Calling all experts(Morish idol)
- Thread starter daj0424
- Start date
squiddly
Member
Might I suggest joining a local fish/aquarium club and letting the local hobbyists know when a shop is ridiculous like that? While I realize that sometimes it is very difficult for people to get to a LFS convenient to their homes, I would rather buy mail order than put up with misinformation and downright animal abuse (which is what I consider it to be when a person lies or is so clueless as to actually believe that a Moorish Idol is "no big deal" or "eats anything."
The Moorish Idol is indeed a beautiful and majestic creature, and I hope that this one, as well as every other one who has been caught out of their native environments survives and is as happy as possible. Unfortunately, I also agree that there are some creatures who should remain in the wild since we can't take care of them nearly as well as they can take care of themselves. That being said, it's very difficult to just leave an animal in a bad situation (i.e. not being taken good care of in a LFS in a bare tank that is likely way too small for it, etc. etc.) and how badly one would like to "rescue" it and try to extend what's left of its life.
I'm not going to buy one, especially if with all your hard work, the poor thing is still not doing well without an insane amount of intervention by someone who seems very caring and dedicated to its well being.
The Moorish Idol is indeed a beautiful and majestic creature, and I hope that this one, as well as every other one who has been caught out of their native environments survives and is as happy as possible. Unfortunately, I also agree that there are some creatures who should remain in the wild since we can't take care of them nearly as well as they can take care of themselves. That being said, it's very difficult to just leave an animal in a bad situation (i.e. not being taken good care of in a LFS in a bare tank that is likely way too small for it, etc. etc.) and how badly one would like to "rescue" it and try to extend what's left of its life.
I'm not going to buy one, especially if with all your hard work, the poor thing is still not doing well without an insane amount of intervention by someone who seems very caring and dedicated to its well being.
xdave
Active Member
I have gotten away with this. I hand the other customer a book and tell them they should buy it because it has info on the fish they are looking at. I hand it to them open to the right page and point at the paragraph the salesperson is contradicting and walk away. Then the sales guy is left to argue with info in a book he sells, instead of with me.
sobsts
Member
while we are talking about tough to keep fish is it true the emperor angel is a hard fish to keep? I was also told that by not using RO/DI water that the chemicals in the tap water even if treated kill him slowly? Sorry to bust up the thread just seemed like alot of knowledgible people were here.
ophiura
Active Member
Originally Posted by sobsts
while we are talking about tough to keep fish is it true the emperor angel is a hard fish to keep? I was also told that by not using RO/DI water that the chemicals in the tap water even if treated kill him slowly? Sorry to bust up the thread just seemed like alot of knowledgible people were here.
I think it is still more appropriate to start 2 separate threads on the questions you have. I think you will get more responses, and it won't take this thread tooooo far off course
while we are talking about tough to keep fish is it true the emperor angel is a hard fish to keep? I was also told that by not using RO/DI water that the chemicals in the tap water even if treated kill him slowly? Sorry to bust up the thread just seemed like alot of knowledgible people were here.
I think it is still more appropriate to start 2 separate threads on the questions you have. I think you will get more responses, and it won't take this thread tooooo far off course
nctarheels
Member
Originally Posted by 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
someone was talking about garlic extreme, use that with some kent marine suppliments such as zoe, and that will get the taste good, odor good, and itll be healty as anything.
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
someone was talking about garlic extreme, use that with some kent marine suppliments such as zoe, and that will get the taste good, odor good, and itll be healty as anything.
alyssia
Active Member
Originally Posted by saltn00b
then go kicking and screaming and shouting 'these guys are buffoons and dont know what they are doing! dont shop here! i will never come back!'
and maybe these irresponsible stores will lose you and a bunch of people as customers, and more through word of mouth and be forced to shut down.
it happens all the time. These guys are usually on the cusp of bankruptcy and profit , so a little bad publicity goes a long way
Now why didn't I think of that?
then go kicking and screaming and shouting 'these guys are buffoons and dont know what they are doing! dont shop here! i will never come back!'
and maybe these irresponsible stores will lose you and a bunch of people as customers, and more through word of mouth and be forced to shut down.
it happens all the time. These guys are usually on the cusp of bankruptcy and profit , so a little bad publicity goes a long way
daj0424
Member
Well, this was a big weekend in the advancement of my Moorish idol. After trying many different foods and only getting it to eat clams and mussels from my local grocery store it has finally moved on. It has been eating everything that I put into the tank lately. Pellets and all sorts of frozen foods.
