Moorish Idol, anyone have one?

deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
finally a lfs that know something
i wish these fish cost $1000 instead of $40 they would'nt be sacrificed as much.
unless you are an expert at sw they are impossible
i have benn in this hobbie for over 20 yrs. and i would'nt try one.
i am still nervious about the achillies tang i am getting soon.
 
boosted306

boosted306

Member
My LFS has a great guy working there that needs to be a marine biologists. I will take his opinion first and foremost. I wish that would be the case for everyone but unfortunately it isn't the case.
 
cedarreef

cedarreef

Member
crimzy had a pair, but even in the 500gal, i believe, tank one died... the other is still being kept successfully, but definitely not for the average person. Definitely do NOT recommend getting one ever.
 
mie

mie

Active Member
There diet and the food that the home aquarium cannot provide for them is there downfall.
 
cal559

cal559

Member
How about doing some bannerfish? They look similar to the idol...
I don't know how hard they are to take care of though...
 
krazykarel

krazykarel

Member
Originally Posted by crypt keeper
http:///forum/post/2894028
It really sucks too because the fish are gorgeous.
I agree...I would love to have one, but probably will not try unless I had a ginormous tank. Banner fish are cool, but IMO not as elegant looking as the MI.
 
cleve_seahorse

cleve_seahorse

Member
I would love to have 1 or 2 moorish , but they require a big tank - 125g or more and are even harder to keep than seahorses in their dietary requirements. ...you'd have to look after them like newborns, and even then most don't make it
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
I think some of the reasons you don't see them owned very often, is they usually aren't available small. I know everyone has the best intentions, but the fact that most Moorish Idols are usually pretty big already, and the fact they are active in their holding tanks. Most fish seem to 'settle down' and not really exhorting themselves swimming, but, for me at least, the Idol's I've seen for sale are always on the move in their little holding tank. And that probably puts the fish off, or the unknowing shopper.
 
pumper

pumper

Member
If you want a morrish idol, get one. If it dies, fillet it, fry it, and have a morrish idol po-boy. This way nothing is wasted.
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Just my opinion but I think the banner fish are ugly but the Moorish Idols are VERY pretty. Saw them snorkeling in Hawaii and saw one in the local fish store once... looked like crap. I'm sure it died but he finally put it in his 400gal "display" (looked like crap too) tank and fed it mussels. From there no idea but I wouldn't try one either.
 
vkuroczka

vkuroczka

Member
I have an idol, just got him 4 weeks ago though and hes still in QT.... I will agree with everyone that they are VERY PICKY eaters, but mine is eating seaweed sheets & silversides, I also put one of my coraline rocks in there ... he's doing fine and eats fine, you just have to figure out what he'll eat. On a side note, I've been thinking, if their main diet consists of sponges, why don't people just purchase sponges and put them in their tanks so the idols have something to graze on? Just a thought, haven't done it.
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
if they eat like angels eat sponges they dont 'graze' they inhale,,, I had a thumb sized blue sponge in my tank for over 6 months and it was starting to grow finnally, then i added an angel last month,,,, now no more sponge.
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
I thought I read once that they eat "particular" sponges...as in not all sponges are alike, so the particular sponge that they need may not be easily accessible
...ask Srfisher, he had one for 10 years from what I have read. He must know the secret of success.
 
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