moorish idol

[CoraLife]

my lfs is receiving a hawaii shipment on wednesday and i plan on buying a small moorish idol. i have a 90g reef tank and the owner has agreed to quarentine the fish for a few weeks to make sure that it is eating properly. the fish is sold for 65$. i was wondering if my tank is suited for this fish and that it is a good buy, price wise?

[dolfans1]

I would seriously reconsider about getting a moorish idol. They generally have abysmal survival rates in captivity. Don't just take my word for it - here are quotes from various books I have:

"Very difficult to feed... In most cases it will refuse to eat or will never take food with gusto and will slowly starve or decline in health." Scott W. Michael's PocketExpert Guide to Marie Fishes. (This book also has a minimum tank requirement of 100 g).

"These gorgeous fish are often tried but rarely kept successfully." Robert M. Fenner, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist.

"Another sponge-eating fish that does not survive well under aquarium conditions is the Moorish Idol. A specimen maintained in my office died after about a year, for no apparent reason, despite appropriate water conditions and a varied diet, including commercial food claimed to contain marine sponges." John H. Tullock, "Natural Reef Aquariums"

"Most specimens are very reluctant to feed in captivity... The vast majority of imported specimens starve... A marine icon, but extremely difficult to keep in most cases. For experienced aquarists only." Alf Nilsen and Svein Fossa, "Reef Secrets"

I don't want to sound too discouraging, but I think you would end up very disappointed (as well as out $65) within a year. My feeling is these fish are best left in the ocean.

[Bagshaw]

I agree

[tamableanimal]

I had a Idol for about 3 months then it went on a hunger strike and I lost it.

[schigara]

Who was the guy here that lives in NYC that had like 2 Idols in a 55g or 75g?

Wonder if they are still alive.

[salty420]

gangstafish keeps idols...

[schigara]

Yup, that's the one.

Has he posted lately and any news on his Idols?


gangstafish keeps idols...

[schigara]

Compared to a Moorish Idol, you could try something easy like a Mandarin. Just need a very well established sytem with a ton of never ending pods. The number of average hobbyists that have kept an Idol for 1-5 years is about 0.

I hate rules in this hobby but there are a few a agree with. One is no Idols. I have been reading constantly on the Marine and Reef topic for over four years and it's rare to read about anyone keeping an Idol for a long period of time, even people who have 20+ years experience.

[schigara]

Nevermind, I just did some searching on his screen name and apparently he no longer keeps Idols. They are now in a 350g reef....we'll go along with that. He also had a Black tip reef shark that was supposed to be going in a 10,000g tank??? No updates in about 4 months on that "project". Another tank had a mix of salt and freshwater fish with no response to any questions on his post.

Back in 1992 or so, I had a friend who kept a FO salt tank with predator fish who did'nt give a crap about the hobby or the fish, he used it to impress chicks, which worked very well.


gangstafish keeps idols...

[bluegrizzlies1]

Isn't there a poor mans idol fish that people keep instead of the idol ?

They are pretty close looks wise but differnt also.

[Lupin]

There was an article about this fish in TFH-January 2008. I read everything in there and the results appeared abysmal as dolfans1 mentioned earlier.

[schigara]

The Heniochus Black and White Butterfly fish or Bannerfish


Isn't there a poor mans idol fish that people keep instead of the idol ?

They are pretty close looks wise but differnt also.

[bluegrizzlies1]

^ yeap that is the fish thanks