The Moorish Idol Thread

[big mamma]

Mine has always eaten well with the exception of a few short-lived hunger strikes when I first got him. I have had it for ~2530 days plus or minus.

I agree with big mamma, they need to eat often, especially when young.

awesome pinnatus, you are doing something right !

 

[jjoos99]

what size tank do you have jeff ? tank mates ? these fish need to eat 4 or 5 times a day with a lot of swimming room and high oxygen levels. make sure you get it some sponge on a daily basis.

I have a 75 gallon qt tank the new arrival will go into. Right now there are 4 anthias and a small powder blue in the tank. Once through qt it will be going into a 180 gallon reef setup. what foods are you buying to get the sponge foods they need? I tried my first one on nws pellets and he wouldnt even look at them. Only thing I could get it to eat on was nori and just a tiny bit ot that. I am hoping this second one will go better.
thanks
Jeff

 

[pinnatus]

I have never fed sponge. I feed primarily nls pellets. Also various frozen - Rod's food and Mysis mostly. Also, Nori helps the pennant grow.

6 1/2 years, no sponge fed, and none growing in the tank. Not saying they wouldn't benefit from sponge and may eat it in the wild, just saying it is not required.

 

[big mamma]

I have a 75 gallon qt tank the new arrival will go into. Right now there are 4 anthias and a small powder blue in the tank. Once through qt it will be going into a 180 gallon reef setup. what foods are you buying to get the sponge foods they need? I tried my first one on nws pellets and he wouldnt even look at them. Only thing I could get it to eat on was nori and just a tiny bit ot that. I am hoping this second one will go better.
thanks
Jeff

I would put it directly in the 180. a 4 ft tank is going to be stressful with those other fish in there. might be some aggression from the powder blue tank. besides 4ft tank is to small. I fed lrs fish frenzy, oc angel formula, and green and purple seaweed.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

in the seventh week I've had mine it is easily fed frozen blood worms,oyster,brine shrimp,nori,mysis.This Moorish Idol is becoming the most dominant fish in the DT.I have some green sponge growing and it picks on coralline.It's got quiet the appetite,and belly.

 

[big mamma]

in the seventh week I've had mine it is easily fed frozen blood worms,oyster,brine shrimp,nori,mysis.This Moorish Idol is becoming the most dominant fish in the DT.I have some green sponge growing and it picks on coralline.It's got quiet the appetite,and belly.

i will be at 8 weeks on thursday and i would say mine is dominant also.

 

[jjoos99]

I would put it directly in the 180. a 4 ft tank is going to be stressful with those other fish in there. might be some aggression from the powder blue tank. besides 4ft tank is to small. I fed lrs fish frenzy, oc angel formula, and green and purple seaweed.

I would be alittle afriad to put this guy directly into the display tank. I just moved all my fish back into the dt after having them in qt, leaving the dt fallow for 72 days. I would hate to introduce ich back into the dt. The powder blue will probably be only about 1/2 the size of the MI if it comes in the same size as the last one I got.
thanks
Jeff

 

[big mamma]

I would be alittle afriad to put this guy directly into the display tank. I just moved all my fish back into the dt after having them in qt, leaving the dt fallow for 72 days. I would hate to introduce ich back into the dt. The powder blue will probably be only about 1/2 the size of the MI if it comes in the same size as the last one I got.
thanks
Jeff

if the idol is the only fish in the qt than you should be ok. let us know how you make out and good luck ! i will say a prayer to the fish gods for you.

 

[kmbyrnes]

My surviving MI has now made it out of QT into the DT - fat, hungry and happy to have some swimming room...
Picking for food and taking no guff!

 

[jjoos99]

My surviving MI has now made it out of QT into the DT - fat, hungry and happy to have some swimming room...
Picking for food and taking no guff!

Congrats. how long did you qt? Did you qt with copper, or hypo or just watch him closely? I just got mine yesterday. He seems hungry and has been eating on a clam on half shell but nothing else yet. Seems healthy. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Jeff

 

[big mamma]

just make sure you keep feeding them often with meats and greens. i am on 8 weeks today and all is well.

