Moorish Idols??

[astranotus]

I had a Moorish Idol and loved it..I have several friends with them...But until today..heard that they may eat sponges..BUT..I never heard of them eating clams??? someone told me that a moorish idol ate someones..maximas, corceas..etc..Anyone else know of them eating clams?? I want another but have several clams that I love...hate to lose them that way..

 

[dcforester1]

Dibs on the clams if you get the Idol?

 

[maurod]

How long have your friends kept them alive? I thought they were nearly impossible to keep for more than several months?
M

 

[astranotus]

He has had some troubles with some..went through like 3 or 4 nut...1 he has had for 8 months maybe and the 2 he has had for a few months now...the hardest part to keeping them is getting them to eat..and keeping them fed..Once the start to eat..flakes, nori, mysis..you can keep them for a while...and should be fine...Especially in a larger system....I have a 275 I will keep it in....They also are known to get ick..like a hippo..just happens..that is what happened to mine..got a bit stressed and BOOM..was peppered with it..seemed to be cleared up..but just as I felt good about the ick problem..he died three days later...

 

[JohnK]

I don't want to sound rude or go on a rant, but those aren't very good odds. 5 fish, and the best longevity so far is 8 months. To me that's a pretty strong argument to support the notion that moorish idols don't belong in captivity.

Sorry, but someone had to say it.

 

[stingythingy45]

I don't want to sound rude or go on a rant, but those aren't very good odds. 5 fish, and the best longevity so far is 8 months. To me that's a pretty strong argument to support the notion that moorish idols don't belong in captivity.

Sorry, but someone had to say it.

+1

Can't see keeping something that's destined to die in a few months.

 

[CaptainAndy]

I had two over the years. One for 2 years, another for 3-4. Both sold after they developed a taste for LPS. No experience with clams.

Only buy if you see it eating in the store.

They are a time bomb in the reef. Once they eat, they at like pigs and you have to overfeed the tank to prevent them from going after mobile inverts.

I'm tempted to get another one but doubt I ever will.

 

[FMarini]

that would be me.....
I mentioned they eat sponge, they also are algae grazers and as you read they are not particularly reefsafe. However the biggest issue w/ Moorish idols are they do poorly in the home aquarium, for whatever reason. There are a number of stories recently that folks have been able to keep them 1 yr or more- but this is the expection not the rule. Maybe we are getting better at keeping them, or maybe collection & shipping are better- i dont know for sure. But I see them every week in Houston at our LFS, and thet usually get sold, bu i almost never read on our local webboards- bragging about their moorish idol success. Feel free to check RC as well. Also if you get a really young one, they tend to do better and eat a wide variety of foods.
I'm not going to dissuade you from keeping one-- just be aware that they dont have a great history of success in the home aquarium

 

[Paro6k]

I don't want to sound rude or go on a rant, but those aren't very good odds. 5 fish, and the best longevity so far is 8 months. To me that's a pretty strong argument to support the notion that moorish idols don't belong in captivity.

Sorry, but someone had to say it.

get a heniochus, u can totally lie to ppl and tell them its a MI if u want to, most non reefers can't tell the difference, MI's dont last long outside of an aquarium and some even in one dont do well. just my two cents.

 

[dcforester1]

People say that (they look the same) I dont think so. Just my .02 Just stay away from them. Just because you can buy them doesnt mean that you should. Every book says leave them on the reef. I dont think alot of people really put much thought into the fish they buy. My friend bought a huge Angel, that he is not happy with. It is an awesome fish, but this thing has been on the reef for God knows how long, and someone plucked him up, and now hes in his tank, and he thinks this fish should have lived its life out on the reef. Sometimes we have to use our brains....

 

[astranotus]

He may have had it longer..than 8 mo...and lost others to ick..not quite sure on all the facts...but still...I guess I am the same in a way...leave them on the reefs...Like bat fish...don't belong in the home aquarium...as much as I love them...will probably stay away from them now....I have a peaceful mixed reef...and want to keep it that way and for longer than 8 months....thanks again for all your input people....