The Moorish Idol Thread

[CrazyLionfish]

Well hello shawnts lol. Its aweosme that so many of you had success with idols, and I like this board much better then the swfish.com one, much nicer people. However I have to say to Chiesel that if the idol survives he will need a bigger tank at somepoint, which you probably know. And also a nice little suggestion, always research before you buy!!! And when you said hes begging for food, does that mean that hes not getting what he needs nutriotnally so hes begging for food? I dunno, don't want to sound mean, just my thoughts.

 

[zfunk007]

That is the most satisfying thing about this thread. That for the most part the people posting here have done some research on Moorish Idols before they bought them and are doing everything they can to keep them alive and give them what they need.

As far as being successful is concerned. Success is obviously measured in many different ways. So far it appears that we have been successful because we have kept Moorish Idols for a couple months or years. But the reality is, and Paul mentions this, that a REAL Moorish Idol success story would be if one of us were to keep one for 10+ years. Hopefully that will be the case. We shall see.

CrazyLionfish, thanks for posting. Also, I think that most peoples experience with Moorish Idols in captivity would seem to indicate that the Idols do "beg" for food. I think the reason for this is probably not lack of nutrition (cause I'm giving mine every kind of food and suppliment I possibly can and he still begs) but probably the fact that they have a very high metabolism and eat and graze almost constantly. So naturally once they see you as their sorce of food they are going to be "begging" even if they were just fed.

My parrot is similar. Birds have a high metabolism (which is why they crap alot haha) and they eat alot. My bird is always eating or munching on something and he never rejects food I give him. I think the same thing applies to Moorish Idols. I don't think its lack of nutrition but rather high metabolism that causes them to beg.

The thing is its easier to give a bird a constant supply of food. A Moorish Idol is more tricky and you have water quality to consider. Perhaps if we were able to feed our Idol small ammounts of food throught the day, perhaps 8-10 times a day, they would do much better than 3 decent sized meals a day. I may try it with this automatic feeder I got. The bloody thing cost 70 bucks!! So I'm going to get my moneys worth.

 

[chisel]

Well I knew I was going to get some sort of stone throwing in my direction........blah.....I was hoping that two to three weeks would be soon enough to upgrade the tank. Let me know if I should be doing something different other than reading these threads to better the knowledge of keeping MI. To tell you the truth I have never seen a MI in as good of condition from my LFS since, so am actually glad I acted when I did, and being willing to upgrade the tank to a 210 soley because of this newly aquired fish shows some commitment.:rollface:

 

[CrazyLionfish]

Okay thank you zfunk for explaining the idol's begging behavior and for chisel who is acknowldeging the fact that the fish will outgrow and is upgrading accordingly! Awesome job and keep up the good work.

 

[benf]

Out of curiousity, how many times a day do you feed your MI/fish?

I have been leaving a seeweed of some sort on a clip before i go to work and feed the MI/other fish when i get home.

 

[chisel]

During the week the crew gets fed 2-3 times a day, during the weekend, 3-4. Complete list of foods so far:

Frozen Algae Formula
Frozen Angel Formula
Frozen Color Formula
Frozen Brine Shrimp
Tubifex Worms
Daphnia
Flake Food
Pellets

 

[Paul B]

Zfunk, I believe that you are correct about feeding an Idol seven or eight times a day (although I think it would be impractical)
I think it would benefit all fish since they eat constantly. A fish like an Idol, in the sea never gets a chance to eat more than a mouthful (or less) at a time and they eat all the daylight hours. They are never "not" looking for food. There is a lot of competition in the sea and no one is dropping pellets on them.
They probably can't even handle the amount of food we are giving them at one time and are excreting most of it out without even digesting it fully. Many feedings I am sure would benefit them. Your water quality may suffer though.
BlownChevy, nice tank you are seting up there. Can I come over and dive in it?
I would only use four 250 watt MH lights and some actinic's in there for what you want to keep but thats just me. I kept clams for many years with just plain flourescent lamps and they grew like crazy. Also LPS do not need the light of SPS corals. I only have two 150 watt MH and some actinic PC lights on my tank and it is 6' long. I know your tank is twice as deep but still I don't believe you need that much light. Anyway, it won't hurt, except your electric bill and trying to keep it cool.
Getting back ti Idols, I would love to be here to feed it many times a day but unfortunately life gets in the way and although I have had fish almost 55 years it is but one of my hobbies. Being summer, boating also consumes much of my time, and work, well don't get me started.
Have a great day.
Paul

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Paul if your ever out on this coast, you know you are more than welcome to come over and go dive. But you've got to take a cleaning brush with you when you go in. .

