just got a moorish idol

jenreef · 10/30/2010, 05:26 PM

i have heard very bad things about this fish, that it is so difficult to feed. so my number one worry was buying one at a lfs that i could see in person and know for sure it is eating, what is it eating, and that it is healthy. so after i seen one at my lfs that was eating like a pig on frozen brine shrimp and it looked very healthy. i had to get it. wish me luck

tcmfish · 10/30/2010, 05:31 PM

55 gallons won't be big enough.

jenreef · 10/30/2010, 05:37 PM

upgraded to a 120 gallon tank. sorry have not updated my signature yet

snorvich · 10/30/2010, 05:50 PM

Well since brine shrimp is not highly nutritional, you must get it to eat other stuff. Good luck.

jenreef · 10/30/2010, 05:57 PM

the moorish eats brine shrimp and mysis

Daniel Reef · 10/30/2010, 06:02 PM

You may want to ask PaulB. In the thread about Live Blackworms, he said that he had a Moorish Idol for 17 years and feed it LBW, among other things.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1907090

snorvich · 10/30/2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenreef

the moorish eats brine shrimp and mysis

Mysis will work well. Consider live blackworms.

Daniel Reef · 10/30/2010, 06:08 PM

You may also want to read the Moorish Idol Primer threads on RC:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607477

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=993712

jt_milstead · 10/30/2010, 08:06 PM

I agree with the change of food. I would try to include a angel fish food with some sort of sponge in it. I would also watch out for any type of fleshy coral you might have. Mine tried to eat a clam.
Your 120 wont be big enough very soon.

jenreef · 10/30/2010, 08:58 PM

i did buy angel food that contains sponges just because i know that's what moorish eat in the wild. im hoping if i feed the moorish very well like 3 times a day it will not destroy any of my corals that i do get in the future. i am going to expect some picking at corals but i hope for no real distruction

RealReef7 · 10/30/2010, 09:42 PM

I had my MI for 1 year until it died of no apparent reason, eating a staple of new life spectrum food which is much, much better than brine or mysis shrimp. These fish need sponges(alot of it). Just because the fish eats, doesn't mean its fine and dandy. Getting it to eat is just a small part of it. Good luck!

Paul B · 10/31/2010, 07:56 AM

Quote:

I had my MI for 1 year until it died of no apparent reason,

Thats basically what moorish Idols do. I have had many of them and spent many hours with them on the reef. In the sea I never saw them eat anything but sponge and they spend all day taking long trips around the reef to find it. In a tank they will eat anything, mine would eat cardboard if I put a picture of a clam on it.

But eating and eating what will keep them alive are two different things. Also, food is not their main problem. Their main problem IMO from hanging out with them is that they live in mated pairs, the male is first swimming many yards in front of the female to find sponges, He eats for a minute or so and when the female shows up, he leaves to find more sponge while the female finishes the sponge. I observed this a few times but not enough to make a scientific observation but I believe it is the problem with these fish and if you get a female, they are not good at eating because they are used to following a male to food, sort of like my wife and restaurants.

I collected sponge in the sea for mine and few it almost every day along with pellets. The pellets were soaked in fish oil and I invented a feeder for him that would deposit a few pellets in a dish for him a few times a day. They ned to eat a few times a day.
They are not an easy fish and no one has kept one for 10 years, five years is extreamly rare and 6 months is more common.
Good luck, you will need it.
Paul

jenreef · 10/31/2010, 11:31 AM

thank you so much paulb that was very informative. now i know alot about them that i didn't know before

LobsterOfJustice · 10/31/2010, 01:14 PM

Brightwell Aquatics makes a food soak for spongivorous fishes called Angelixir, look into it.

jenreef · 10/31/2010, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LobsterOfJustice

Brightwell Aquatics makes a food soak for spongivorous fishes called Angelixir, look into it.

looked into the product and im defenitely going to purchase it this week. thank you

pinnatus · 11/01/2010, 11:04 AM

I have had a Moorish Idol for 21 months now.

