Yet Another Moorish Idol Thread

[straightrazorguy]

I love moorish idols. I know people say the survival rates are so poor, that it's not even worth trying. I know people recommend getting a bannerfish instead. Much easier, they say. Still, I like idols, but not bannerfish.

After a lot of reading I decided to try my hand at it. I know that they are abundant in nature, so the aquarium trade won't change any of that. That's how I justify my decision, anyway.

Long story short, after a lot of debating I picked up a medium pair (3-4 inch) a couple of days ago. They are both in my bare QT. I do a rigorous quarantine regimen, as I am not willing to introduce any nasties in my DT. I am currently treating the idols with PraziPro. I have, in the past, lost a Kole tang and a leopard wrasse to Cupramine. So the last batch of fish got a month of hyposalinty after a couple of weeks of Prazipro.

What do you suggest for my idols? One is eating and spitting a lot. The other one isn't eating at all. What do experienced Canreefers say? Please bring all advice, including your worst criticism. I'm a big boy; I can take it!

[Aquattro]

I'm bringing one home later this week that has been in the LFS display for a year or so. Great fish that eats like a pig. Does well with it's tank mates. Eats nori and mysis, and the occasional nip at a coral. I can live with that for such a nice fish.

[George]

Probably best to hold on to prazipro until both are eating and build up some fat reserve. Prazipro is known to suppress appetite of some fish.
try some live food clams (aka manila clams in the market), or live black worms (king ed sells them) to get them to eat.
Good luck.

[Madreefer]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I'm bringing one home later this week that has been in the LFS display for a year or so. Great fish that eats like a pig. Does well with it's tank mates. Eats nori and mysis, and the occasional nip at a coral. I can live with that for such a nice fish.

Finally!!! Your lucky. I wish I could find one like that.

[MarkoD]

I had one for 6 months before it was killed by a purple tang. I fed it pineapple sponges from my sump. It also ate NLS pellets and nori

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by MarkoD

I fed it pineapple sponges from my sump.

How did you do this, exactly? My sump is getting full of them

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by MarkoD

I had one for 6 months before it was killed by a purple tang. I fed it pineapple sponges from my sump. It also ate NLS pellets and nori

Bummer about it being killed by a killer tang. How did you get it to eat?

Mine are both now sampling all the food and spitting it out. I'm getting worried. Any advice/ideas?

[Craigdillman]

have you tried live food ? brine shrimp tho small might get them interested and eating and heard of people hatching blood worms for copper bands and finicky fish maybe look into that ?

Good luck

[straightrazorguy]

No, I haven't thought of live foods. I don't even know where to get it locally. My copperband ate frozen on day 3.

Originally Posted by Craigdillman

have you tried live food ? brine shrimp tho small might get them interested and eating and heard of people hatching blood worms for copper bands and finicky fish maybe look into that ?

Good luck

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Mykiss (Pat) on BCAQUARIA raises live brine shrimp on a constant basis.