The Moorish Idol Thread

[foxrazr]

Update:
My moorish idol was added to the display tank 8-6-12. He is doing good. Is still eating NLS pellets on a timer 3xday, flakes and nori. For some reason he stopped eating pe mysis. He will still taste it but spits it out. It gained some weight. Overall doing good. He sometimes gets harrased by my yellow tang that I have which is almost the same size. The moorish idol has learned how to dodge him.

Time for an Update:
Louis the moorish idol is still doing good. Almost 4 months with him since I got him on June 23, 2012. Since my last update he started eating everything I feed my other fish: pe mysis, nori, formula 1 & 2 flakes and NLS pellets on a feeder 3x day. He is very bold now and pushes his way to the nori clip. I think he killed some of my sps corals but I can't prove it. Anyways I like Louis better than the corals. That's it for now, next update i'll try to post a picture or video of him.

 

[jaa1456]

Here are a few pics of mine, I got it eating everything now including pellets.

 

[geovanii]

Here are a few pics of mine, I got it eating everything now including pellets.

Nice mi. How many inches on the streamer?

 

[jaa1456]

I would say between 7-8" starting at the base. I'm planning my new build around the MI and exactly what other fish will go in with it.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

I just added a MI to my tank. I went to the lfs and there he was. Eating prime reef flake like a pig. I figured he'd be a good one to start with since he was eating. 8 years ago I had one for 2.5 years. I plan on some sps shortly. We'll see what happens.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Ok this fish is eating great. So far he eats formula 2 flake, ocean prime flake, cyclopese and nori. We'll see what he eats tomorow. Other than a varied diet, any other recomendations?

 

[SDguy]

I'd move him onto pellets, if possible...

 

[Paul B]

Other than a varied diet, any other recomendations?

That is not IMO a good diet for a Moorish Idol. In the sea they live on sponge but I know for most people that is tough to get, I would feed him clams, frozen mysis and live black worms in adition to that nori.

 

[Curious George]

I saw Moorish Idols all over the place when I was scuba diving in Oahu. I remember thinking to myself how hardy and tough they seemed. They weren't shy at all and they had a lot of personality. There were so many. It just amazes me how difficult they are to keep.

After all these years, does anyone know exactly what it is that causes such a dismal record of success in captivity? Has that been figured out?

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Short term, collection and transportation practices have been a problem with high mortality rates on these fish.

There is limited anecdotal evidence on them longer term. Many of the reports on here of MIs dying in 5 years or shorter periods involved tank crashes. Some think there may be dietary needs that aren't yet identified. Maybe they get too much meat and not enough sponge, greens, etc.

 

[AliciaP]

My Idol eats almost everything that goes into the tank, with the exception of bananas. He won't touch them. He's a real pig and when his streamer falls off, he grows it like an inch or more a day! He is quickly growing too. He was rather small when I picked him up and now he's the biggest fish

I've had him since May 1st

 

[jaa1456]

My Idol eats almost everything that goes into the tank, with the exception of bananas. He won't touch them. He's a real pig and when his streamer falls off, he grows it like an inch or more a day! He is quickly growing too. He was rather small when I picked him up and now he's the biggest fish

I've had him since May 1st

why would the streamer fall off? They are not supposed to just fall off. Is something biting it off or is it getting sucked into a power head?

 

[Curious George]

Short term, collection and transportation practices have been a problem with high mortality rates on these fish.

Just spit balling here; since there is a demand for healthy Moorish Idols in good shape, is it possible to go direct and buy from the collector and have the fish shipped to your door so as to cut out the middleman and additional stress from multiple transfers?

It just seems like enough people want a "Good one" and would be willing to pay more if it meant getting a better chance of survival. I'd buy one. They are cheap at the LFS, but I have tried and it has died.

Side bar- I bought one about 5 years ago. I think it is so stressed out when it hits the dealer's tank, it picks up any parasite that has been festering for as long as the LFS has opened and isn't right again. I QT'ed for about 3 weeks, got it to eat live foods, it iched out, went down hill, and as a last ditch effort I mercifully through it in my display to have it motionless by the next day and henceforth wipe out the rest of my tank with the parasite it brought in. That was a bad week for me.

 

[pinnatus]

why would the streamer fall off? They are not supposed to just fall off. Is something biting it off or is it getting sucked into a power head?

They do tend to lose at least parts of their streamers from time to time, more frequently if being chased by other fish. The fin part of the streamer can grow very quickly, but I think there is a thin filament in the streamer that takes longer to grow. So the fin part of the streamer that grows fast is not sturdy like the slower growing filament streamer, and it tends to get knocked off easier. After a while, if nothing harasses the Idol, the more sturdy (and less flappy) streamer will be there and will not fall off as easily or as often. Hope I explained that well enough.

 

[jaa1456]

So you pretty much said what I said, a fish is bothering the MI. The streamer is being nipped at, they don't just fall off.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Just spit balling here; since there is a demand for healthy Moorish Idols in good shape, is it possible to go direct and buy from the collector and have the fish shipped to your door so as to cut out the middleman and additional stress from multiple transfers?

It just seems like enough people want a "Good one" and would be willing to pay more if it meant getting a better chance of survival. I'd buy one. They are cheap at the LFS, but I have tried and it has died.

Side bar- I bought one about 5 years ago. I think it is so stressed out when it hits the dealer's tank, it picks up any parasite that has been festering for as long as the LFS has opened and isn't right again. I QT'ed for about 3 weeks, got it to eat live foods, it iched out, went down hill, and as a last ditch effort I mercifully through it in my display to have it motionless by the next day and henceforth wipe out the rest of my tank with the parasite it brought in. That was a bad week for me.

While direct from the collector would be nice, you can get good fish from the best online stores. Fish from LA tends to be good.

 

[SDguy]

So you pretty much said what I said, a fish is bothering the MI. The streamer is being nipped at, they don't just fall off.

I've seen the soft portion break off when my MI makes a hard turn after food.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Ok.. he's a pig. He's eating pellets, flake, cyclopese and mysis. He loves the red seaweed sheets. We'll try formula 2 and keep the list going. I'll pikck up some clams and some rods food.

Paul b what can I use for sponge? Last I checked we don't grow it in the detroit river (yet). Lol

By the way streamer grew 1/2 inch since lights out last night.

 

[jaa1456]

I've seen the soft portion break off when my MI makes a hard turn after food.

Mine darts all around the tank as fast as he can for food, streamer has never broken. Are you sure it was nipped and damaged? Thus leading to the break off? I have heard of plenty of different fish biting at the streamers.

 

[Paul B]

Sorry,double post