I thought about 250W DE's on the tank but just wondered about enough light towards the bottom. I've kept LPS corals under 18" N.O. bulbs for years. I'm just worried about clams if I put some in.

With the way the tank is built, I have 4 openings in the top so I'll probably go with 4 bulbs just to keep from hurting teh cross braces.

Good luck with teh boating season up there. Enjoy and be safe.

 

[benf]

i guess i could always split what i give them to morning and evening.

Chisel how much are u giving them at a time if you are feeding them ~3 times a day?

 

[chisel]

one slice of a cube per feeding or, a couple pinches of dry stuff

 

[benf]

ok, so we are feeding appx the same, just you spread it out more. I will start tomorrow doing 2 times a day and weekends i can do 3.

 

[Shawnts106]

LOL, Hello CrazyLionfish... Yes I really like RC better than SWF... the people are a WHOLE LOT more nicer and acceptant!.... I just got sick of the IDIOTS on that forum!!! they are soooo fixed in their ways and will NOT listen to anyone but their own egos!!!

well anyway! LOL!


its really nice to come home everyday, get on this forum and see all these really good sucess storys... as someone mentioned.. I believe sucess is in the eye of the beholder... kinda like beauty! LOL.. so far I have "successfully kept" a Moorish Idol for 6 days.... its not however Long Term successful!...

I think that if someone buys a 2.5 juvie MI and keeps it for 8 years that is LONG TERM SUCCESS.... the fish was probably a year or two old when purchased therefore making the total life of the fish 9 to 10 years... which is a normal life I think... You know not all MI live 12+ years.... every fish has a different lifespan.. just like people.. not everyone lives to be a hundred and fifty! haha... I dont think I would WANT to live THATTTT long... well.... depends on how I would feel on the 80year old mark LOL!!!!

Well My MI is still eatting away at the Blue Sponge... its simular to Indo Pacific Blue Sponge... but not as shapely... Mine really seems to be doing well so far... the ICH is still there.. but not spreading... I bought one rock yesterday.. had about a silver dolar sized amount total of sponge on there... a few hours later it was COMPLETLY GONE!!!... today I bought another rock about thrice as big... he is just GOING TO TOWN on it!!!!! I also put the clam shell stuffed with Brine, NORI, Clam, and musscle in it.. he pays barely any attention to it.. but his belly just gets fully by the day!... hes also growing a bit more of a streamer... WOW!!!! its grown about a CM so far!... ,,, I think hes not accepting "fish food" so far because he has so much of a natural diet of sponges Im constantly supplying for the little bugger! haha

I saw him poo for the first time today! LOL.. it was just sand... probably because thats what he was nipping at for the first day or two... so next poo I should start seeing some type of mass!

I dont know if anyone has seem him yet... My website is My Page!
hes on the second page of that album... those pictures were taken just a few hours after acclimation!

also, I moved the Welso Brain to the Rufugium... its doing phenominal.. LOL, I just have 1 normal floresent, and two "walmart" screw in compact bulbs on it.. the thing is just blooming out like crazy and loveing life! its really quite funny if you would have seen it before !!!... mouths wide open, exposed areas.. now its like nothing ever happened to it!... I think it was having a coral war with my GIAGANTIC HAIRYS ( size of dinnerplates!!!).. anyway!

ALSO, the dwarf angels seem to be benifiting from this extra added sponge... they are eatting a bit too!!!

I will try and get some pictures up and on the web later tonight for everyone to view... .....

OH, yes Our LFS doesnt carry spectrum... I dont know if Kathy *owner* is aware of this brand.. I will MAKE HER AWARE ! haha
are they called soft and moist pellets??? do they sink? I bought Omega One Kelp Pellets that FLOAT like a dumb.. moooooonnkeyyyyyyy okkkkkkkkkkkk....

ALSO, the IDOL has started being quite agressive to the dwarf angels and damsels... standing up for himself!!!... GOOD! I never thought they were agressive fish!!

thanks for your help everyone!

 

[Shawnts106]

Just snapped some pics of the feeding station... its the only spot in the tank that I can add food so that it wont float away! you can view it on my My webpage.. the page two of that album posted above!

 

[Shawnts106]

Hello again, I also just Freshwater Dipped my Moorish Idol.... which I HATED AND NEVER APPROVE OF !!! I really do NOT like doing that to the fish, but by far, I have had more success of getting rid of ICH that way than any other!... It worked, Just put him back in the tank... it appears there are no more Ich spots....