This is good news considering the state it was in when I got it. It only took 3 weeks for the fish to get comfortable to start eating prepared foods.
I will continue to update this post considering that I did not find much information on the Moorish Idol when I was researching.
MI menu
Week 1- Clams and mussels soaked in zoe (grazed alot on my LR)
Week 2- Clams and mussels soaked in zoe (grazed alot on my LR)
Week 3- Pellets (new life spectrum and formula 2) Frozen: Gamma Foods(mussels formula), Hariki (angel formula), and a frozen foods for heribvors.
Tank info:
90 gallon FOWLR
Sand bed 1" deep LS
50lbs LR
Water: ph 8.4
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
Nitrate 20-40
Salinity 1.21
10% water change once every 3 weeks. Running chemi-pure 24/7 and adding trace elements once a week. Tank established for over 5 years.
Equipment: All glass aquarium with built in over flow, all glass wet/dry model 3. CPR SR4 protein skimmer, Turbo twist UV sterlizer.
Occupants:
1- Moorish idol (3 weeks old)
1- Yellow eye tang (2 weeks old) I had to trade in my Marron clown because it was too aggressive towards the MI
1 blue hippo tang: (1 year old)
1 common ananomae
1 sand sifting star
a hand full of crabs and snails.
I just want to say that just becuase I have been lucky so far in keeping this fish I still do not reccomend this fish to anyone. If I have it for over a year then we can start to get excited.
This is good news considering the state it was in when I got it. It only took 3 weeks for the fish to get comfortable to start eating prepared foods.
I will continue to update this post considering that I did not find much information on the Moorish Idol when I was researching.
MI menu
Week 1- Clams and mussels soaked in zoe (grazed alot on my LR)
Week 2- Clams and mussels soaked in zoe (grazed alot on my LR)
Week 3- Pellets (new life spectrum and formula 2) Frozen: Gamma Foods(mussels formula), Hariki (angel formula), and a frozen foods for heribvors.
Tank info:
90 gallon FOWLR
Sand bed 1" deep LS
50lbs LR
Water: ph 8.4
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
Nitrate 20-40
Salinity 1.21
10% water change once every 3 weeks. Running chemi-pure 24/7 and adding trace elements once a week. Tank established for over 5 years.
Equipment: All glass aquarium with built in over flow, all glass wet/dry model 3. CPR SR4 protein skimmer, Turbo twist UV sterlizer.
Occupants:
1- Moorish idol (3 weeks old)
1- Yellow eye tang (2 weeks old) I had to trade in my Marron clown because it was too aggressive towards the MI
1 blue hippo tang: (1 year old)
1 common ananomae
1 sand sifting star
a hand full of crabs and snails.
I just want to say that just becuase I have been lucky so far in keeping this fish I still do not reccomend this fish to anyone. If I have it for over a year then we can start to get excited.
clown boy
Active Member
Have you looked at Thomas712's thread yet?
If you haven't:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/77056/fotw-moorish-idol
If you haven't:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/77056/fotw-moorish-idol
v-lioness
Member
Try any type of sponge for your idol, pick a few up at your LFS, place them around the tank and let the idol pick at them. You can also try angel formula which has sponge in it.
Try chopped raw shrimp, squid, octo, Spectrum pellets and so on, pick up some macro algae for green.
Idols are non stop swimmers day & night, and they will graze day and night, I would recommend feeding this idol 3-4 times per day, or they can starve, which is not uncommon for this fish.
Feed this fish often and keeping trying to add a variety of foods, try feeding when the lights are out also.
If you are unable to get this idol on different foods take a turkey baster and try placing the different foods in a clam shell, see if it will nibble that way.
Hope this helps
Kaye
Try chopped raw shrimp, squid, octo, Spectrum pellets and so on, pick up some macro algae for green.
Idols are non stop swimmers day & night, and they will graze day and night, I would recommend feeding this idol 3-4 times per day, or they can starve, which is not uncommon for this fish.
Feed this fish often and keeping trying to add a variety of foods, try feeding when the lights are out also.