 

[kmbyrnes]

6 weeks of close observation + 2x PraziPro.
Not my preferred method but there's a lot going on tank-wise right now.
He will find plenty more to eat in the DT than I could reasonably give him in QT.

 

[Aquattro]

After 8 months keeping these guys, I've had to rehome the second. These things ate SPS, snails, frag putty, anything. But especially SPS and it became too much. Beautiful fish, but found I just wasn't able to enjoy my tank with the constant nipping.

 

[jjoos99]

My new one started eating nori on second day in qt. 3rd day it was gobbling up mysis. Almost a week in and there isn't much of any food it won't eat. Very encouraging.
Jeff

 

[Aquattro]

My new one started eating nori on second day in qt. 3rd day it was gobbling up mysis. Almost a week in and there isn't much of any food it won't eat. Very encouraging.
Jeff

Honestly, I don't think any difficulties happen with these fish due to diet. Both of mine would eat anything I put in the tank, and half the stuff in the tank with them. Both grew well, were fat and happy and unfortunately terrors in the tank
I think they have active metabolisms, and well fed with high O2 is all they need.

 

[boostedvq]

My second time trying a moorish idol gave me the most success. Hr actually bullied an Achilles tang, not to mention was eating both nori and rocks with sponges from my hand.

The downfall? An exposed gyre cord that leaked voltage into my tank.

 

[jjoos99]

Honestly, I don't think any difficulties happen with these fish due to diet. Both of mine would eat anything I put in the tank, and half the stuff in the tank with them. Both grew well, were fat and happy and unfortunately terrors in the tank
I think they have active metabolisms, and well fed with high O2 is all they need.

This is my 3rd try at a MI. First one went about 3 weeks without really eating and died in qt. Second one lasted on day after wholesale shipping so I am excited it is eating so well just after a couple of days. As long as it leaves my colored sticks alone I will be real happy.
Jeff

 

[Aquattro]

I found that as long as I kept the water surface well agitated, they did fine. I believe it's an important part of being successful with them. This assumes a quick transfer from beach to your tank. If they get delayed and don't eat quickly, they don't do well.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

It's encouraging that people are having some favourable experiences with their MI's.The one I have had for almost two months is gobbling up food faster than any other of the inhabitants in the D/T.He will eat a cube of brine shrimp in under 15 seconds on it's own and it is always hungry.I agree with Aquattro,that the surface needs agitation and seems to help.I have 10 powerheads and 4 nozzles from my return pump(2400 gph),and I think very brisk water movement ,in the environment is important too.
Also,I Did not QT mine,because,given their nature of hunger strikes I felt it would have a better chance of survival in the DT,with the company of other fish.I have read that being on their own can be detrimental.I also knew the LFS had the fish alone for 3 weeks,prior to releasing it for sale.At the point of purchase it was eating,had a long banner and a nice big tummy.As I said ,he is at the 8 week mark,and is a major contender for any food I put in the DT.

 

[big mamma]

It's encouraging that people are having some favourable experiences with their MI's.The one I have had for almost two months is gobbling up food faster than any other of the inhabitants in the D/T.He will eat a cube of brine shrimp in under 15 seconds on it's own and it is always hungry.I agree with Aquattro,that the surface needs agitation and seems to help.I have 10 powerheads and 4 nozzles from my return pump(2400 gph),and I think very brisk water movement ,in the environment is important too.
Also,I Did not QT mine,because,given their nature of hunger strikes I felt it would have a better chance of survival in the DT,with the company of other fish.I have read that being on their own can be detrimental.I also knew the LFS had the fish alone for 3 weeks,prior to releasing it for sale.At the point of purchase it was eating,had a long banner and a nice big tummy.As I said ,he is at the 8 week mark,and is a major contender for any food I put in the DT.

you and I are running about the same. I will be at 9 weeks on Thursday and agree with all this. I did not qt and I have high o2 levels and feed 4 times a day. it is housed in 125 gallon with a harlequin tusk, blue throat trigger and a blue damsel.