Calling all experts(Morish idol)

[daj0424]

Well, despite all the research that I have done on this fish stating that it is impossible to keep I decided to give it a shot. I was not happy with the tank it was in the fish store and for the deal I got I had to go for it.
I have been in the hobby for over 5 yrs and recently upgraded to a 90g FOWLR tank. I have a blue hippo, a dwarf lion, and a maroon clown with the Moorish idol now and I need to get him to start feeding (the biggest challenge.)
I have tried clams, table shrimp, scallops, and crab from the store and he did not think twice about it. I have also tried 3 varieties of flake foods, Ocean Nutrition formula one and two along with another flake my LFS sold me with garlic added. He has not been interested in this as well. I tried angel formula frozen food and brine shrimp. I have also tried two kinds of pellet foods (ocean nutrition formula two and Red Sea.)
I wrapped seaweed to a rock and he hasn’t touched this as well. I am starting to run out of options. Last night, I went to the LFS and they suggested a frozen food that had some mussels in it. I tried that and finally got the Moorish idol to act interested and pick on a few pieces.
This fish is very active with my LR, he grazes all day long feeding off the LR. I know that I need to get him to eat something else or he will not make it. Any suggestions, someone told me to get some frozen spinage and boil it and put it on a rock. They seem to like it.
I am sure some of you have tried this fish. Any ideas that you think might work, I am willing to experiment to keep this fish happy.
Please do not use this as an opportunity to bash my decision on getting a Moorish idol. I am not stupid and know how some of you think. I am looking for expert advise on how to care for this particular fish and that is all. Please advise.

 

[ginarox]

i wish you the best,,its a beautiful fish...i wish i could help, but i am a newbie....keep us posted ... like to see how he is doing in the future...have a good day..

 

[saltfreak4]

Me too, I don't have an idea. Good luck with the fish, it appears you have enough room. I would contact Steve Weast on this one, he has a least four in his tank.

 

[clown boy]

Please let us know if it makes it.

 

[seannmelly]

We have had one at our store for going on 4 months. This thing eating everything and anything. We got him to start eating frozen brine(soaked in garlic extreme). Moved him onto frozen formula1 and 2(formula 1 has sponges in it, their main diet in the wild). He eats Kent Chromaplex?? not sure on the actual name but it is Zoecon enriched. He eats flake. It takes time, don't give up.
Melly

 

[daj0424]

seannmelly I have some questions. How big of a tank do you have it in? Is it a reef tank or FOWLR? How long did it take to get it to eat?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[seannmelly]

Originally Posted by daj0424
seannmelly I have some questions. How big of a tank do you have it in? Is it a reef tank or FOWLR? How long did it take to get it to eat?
Any help would be appreciated.
Mind you, it is not ideal living conditions because it is in a store. It's in a 40 gallon breeder with a sailfin tang, twin spot hog, and a cleaner shrimp. It ate the day it got to the store. I would love to bring him home, but I would not trust him with my corals.
Melly

 

[daj0424]

Update:
Last night I noticed that the MI finally started eating. I put a clam in the tank yesterday that I picked up at the grocery store and he was eating that.
This morning I also noticed that the seaweed that I attached to a rock was all gone. I will continue to give special attention to this fish and see what I can get it to eat next. Once the claim is gone I am going to clean the shell and use it to hold other foods for it to eat. I will keep you posted on any progress.
Also, thank you to all of those who have not made this a bashing thread. Any suggestions to the keeping of this fish are greatly appreciated. I know that there are people out there that I tried to keep this fish and my question is:
What has worked to keep it alive for a year or longer? What has not worked?
Also, I have read that I need o feed it "greens" every day for it to graze on. Can you define good quality greens.

 

[doglvr]

This may sound silly, but if I had a fish that wouldn't eat I would try to trick him. Try and find a fake version of the species favorite coral & stick or smear bits of food on that. I would also try live foods. At a loss for the proper word here, put a school of live mysis or brine shrimp that the fish can't avoid swimming through. Just by that process some will get in the Idol's mouth & hopefully start him eating. Yea, will polute the tank, but hands on maintenance can take care of that. I know clowns have been tricked into hosting from seeing pictures taped to the tank. Maybe you can get a high quality photo of the favorite food coral, tape it on the outside and stick a variety of the foods you want it to eat on the glass inside the tank over the picture.
Good Luck!

