The Moorish Idol Thread

[Dmorty217]

My MI is doing good so far. My yellow tang was the only one who stressed him at times. But the tang is not longer in my tank. Now the MI has freedom.

My MI had a cut from my yellow tang. This is months ago. And he did not even care this cut he is such a healthy guy.

Beautiful MI, looking forward to upgrading my tank to get one or a couple. I'm sure this has been addressed in this thread somewhere but do people have pairs or groups in larger tanks? I'm going to upgrade to 750g tank next or bigger and wanted to know any success story's of keeping more than one in a larger tank. I read of a tank in Japan I think it was that had more than one in it but the owner stopped feeding the tank and the Idols wasted away and died

 

[pinnatus]

Most every report I have seen and my personal experience is no more than 1. They kill each other off.

 

[HumbleFish]

Has anyone else noticed that MI are sand magnets? I have sugar sand in my tank, and a big fem Maroon clown that likes to fan it everywhere with her tail. At first I thought the MI might have Ich, but upon closer inspection the white specks "dangle off" sometimes. Ich is under the skin; this is definitely on top.

This also happens with my Mandarins sometimes as they are pecking at the sand looking for pods. Do MI have thick slime coats (like Mandarins) and this is what captures the sand? My tangs never get this, and they obviously have thin slime coats.

 

[owenspackman]

So my MI has finally completed quarantine. Eating great and appears pretty happy. Happier now he is in the display.

I have still not managed to get him to take to pellets. I purchased the smallest size and am wondering if this was my issue?

here is a quick video I snapped.

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fB7YmOlSlDY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Paul B]

I dove with Idols this week in Hawaii. They are one of the most common fish there.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

So my MI has finally completed quarantine. Eating great and appears pretty happy. Happier now he is in the display.

I have still not managed to get him to take to pellets. I purchased the smallest size and am wondering if this was my issue?

here is a quick video I snapped.

Give it some time, the idol probably will eat pellets over the next couple of weeks or months. Try different types of pellets. Also, make sure to feed it nori and spirulina algae as they seem to do better with greens I need their diet (the streamer will grow longer and faster).

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fB7YmOlSlDY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I dove with Idols this week in Hawaii. They are one of the most common fish there.

is that the green coral you typically see them eat? Are they mostly in areas that are off limits to collecting? They don't seem to be offered for sale much this year.

 

[ace_92101]

is that the green coral you typically see them eat? Are they mostly in areas that are off limits to collecting? They don't seem to be offered for sale much this year.

Last time I was in Hawaii I'd not only see them while diving, but also in boat harbors.

 

[Paul B]

They are all over the place there and the lack of coral and black rocks makes them stand out more.
In Hawaii I didn't see that green sponge like in Tahiti. They were just scraping off the thick growth that grows on everything in Hawaii

 

[owenspackman]

My idol is now taking pellets. He's not eating them with as much enthusiasm as everything else, but he is taking them and showing interest!

That means he's now eaten all the fresh, frozen, nori, flake and pellets offered to him!

Thanks for all the help on here. I certainly appreciate it, he's a wonderful fish and is just as interested in me as i am him. He'll come right to the glass and just hover watching checking me out.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29441159@N03/10257401205/" title="DSC_0012 by owenspackman, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/10257401205_1cc2643b2b_c.jpg" width="800" height="500" alt="DSC_0012"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29441159@N03/10257503853/" title="DSC_0048 by owenspackman, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3767/10257503853_870070a037_c.jpg" width="800" height="500" alt="DSC_0048"></a>

 

[owenspackman]

I dove with Idols this week in Hawaii. They are one of the most common fish there.

Wow. I wish I could get the opportunity, you're very very fortunate. That's on my bucket list.

Awesome photos, thanks for sharing as always.

 

[Paul B]

Your welcome owenspackman. You will get there. I still have a few places on my bucket list but not many. My big dream when I was yound was to go to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and dive, and it turned out to be the first place I dove.
My second dream place was Bora Bora and we got to dive there. We dove on almost all the Caribbean Islands but I am old and tried to go to a different one every year. It took a lot of side jobs and snow blowing but I made it to just about every place I wanted to go.

 

[HumbleFish]

My MI, now in the DT

 

[pktech]

Wow your Idols are amazing! Did you guys get them from the same retailer?

 

[HumbleFish]

Wow your Idols are amazing! Did you guys get them from the same retailer?

I got mine from Liveaquaria

 

[owenspackman]

Mine was from BlueZoo as I was after a Hawaiian.

 

[cbbram]

Beautiful fish and very nice aquariums!

 

[SDguy]

Has anyone had their MI develop the little horns on the forehead?

 

[H.reidi.MN]

I think from memory that's common. And most likely associated with a sexually mature MI most likely. Male or female who knows ld like to think its a male thing

 

[SDguy]

I think from memory that's common.

In the wild, yes. In captivity?