The other thing you should feed is Nori or seaweed of some type. I have noticed that when it does not get this, the pennant will get short and not re-grow. As soon as you feed the Nori, it will start growing again.

jenreef · 11/01/2010, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinnatus

I have had a Moorish Idol for 21 months now.

The other thing you should feed is Nori or seaweed of some type. I have noticed that when it does not get this, the pennant will get short and not re-grow. As soon as you feed the Nori, it will start growing again.

i do have nori and seaweed. i will try and feed it to him today. see if he eats any

10/30/2010, 05:26 PM	#1
jenreef Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: spencer ma Posts: 211	just got a moorish idol i have heard very bad things about this fish, that it is so difficult to feed. so my number one worry was buying one at a lfs that i could see in person and know for sure it is eating, what is it eating, and that it is healthy. so after i seen one at my lfs that was eating like a pig on frozen brine shrimp and it looked very healthy. i had to get it. wish me luck

10/30/2010, 05:50 PM	#4
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	Well since brine shrimp is not highly nutritional, you must get it to eat other stuff. Good luck. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

10/30/2010, 06:02 PM	#6
Daniel Reef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Glendale, Arizona Posts: 1,430	You may want to ask PaulB. In the thread about Live Blackworms, he said that he had a Moorish Idol for 17 years and feed it LBW, among other things. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1907090 __________________ Daniel Restarting my tank 90g 20g Life Reef sump 5ft Life Reef Skimmer See my album for pre-build tank pictures.

10/30/2010, 06:08 PM	#8
Daniel Reef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Glendale, Arizona Posts: 1,430	You may also want to read the Moorish Idol Primer threads on RC: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607477 http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=993712 __________________ Daniel Restarting my tank 90g 20g Life Reef sump 5ft Life Reef Skimmer See my album for pre-build tank pictures.

10/31/2010, 01:14 PM	#14
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	Brightwell Aquatics makes a food soak for spongivorous fishes called Angelixir, look into it. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

10/30/2010, 05:31 PM	#2
tcmfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,658	55 gallons won't be big enough.

10/30/2010, 05:37 PM	#3
jenreef Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: spencer ma Posts: 211	upgraded to a 120 gallon tank. sorry have not updated my signature yet

10/30/2010, 05:57 PM	#5
jenreef Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: spencer ma Posts: 211	the moorish eats brine shrimp and mysis

10/30/2010, 08:06 PM	#9
jt_milstead Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Poway Ca.(San Diego) Posts: 951	I agree with the change of food. I would try to include a angel fish food with some sort of sponge in it. I would also watch out for any type of fleshy coral you might have. Mine tried to eat a clam. Your 120 wont be big enough very soon.

10/30/2010, 08:58 PM	#10
jenreef Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: spencer ma Posts: 211	i did buy angel food that contains sponges just because i know that's what moorish eat in the wild. im hoping if i feed the moorish very well like 3 times a day it will not destroy any of my corals that i do get in the future. i am going to expect some picking at corals but i hope for no real distruction

10/30/2010, 09:42 PM	#11
RealReef7 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: bikini island Posts: 954	I had my MI for 1 year until it died of no apparent reason, eating a staple of new life spectrum food which is much, much better than brine or mysis shrimp. These fish need sponges(alot of it). Just because the fish eats, doesn't mean its fine and dandy. Getting it to eat is just a small part of it. Good luck!

10/31/2010, 11:31 AM	#13
jenreef Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: spencer ma Posts: 211	thank you so much paulb that was very informative. now i know alot about them that i didn't know before

11/01/2010, 11:04 AM	#16
pinnatus RIP Ludinano Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 1,572	I have had a Moorish Idol for 21 months now. The other thing you should feed is Nori or seaweed of some type. I have noticed that when it does not get this, the pennant will get short and not re-grow. As soon as you feed the Nori, it will start growing again.

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