If you are unable to get this idol on different foods take a turkey baster and try placing the different foods in a clam shell, see if it will nibble that way.
Hope this helps
Kaye
swlover
Member
Originally Posted by clekchau
why would anyone keep a fish that has a .0000009 percent chance of survival even in the short term ughh
I think because he more or less saved it from the LFS, you know someone with a pocket full of money and no sence would have bought this fish because it was cool and in less than a week or two led to it's demise. I see ppl trying to buy seahorses, with the tank and think they are like gold fish..take it home set up the tank through them in. I have stepped in before and the woman that works there always gives me dirty looks but they have never thrown me out..they wouldn't dare! I spend too much money there, not on SW fish, but FW and other stuff. It's the only one in our town
Oh and daj0424 good luck, hope he is doing well.
why would anyone keep a fish that has a .0000009 percent chance of survival even in the short term ughh
I think because he more or less saved it from the LFS, you know someone with a pocket full of money and no sence would have bought this fish because it was cool and in less than a week or two led to it's demise. I see ppl trying to buy seahorses, with the tank and think they are like gold fish..take it home set up the tank through them in. I have stepped in before and the woman that works there always gives me dirty looks but they have never thrown me out..they wouldn't dare! I spend too much money there, not on SW fish, but FW and other stuff. It's the only one in our town
Oh and daj0424 good luck, hope he is doing well.
clekchau
Member
Originally Posted by swlover
I think because he more or less saved it from the LFS, you know someone with a pocket full of money and no sence would have bought this fish because it was cool and in less than a week or two led to it's demise. I see ppl trying to buy seahorses, with the tank and think they are like gold fish..take it home set up the tank through them in. I have stepped in before and the woman that works there always gives me dirty looks but they have never thrown me out..they wouldn't dare! I spend too much money there, not on SW fish, but FW and other stuff. It's the only one in our town Oh and daj0424 good luck, hope he is doing well.
i would avoid a lfs like that at all cost, irresponsible, bad advice and money hungry, no thanks
i guess i'm pass the point of buying fish that i think look cool without doing any research, i can't see why anyone in their right mind would attempt to keep a fish that has never been kept alive before for an extended period of time, ever.
I think because he more or less saved it from the LFS, you know someone with a pocket full of money and no sence would have bought this fish because it was cool and in less than a week or two led to it's demise. I see ppl trying to buy seahorses, with the tank and think they are like gold fish..take it home set up the tank through them in. I have stepped in before and the woman that works there always gives me dirty looks but they have never thrown me out..they wouldn't dare! I spend too much money there, not on SW fish, but FW and other stuff. It's the only one in our town
Oh and daj0424 good luck, hope he is doing well.i would avoid a lfs like that at all cost, irresponsible, bad advice and money hungry, no thanks
i guess i'm pass the point of buying fish that i think look cool without doing any research, i can't see why anyone in their right mind would attempt to keep a fish that has never been kept alive before for an extended period of time, ever.
clekchau
Member
Originally Posted by TX Reef
They have been successfully kept for many years by a few people.
Usually they keep them in schools and very large established systems.
i have never seen/heard of this based on the research i have done on the moorish idol. i sent bob fenner an email regarding putting a small school in my proposed large peaceful fowlr and he gave a resounding "no" indicating they have a very speciliazed diet that could never be duplicated in the aquarium and have never been kept in an aquarium for an extended period of time, never. perhaps a specialized reef where they can harvest specific things from the ocean frequently to feed them maybe? where have you seen a school of moorish idols in captivity for a few years?
They have been successfully kept for many years by a few people.
Usually they keep them in schools and very large established systems.
i have never seen/heard of this based on the research i have done on the moorish idol. i sent bob fenner an email regarding putting a small school in my proposed large peaceful fowlr and he gave a resounding "no" indicating they have a very speciliazed diet that could never be duplicated in the aquarium and have never been kept in an aquarium for an extended period of time, never. perhaps a specialized reef where they can harvest specific things from the ocean frequently to feed them maybe? where have you seen a school of moorish idols in captivity for a few years?
whitey_028
Member
Originally Posted by TX Reef
They have been successfully kept for many years by a few people.
Usually they keep them in schools and very large established systems.
They have been successfully kept for many years by a few people.
Usually they keep them in schools and very large established systems.