Just took a gallon of freshwater, declored it with Prime.. doubled up on it to be exact... areated it really well... matched the EXACT pH and Temp and dipped him for 15 minute... eyeing him every step of the way!... he seems fine now... breathing normally again... and relaxed... so thats good.. I also dipped my Clownfish at the same time... he has a bit of a bumb on him that I DO NOT want to get any worse.. not ICH , but a possible something else paracitey! haha... so that took care of that.. and of course I didnt do them at the same time!

Geeze I really hate FW dipping SW fish... I HATE IT! but it works... or has for me! I also found a REALLY BAD GUY in the tank today! I green type Euclid or some kinda worm... I DID NOTTT APPROVEEEE of him sneaking into my reef.. so I set out a stuffed clam.. which he bought the bate.. and while he was stuffing his face I took the rock out he was on and picked him out.. NOT WITH MY BARE HANDS MIGHT I ADD!!!... and put him in a cup of FW... he started oOOOOooozeing this really toxic nasty red stuff... soooo, needless to say.. HE GOT FLUSHED!... I though I saw 2... so we will do the BATE thing again tomorow to make SURE no more of these nasty little vermins are in the tank... THIS MIGHT be why I cant keep any GREEN or RED zoos!! uhm.......huuuhhhh

The cleaner shrimp I bought isnt doing his job!... hes... or should I say a pregnant sheee.. which might be why the thing is a lazy couch potato shimp! anyway.... stays in the rockwork.. only at the last evening does it come out to steal food from corals! hahaha... oh well! the fish seem pretty flipped out about it anyway!!!

The IDOL is still looking ok... and I dont think I see any Ich spots...

LOL, I think I have wrote the MOST in just a few days since everyone else has BEEN HERE!

anyway... Excited people talk alot... or... type alot.. whatever you wish!

 

[CrazyLionfish]

Well I didn't know you had ick!?!?? lol Well tahts good that you got the spots off him, good luck, and im going to check out those pictures now.

 

[CrazyLionfish]

Well I didn't know they had ick!?!?? lol Well tahts good that you got the spots off him, good luck, and im going to check out those pictures now.

 

[CrazyLionfish]

sorry double post and wouldn't let me delete

 

[chisel]

here is my idol

 

[chisel]

sorry about the crappy pic, but if I can figure out how to get it better I'll try again, I had to reduce the file a lot to get it to work

 

[Shawnts106]

GREAT NEWS EVERYONE!!!...

LOL, yes I doooooo haveeee ichhhhh wha wha whaaaa! ... ok No I dont, but the moorish Idol has 1 little spot left on him.... I will NOT do another FW dip.... Now I will use a copper dip... MAYBE!.. I duno.... Ill just monitor him! he seems fine!


well... the "weening" worked... TODAY IS THE DAYYY... *(also my mums Bday)*, but today He made his FIRST ACCTUAL NIPPING/INGESTING of some FISH FOOD!!! He is nipping at some Plankton.. Like little pink shimps!!!! from OCEAN NUTRITION I think... Im getting the Angel Forumla ASAP for him!!!... also, his streamer is growing also... its now about 2 CM!!! a CM a day! wow!.... anyway!... hes very active... and is not starting to accept FOOD... hes doing the PUFF of water trick on the stuffed clamshel NOW!... ... very happy to see this.. I believe he is going to make it!!! I am going to order some LIVE INDO PACIFIC BLUE SPONGE... Halidonia.. I think is the name? ... I forget... but its suppose to be a good sponge for reef tanks.. it somewhat needs light!.. so its not a deap sea sponge!... its blue.. and he seems to GOBBLE up blue sponges! so maybe he will eat this!!... this MOORISH IDOL has BY FAR been my biggest expense!... but I DONT MIND... hes also taking care of himself!!!... the other fish get in his way and he shows them WHOS BOSS!!... OK... I am not going to go let the Yellow Tang back into the tank.... BRB.. let me see whats going to happen!.. ........................................... Well... everything is fine, he acts as though he never had been in the tank... although he is still being a bit of a snub.... which most tangs are! I may just keep him in the Fuge... or just get rid of him all togther... I relly dont want to.... but If he continues to act like the KING OF THE OCEAN... then yeah.. I will have no choice!... I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANYTHING ACTING AGRESSIVE TO THE MOORISH IDOL!

There is also another WORM!!! I just saw it... must be twice as big! so the bait is set! they are really hard to get out!.....

I took the MI out again.. no FW dips but since there was ONLY 1 single ICH left... I just gently scraped it off and washed it with FW... that way if there was anything else on there the FW would have killed it... hes back in the tank and fine as can be!... ALSO, I redid one side of the tank to make it more Moorish Idol "friendly" so to speak.... making for more swimming and hunting space!... hes reacting quite well to it! loves the new aquascaping of that side! picking at it like crazy haha!

wish me luck!:rollface: