The Moorish Idol Thread

Well, if anyone is still keeping tabs on this thread I started... It's been 20 years. Hard to believe. I'm now 45 years old and have been working in the aquarium industry as a career. In that time, I have run 2 different stores and now run my own aquarium service business with over 80 clients. I never lost my passion for this hobby, although I will say, it took me almost 10 years to setup another saltwater aquarium after I accidentally killed my Moorish Idol (and entire fish tank) back in 2006. I dabbled in smaller tanks for a while, but back in 2022, I decided to take the plunge and finally get a "big" tank again. A Pro Star 230, my goal was an SPS reef. Fish were secondary.

Nearly 3 years later, I've got the tank of my dreams full of coral, but sort of lacking on the fish side. Then on May 23rd, I decided to stop into my local fish store to grab a few thing for my clients. I always take a quick look around to see what fish are available... and low and behold I see this fairly healthy looking guy:

Moorish Idol 1.jpg


I had a quarantine tank setup in my garage that I used to keep fish for clients... but I was hesitant. My Moorish Idol from 20 years ago devoured my coral, so I was forced to move him into a fish only tank. I knew it would be a risky move to bring him in. But I couldn't resist. So I brought him home and the journey has begun again!

I have been documenting things over on the Reef sub on Reddit. I know not many have posted here in recent years, but I also know that it has been a resource with a lot of useful information. I figured I could share the strategies I used this time around to get my Idol eating, which included training him to eat from a "grazing pad" and then introducing him successfully to my 230 gallon reef aquarium. It's been over 2 months since he's been in my tank and he is thriving. He "nips" at certain corals on occasion, but so far he has done very little damage and nothing has died. The key I have found is to keep him busy with other things to eat, the grazing pad being key (it lasts most of the day). Also, like I did 20 years ago, I have gone diving to collect different types of sponges for him to munch on as I know that is an important part of their diet. I spread them all around the tank so he has plenty to peck at as he cruises. Makes him less likely to nip at my coral as well.

Anyway, I am thrilled to have another Moorish Idol again and did everything I possibly could to give him the best chance of survival. So far so good! If anyone is interested, like I mentioned before, I documented all this on Reddit. You can find the links below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/comments/1l13vek/decided_to_try_keeping_a_moorish_idol_for_the

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/comments/1l4ehu1/moorish_idol_update_hes_eating_clam_on_the_half

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/comments/1l6if8l/i_have_now_taught_the_idol_to_eat_from_a_grazer

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/comments/1l9zj3m/moorish_idol_update_he_is_now_eating_rods_food

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/comments/1lc4tlf/moorish_idol_update_successful_transition_to_my

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/c...=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/c...=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/c...=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
 
Welcome back to RC and congrats on getting another Moorish Idol. I'd love if you'd keep posting updates here and I'm not Reditt proficient. I've just never figured out how to navigate that format.
 
griss said:
Welcome back to RC and congrats on getting another Moorish Idol. I'd love if you'd keep posting updates here and I'm not Reditt proficient. I've just never figured out how to navigate that format.
Click to expand...
Thank you! And I absolutely will. This is a long term goal. To keep him alive and well as long as possible.
 
zfunk007 said:
Hey everyone. I saw the "Regal Angel" thread so I figured i'd start one for Moorish Idols so we could share our experience in keeping them. Since this is considered a very difficult fish to keep any advice here will be greatly appreciated.

I personally have kept 3 of them with great success. However these were all fish I kept at an LFS where I used to work. I personally cared for them for over a year until the hurricanes hit and they all perished :(. Since then I have never attempted to keep another one, until now.

I work at another LFS now and we rarely get in Moorish Idols unless they are requested by a specific person. However, yesterday my boss arrived with a shipment from Miami and low and behold there was a beautiful Moorish Idol about 2" long. So I had to take him home and give it a try.

So back to the purpose of this thread. Please, share your experiences here if you've had them. Good or bad. I'm going to do my best to get this guy eating. I have a 210 gallon tank, so he has plenty of room to swim. I'm going to the store today and im going to pick up some frozen mysis, brine shrimp plus, Spectrum Finiky Fish formula and probably some Sea Weed Selects as well. Hopefully this will do the trick.

Before I was able to get them to eat Spectrum Pellets but first I would feed them formula 2 and Algae strips and they would eventually switch to pellets. I know that if you get them eating pellets they have a very good chance of surviving in the aquarium. Here are some pics of my new Idol. Enjoy. And please post your experiences!

70623moorish_idol_1.JPG


70623Moorish_Idol_2.JPG
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing
 
zfunk007 said:
Well, figured I’d share another video. This is “breakfast time” and what I feed every morning. Thought it would be nice for people to see him chowing down on the algae grazer.

Click to expand...
Just watch out for aggression from your other fish (that trigger caught my eye). I've lost a couple of MI that were doing great when one of my more aggressive fish started bulling them. No battle damage, just the chasing from the other fish seemed to cause the MI to go off food and they never resumed eating. :confused:
 
HumbleFish said:
Just watch out for aggression from your other fish (that trigger caught my eye). I've lost a couple of MI that were doing great when one of my more aggressive fish started bulling them. No battle damage, just the chasing from the other fish seemed to cause the MI to go off food and they never resumed eating. :confused:
Click to expand...
Yeah, I’ve kept an eye on the Trigger since day one. He’s a Niger Trigger so one of the less aggressive kinds. They are also omnivores, hence why he chows on the grazing pad. He gets a little grumpy when the food is first put in the tank but the rest of the time, the Idol and Trigger seem to be mostly indifferent. Sometimes they even hang out together in one of the several caves I have in my tank. But believe me, if he gets too aggressive with anyone in the tank I will find him a new home.

Also, just an FYI that I have a tiny Bluestripe Pipefish in the tank as well. The trigger has never even given him a second glance. They also both come for the food together. So if he’s not messing with a tiny pipefish, I’m not too worried about the Idol.
 
I had this guy for 5 years along with two bluestripe pipefish and he never bothered them or the corals although I have heard they do nip corals and clams but I have never saw that. I never saw them in the sea biting corals either, only sponges and dying algae.

 
Paul B said:
I had this guy for 5 years along with two bluestripe pipefish and he never bothered them or the corals although I have heard they do nip corals and clams but I have never saw that. I never saw them in the sea biting corals either, only sponges and dying algae.

Click to expand...
Mine occasionally nips at things, but it’s minimal. I keep him well fed however and he has a grazing pad to pick at all day. The goal as you say is to keep him 10 years. I have the ability with where I live to offer him live sponge at all times. So hopefully that will help.

I really think you should try again Paul. I’d love to see you document it. How did your original Moorish Idol finally die? You said you lost him after 5 years but what do you think he succumbed to?
 
zfunk007 said:
How did your original Moorish Idol finally die? You said you lost him after 5 years but what do you think he succumbed to?
Click to expand...
Just like all Moorish Idols. After about 5 years he just stopped eating and died. The oldest I ever heard of in a home tank was I think 7 years.

No one knows but I feel that fish should have a lifespan of about 15 years as they are very similar to butterflies so anything less than that I would consider a failure. Of course 10 years would be a record and a great accomplishment, and you would be in the Fish Hall of Fame. :D
I can't get that sponge any more that I used to feed them because I sold my boat and that stuff used to grow on the floating dock right near the surface.
 
HumbleFish said:
Just watch out for aggression from your other fish (that trigger caught my eye). I've lost a couple of MI that were doing great when one of my more aggressive fish started bulling them. No battle damage, just the chasing from the other fish seemed to cause the MI to go off food and they never resumed eating. :confused:
Click to expand...
I took your advice and removed the Trigger. He was becoming too much of a bully and I didn't like it. The Idol is doing even better without him hogging all the food. So it worked out well. Thanks for the idea! :)
 
This is the sponge I used to collect to feed my 5 year old Idol. I would collect it on floating wooden docks in the Long Island Sound in New York.

I would freeze it for the winter and the fish would almost jump out of the water for this stuff.
Nasty looking stuff. :sick:

Local sponge.webp
 
Paul B said:
This is the sponge I used to collect to feed my 5 year old Idol. I would collect it on floating wooden docks in the Long Island Sound in New York.

I would freeze it for the winter and the fish would almost jump out of the water for this stuff.
Nasty looking stuff. :sick:

View attachment 32413734
Click to expand...
Oh lord. That looks like a cat vomited up it's dinner lol.... I'll just keep pestering you though. I think you should get another Idol and try again! I know you don't have access to the dock anymore, but there must be a way. Do you still have an aquarium?
 
zfunk007 said:
I took your advice and removed the Trigger. He was becoming too much of a bully and I didn't like it. The Idol is doing even better without him hogging all the food. So it worked out well. Thanks for the idea! :)
Click to expand...
Glad to hear it. (y) I've come to the conclusion that Idols need to be the "centerpiece" fish and tankmates need to non-aggressive/non-threatening for them to really thrive.

That being said, a buddy of mine has a school (7 of them) of them in a 500 gallon tank and he tells me that really builds up their confidence to coexist with tangs, angels and other assertive species.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rrrrob
Blue Damsel
Replies
7
Views
552
rrrrob
rrrrob
DPauley
Bonnethead Shark Collection and Care in Home Aquaria
Replies
3
Views
457
Dr. Reef
Dr. Reef
dr_bull
RAP NY 2025 - Speaker Session on Aquarium Automation, Redundancy, and Inspiring the Next Generation (Video Link)
Replies
0
Views
229
dr_bull
dr_bull
A
Stocking Recommendations for established 92 gal
Replies
8
Views
878
Aquado
A
R
Getting back into the hobby.
Replies
2
Views
798
griss
griss
Back
Top