wasting my time?

[fisharades]

if i were to do a lot of research on Moorish Idols and i was wondering,even if i were to really dedicate myself to the care of that fish , if i would be wasting my time by getting one? Everyone always talks about how difficult they are to care for and how only experienced aquarists should attempt it. is it possible for a "newbie" to care for it? What is the best way? any thoughts or comments would really help!

[OrionGirl]

It is not recommended for any aquariast, really. There are rare stories of success, but only in the short term (less than 5 years). The reason moorish idols are hard to keep are not really known. Often, it's a matter of getting them to eat in the first place--others, they eat, but still die, so it could be a matter of not meeting their nutritional needs. People with very large tanks (>150 gallons) seem to have better luck, but why is not known. Established tanks with experienced keepers fail to sustain them, and given their cost, it's just a sad endevour to keep losing them.

The Heniochus are a nice, comparable looking fish that is hardy. I would strongly suggest taking on some fish that are easier to care for before getting into one of the real challenges.

[gcvt]

Welcome to AC fisharades!

OG summed it up pretty well - they're just very difficult to keep because no one yet fully understands their requirements. There are certain animals that are best left in the ocean, and I feel that the Moorish Idol is definitely one of them. In fact, I complain to my LFS owner when I see them in their tanks for sale. They don't even offer their usual 48-hour guarantee on these fish so they know there's a problem with them.

[fisharades]

ive visited a couple other sites, and they said that if you see a moorish idol at a pet store that will actually eat(ask the clerk to feed it),then it might not be a bad choice to give it a shot.others(like this one) are generally against keeping them.ive read a few peoples success stories, but ive also read a lot of peoples failures.i guess its okay to try once or twice, but it requires a great specimen(like the ones at stores that actually survive and cooperate with their owner)ill probably wait a little while. oh, im really getting confused between people claiming that they are caring for thier moorish idol and they are in fact doing well, and people who really disagree with thier keeping.oh well, in afew years from now, theyll be apiece of cake to care for.remember, caring for marine life at all was once considered near impossible, but as time goes on, we learn how to better care for these creatures. thank you!

[MonoSebaelover]

They may feed at the lfs BUT like OG said they will live under 5 years in captivity due to a nutritional defficiency. So why take a beautiful fish that is known for dying in captivity and has the worst record of marine fish for survival rates out of the ocean? I would rather they stay there so people can enjoy them where they thrive rather than throwing them in a fish tank where they will die within a limited amout of time. I don't disagree, Moorish Idols are gorgeous fish but I would never think about getting one since a 2 year life span in captivity is considered outrageous, that is pathetic. So if I were you I would take Orions advice and go with a Bannerfish that looks a lot alike the Moorish but is much easier to keep. Especially since you admitted you are a newbie, you really have to learn the basics of saltwater before attempting the difficults. I have been in the saltwater hobby for 6 years, and only in the past year have I been able to care for the difficult fish (currently have a Black Ribbon Eel, Ghost Ribbon Eel, Clown Tang, Achilles Tang, and Imperator Angel). When I was a newbie I tried a Ghost Ribbon Eel and Clown tang and failed with both (which I felt horrible about which is why I waited so long to get another). So I would highly suggest taking Orions advice, we are not saying it because we want to disappoint you but we have been in the hobby quite awhile and know all to well the number of beginners that come in and fail and get out of the hobby. It is a sad cycle but one that happens everyday. So take this for what it is worth and rethink the Moorish Idol, I for one would rather enjoy my fish than be constantly concerned if they are getting the right diet or are they thriving etc (I right now am constantly concerned about the toughies health but since I have been in the trade for so long I can take it, many beginners can't). Just warning you and hope this helps.

[TKOS]

Of course people take anemones all the time for their tanks and these guys have horrible survival records. And for a creature that has essentially a limitless lifespan in the wild, a 6 month to a year life span in captivity seems pretty dismal.

Right now I am on an anti-anemone in the aquarium kick so sorry for the hijack. Its just that there are numerous species that survive so well in aquariums and look great, and numerous that almost never survive or just plain should be kept for obvious reasons (ID sharks anyone). I have made a personal desicion to not experiment with those fish that have a next to zero success rate.

[mogurnda]

Yeah, I'll be another negative vote for the moorish idol. That and flowerpot corals.

[Azorean]

I used to keep Moorish Idols in Micronesia. I'd collect them at night time by just using my hands. They're like zombies at night. I had an 80 gallon tank with live rock and some mushroom corals. All in all I had 4 idols (about 5 inches each) which were simple to keep and ate like pigs. However, I'd never try keeping them back in the US. I'm convinced they are impossible because of shipping which rids them of their immunity to diseases. If you can catch them in the wild, their a piece of cake, but buying them after going through middleman and middleman just takes the life out of them. Get the Heniochus acuminatus instead. They look practically the same and ship easily.

Just my 2 cents.

Azorean