Holy crap... just ordered a pair of moorish idols!!

crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by CedarReef
http:///forum/post/2789658
Hope u have good luck with the idols eating... are they picking on the LR at all?
Thanks all. They are picking at the LR constantly but still not eating food. I have pellets going in 3 times per day and I fed nori tonight, along with a mixture of angel formula, mysis and krill (for my bigger fish). I figure that since they are picking at the rocks all the time, they must be getting some sustenance from them. Tomorrow I am going to try live brine and maybe some clams or mussels from the grocery store.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Have you tried dropping some algea sheets down to the bottom on a clip? If they are picking at the rocks, surely they would go for this.
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2789701
Have you tried dropping some algea sheets down to the bottom on a clip? If they are picking at the rocks, surely they would go for this.
Haven't tried this yet, but if they don't start eating tomorrow then maybe I'll give it a shot.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Well, I will admit, I have not studied this fish, but if they are picking at the rocks, it has to be for algea. Shred the sheets into fine strips, put it in a clip, and hide it in a crevice of the rocks to make it look natural.
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2789722
Well, I will admit, I have not studied this fish, but if they are picking at the rocks, it has to be for algea. Shred the sheets into fine strips, put it in a clip, and hide it in a crevice of the rocks to make it look natural.
The only problem with this is that my other fish are very aggressive eaters when it comes to nori... even my ray. The other fish rip nori to bits in a couple of minutes. Tomorrow I will feed some romaine. This tends to last longer.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2789724
The only problem with this is that my other fish are very aggressive eaters when it comes to nori... even my ray. The other fish rip nori to bits in a couple of minutes. Tomorrow I will feed some romaine. This tends to last longer.
When people say "romaine", are you talking about regular romaine lettuce, like we eat in salads?
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2790199
I thought so. I have not tried romaine, but I did try regular iceberg lettuce and none of my tangs would touch it.
Mine go crazy for romaine. It has more nutrients and vitamins than iceberg lettuce. But your fish may have to get used to it before going after it.
 
cedarreef

cedarreef

Member
If they're picking at the LR then maybe they're going after some hitchhiker sponges... do you have any regular sponges that you bough apart from the ones that came on the LR?
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
I know you're getting more help than you need. Here's my 2 cents. These fish are omnivores, not herbivores, and I would expect them to eat a meatier food first. Both of mine did. I think live brine, frozen mysiss, fresh clam, and other natural, meaty marine foods would be a good 1st choice. There will have to be enough food in the water column; because idols are timid, especially new ones, and are not going to fight with other fish over food. They do require a lot of veggies and sponge is great. But, I'd worry about just getting them eating anything, then consider dietary requirements. If I remember right; I think just fish I've ever owned ate meaty items before veggies. That goes for tangs and angels as well. The grazing is natural behavior and I wouldn't consider this "feeding". This may take a while, but I'll bet they do eat soon.
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by CedarReef
http:///forum/post/2792136
Any update on the idols? Did you get them eating yet?
Actually they did eat for the first time tonight.
I picked up a couple live mussels from the grocery store and pried them opened. The idols picked at them for a couple hours. They seem to be getting more and more comfortable in my tank... in fact, one of them chased my purple tang away from the mussel it was snacking on. So far so good. They still graze constantly but my next hurdle is to get them to accept the assortment of foods I'm offering... frozen, pellets, nori, romaine, etc. But today was a huge step.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2792341
Actually they did eat for the first time tonight.
I picked up a couple live mussels from the grocery store and pried them opened. The idols picked at them for a couple hours. They seem to be getting more and more comfortable in my tank... in fact, one of them chased my purple tang away from the mussel it was snacking on. So far so good. They still graze constantly but my next hurdle is to get them to accept the assortment of foods I'm offering... frozen, pellets, nori, romaine, etc. But today was a huge step.

The fresh mussel or clam is almost always a sure thing for picky eaters!
 
A

arlene1995

Guest
Dang! That is great news! Hopefully they will begin to take a liking to other foods as well!
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
They have expanded their diet slightly. At least one of them age romaine this evening, (I say at least one because I can't really tell them apart). If only my other fish weren't such pigs, then the idols would have a much easier time starting to feed. But it's still progress...
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2794081
They have expanded their diet slightly. At least one of them age romaine this evening, (I say at least one because I can't really tell them apart). If only my other fish weren't such pigs, then the idols would have a much easier time starting to feed. But it's still progress...

Methinks that if one were going to keep Idols that introducing them to the tank first would increase their odds of survival.
There, now you have some ammo for the experimentation thread.

Awesome progress. Any more pics? I, for one, would enjoy a pic of them at dinner time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top