 

[doglvr]

Oops, started typing this, then had to deal with cats & dogs, came back, posted my suggestions & then saw you solved your problem! Woo Hoo! :cheer: :cheer:

 

[saltfreak4]

Originally Posted by doglvr
This may sound silly, but if I had a fish that wouldn't eat I would try to trick him. Try and find a fake version of the species favorite coral & stick or smear bits of food on that. I would also try live foods. At a loss for the proper word here, put a school of live mysis or brine shrimp that the fish can't avoid swimming through. Just by that process some will get in the Idol's mouth & hopefully start him eating. Yea, will polute the tank, but hands on maintenance can take care of that. I know clowns have been tricked into hosting from seeing pictures taped to the tank. Maybe you can get a high quality photo of the favorite food coral, tape it on the outside and stick a variety of the foods you want it to eat on the glass inside the tank over the picture.
Good Luck!
Not to flame you, at all, but aren't these all "tricks"?

 

[dogstar]

The biggest trick is that someone else bought another one, so another one will be collected........and so on and so on and...........

 

[ophiura]

Often, getting them to eat is not the problem in the slightest. Getting them to survive beyond a year...that is the trick.
We had one at the LFS that was tough as nails. Ate anything, beat the snot out of other fish...survived system crashes. Was "fat and happy" and died, as most seem to do, right around the year mark. That is the point of success....anything before that is just another day in the life. Clearly, something appears to be missing from captive prepared diets that costs them their lives at about a year.
Please understand that information to the contrary is not bashing...all in all, I wouldn't really see too much trouble in trying, though I wouldn't suggest it, if you had something like a 300g tank. I am afraid that you do not have what I, personally, would consider the reasonable minimum to keep this fish long term. I feel that is part of the secret to keeping them (lots of LR and room) and it is important to say that. I don't feel you can provide that at this time. Disagreement is not bashing.
Best of luck to you, and I hope that you have a living moorish idol in a year that will require you to upgrade (that's a good excuse!)!

 

[triga22]

I am glad to hear that your Idol is doing well. Please keep us posted on how he is doing because on a normal basis we dont hear about people having this fish. Anytime you get some pictures feel free to post them.=]

 

[mryoung7]

even though it's eating (and i hope it continues to), please be careful not to call this attempt a success for at least a year or two.
i worry that someone will see this thread and go pick up a moorish idol for themselves ... since it's worked out for you so far.
you already bought him so i sincerely wish you luck but it should be made very clear that no one should attempt this, especially with anything less than multiple hundreds of gallons.
i'm not bashing you, just trying to dissuade anyone from using this as a precedent.

 

[xdave]

No one really knows what it is thats missing to keep them alive but we do know this, it's something from the waters of Hawaii, and collecting and/or owning it is illegal, whatever it is.
Heres a list of those very inclusive state laws:
State law prohibits the breaking or damaging, with any implement, any stony coral from the waters of Hawaii, including any reef or mushroom coral. HAR 13-95-70
It is unlawful to take, break or damage, with any implement, any rock or coral to which marine life of any type is visibly attached. HAR 13-95-71
The taking of sand, coral rubble or other marine deposits is permitted in certain circumstances. The material may not exceed one gallon per person per day, and may be taken only for personal, noncommercial purposes. HRS §171-58.5, §205A-44
Sale of corals
The sale of all species of stony corals which are native to the Hawaiian Islands is prohibited. HAR 13-95-70

 

[coachklm]

my suggetion would be sponges as they arrive on LR from LFS or any sponge in general

 

[dogstar]

xDave, the Idol is found and collected from east Africa ( Indian Ocean ) to Central Pacific.....So if your suggesting that their '' secret needed food source '' can only be found in Hawaii .....I disagree. I do beleive '' No one really knows what it is thats missing to keep them alive ''
But good for people to know the laws in Hawaii.

 

[cwgibson]

good luck!

 

[viper_930]

Originally Posted by saltfreak4
I would contact Steve Weast on this one, he has a least four in his tank.
Just wanted to say that Steve actually has heniochus butterflies, which look similar to moorish idols but are much easier to keep.
Best of luck to ya daj!