbank
New member
IME, their biggest risk to SPS is during acclimation. When they adjust to being fed, they usually leave SPS alone.
gofor100
New member
Their tendency to pick was one of several reasons why I QT'd mine before placing in the DT.
The way I see it, if they aren't hungry (or at least are eating prepared foods with gusto), then they are a lot less likely to pick at desirable inverts (i.e., corals).
This is probably the same with any fish out there (excluding the corallivores).
The question remains though, once they've started picking, do they ever stop?
So far so good with mine, and I have SPS, LPS (acans, brains, chalices, etc.), zoas, and clams. Time will tell...
-Chad
The way I see it, if they aren't hungry (or at least are eating prepared foods with gusto), then they are a lot less likely to pick at desirable inverts (i.e., corals).
This is probably the same with any fish out there (excluding the corallivores).
The question remains though, once they've started picking, do they ever stop?
So far so good with mine, and I have SPS, LPS (acans, brains, chalices, etc.), zoas, and clams. Time will tell...
-Chad
AliciaP
New member
I started offering a clam everyday and he finally (!!!) took to it! He also started eating NLS pellets! To me, it's a lot like a child, keep offering it and eventually they will try it and maybe love it! He tears at the clam like a champ and is the first one to come running for pellets. So glad! He eats 6 different foods now. ON formula 1 and 2, marine chips, NLS, clams, and Nori.
Does anyone have an Idol that acts like he's fighting his reflection? Mine will repeatedly smack the glass. Not like swimming full speed and run in to it, but he looks at himself and then gets sideways and uses his mouth to hit the glass several times. He also stretches his streamer all the way up when he does this. It seems like he's trying to intimidate himself.... I haven't read anything like that, so I'm wondering if it's normal.
Does anyone have an Idol that acts like he's fighting his reflection? Mine will repeatedly smack the glass. Not like swimming full speed and run in to it, but he looks at himself and then gets sideways and uses his mouth to hit the glass several times. He also stretches his streamer all the way up when he does this. It seems like he's trying to intimidate himself.... I haven't read anything like that, so I'm wondering if it's normal.
AliciaP
New member
I started offering a clam everyday and he finally (!!!) took to it! He also started eating NLS pellets! To me, it's a lot like a child, keep offering it and eventually they will try it and maybe love it! He tears at the clam like a champ and is the first one to come running for pellets. So glad! He eats 6 different foods now. ON formula 1 and 2, marine chips, NLS, clams, and Nori.
Does anyone have an Idol that acts like he's fighting his reflection? Mine will repeatedly smack the glass. Not like swimming full speed and run in to it, but he looks at himself and then gets sideways and uses his mouth to hit the glass several times. He also stretches his streamer all the way up when he does this. It seems like he's trying to intimidate himself.... I haven't read anything like that, so I'm wondering if it's normal.
Does anyone have an Idol that acts like he's fighting his reflection? Mine will repeatedly smack the glass. Not like swimming full speed and run in to it, but he looks at himself and then gets sideways and uses his mouth to hit the glass several times. He also stretches his streamer all the way up when he does this. It seems like he's trying to intimidate himself.... I haven't read anything like that, so I'm wondering if it's normal.
Dr Colliebreath
New member
Some idols become the boss of a tank, so yours is probably on the aggressive side and challenging its reflection. That may stop after it settles in and determines that there is plenty of food to eat, so keep it well fed.
Outerbank
New member
Both mine have done this when first introduced. This behavior was short lived. They usually suffer minor mouth trauma but healed pretty quick and kept eating.
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bskiba
Member
Mine is up ready to eat when I come in to the room now a week after having him. He is going to another person though this weekend likely. But from day one he eats omega pellet and flake . I have been feeding him 3-4 times per day(going home at lunch) and he gets 4 pellets or more each time. He is bothering the SPS less but he is still doing it a little bit.
Very active swimmer though and doesn't hide in the rock at all.
Very active swimmer though and doesn't hide in the rock at all.
ezerasurfr
New member
how come you may be getting rid of him?
foxrazr
Member
Update: Well my moorish Idol from Divers Den that I got back in March died. It was funny because he was eating NLS pellets, Formula 1 flakes, frozen mysis but was getting skinnier and skinnier until he withered away he lasted like 3 weeks or so. I was completely devastated swore I'd never get another moorish Idol again but like anything in life I got bitten by the moorish idol bug again and got one from Live Aquaria NOT the Diver's Den section June 23, 2012. The new moorish idol did not eat for 8 days I tried everything to get him to eat he was getting skinny like the last one. With a prayer and a piece of algae rubber banded to a piece of "dead Rock" the moorish idol started nipping then started eating the algae. Wouldn't touch the frozen mysis shrimp but would eat the algae. 3 days ago he is started eating the frozen mysis shrimp. He also came down with ick ilke the last one and is currently going through Cupramine treatment but his appetite is getting better and better every day.
Allmost
New member
gofor100
New member
Well, it's coming up on about 3 months with my MI and he is doing GREAT! Nice and plump and eating everything I put in the tank (still feeding a mixture of NLS/Formula 1/Formula 2 pellets and my seafood medley 3 times per day). Also playing nice with everyone in the tank... although him and the Yellow Longnose butterfly seem to loosely stick together throughout the day (and even at night when they go to sleep).
Here's some pics I took over the weekend to capture how long his streamer has gotten (although I'm sure one of the powerheads will give it a trim sooner or later).
Hope everyone else's MI's are doing well!
Have a great week,
Chad
Here's some pics I took over the weekend to capture how long his streamer has gotten (although I'm sure one of the powerheads will give it a trim sooner or later).
Hope everyone else's MI's are doing well!
Have a great week,
Chad
gofor100
New member
Good question... I'll let those individuals chime in, but it seems like there are more and more individuals keeping them multiple years (which isn't success, but a head in the right direction).
Don't think a 90 gallon would be optimal... they do like to swim quite a bit. I like to compare them to a mix between a tang and a butterflyfish since, they do like to swim laterally in bursts, but also like to swim close to and through the rockwork finding little things to eat on the rock.
I don't want to say there is a "magical size tank" for the success of a MI, but the more space you can give it the better.
-Chad
