Moorish Idol and SPS

seanoman · #1 05-08-2009, 12:51 AM

We were both really excited to see it feeding on everything too...that is until he found our coral polyps.

my2rotties · #2 05-08-2009, 12:58 AM

I totally understand. That really sucks. Is he doing a lot of damage, or is he just taste testing? Perhaps this might be why they usually starve to death in captivity. I did a search and this fellow Bob Fenner says they are strictly vegetarian. Are you sure it is the MI doing the eating? However father down the page someone else says they do pick at corals... here is the link

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Acanthuro...nclusCompF.htm

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanoman

We were both really excited to see it feeding on everything too...that is until he found our coral polyps.

marie · #3 05-08-2009, 01:49 AM

I have a regal angel that eats sps polyps and the corals have never had a problem with it, unless you notice sps going into definite decline I would stick it out...an eating moorish idol seems worth a few missing polyps but then again I'm a very tolerant person

sphelps · #4 05-08-2009, 02:34 AM

They are suppose to be "somewhat" sps safe but I guess it depends. Mine ate LPS like crazy but not sps.

Trigger Man · #5 05-08-2009, 02:48 AM

I've got a Scribbled Angel that eats sps polyps as well, but it does not do any real damage (polyp extention is not as far as before the scribbled arrived), and like Marie i tolorate it. In the end it you will have to decide what you can tolerate.

my2rotties · #6 05-08-2009, 03:16 AM

Hahaaa my regal angel has developed a liking for my pipe organ coral. What can you do?

Quote:

Originally Posted by marie

I have a regal angel that eats sps polyps and the corals have never had a problem with it, unless you notice sps going into definite decline I would stick it out...an eating moorish idol seems worth a few missing polyps but then again I'm a very tolerant person

naesco · #7 05-08-2009, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my2rotties

I totally understand. That really sucks. Is he doing a lot of damage, or is he just taste testing? Perhaps this might be why they usually starve to death in captivity. I did a search and this fellow Bob Fenner says they are strictly vegetarian. Are you sure it is the MI doing the eating? However father down the page someone else says they do pick at corals... here is the link

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Acanthuro...nclusCompF.htm

Actually, they are omnivores and that is the problem. They are almost impossible to keep and I am surprised that a LFS is importing them. We do not yet know what is missing from their diet that makes them so difficult to keep.

The quote below summarizes everything.

{{I would steer clear of this fish. While it may be "eating like crazy", whether it's eating enough of the right things is most likely a different story. A VAST majority of Moorish Idols do not survive more than a few days or weeks in captivity. Of the ones that do, and snare a hopeful buyer like yourself, another 95% percent of those are dead within a month or two.
It will in all Likelihood not bother your clams, but in all Likelihood it will not be alive in your tank in 6 months either.
This is one of those fish that should NOT be collected for the trade to begin with, and is best left in the ocean.
Cheers[[

my2rotties · #8 05-08-2009, 03:51 AM

I very often see them at a few LFS...

Quote:

Originally Posted by naesco

Actually, they are omnivores and that is the problem. They are almost impossible to keep and I am surprised that a LFS is importing them. We do not yet know what is missing from their diet that makes them so difficult to keep.

The quote below summarizes everything.

{{I would steer clear of this fish. While it may be "eating like crazy", whether it's eating enough of the right things is most likely a different story. A VAST majority of Moorish Idols do not survive more than a few days or weeks in captivity. Of the ones that do, and snare a hopeful buyer like yourself, another 95% percent of those are dead within a month or two.
It will in all Likelihood not bother your clams, but in all Likelihood it will not be alive in your tank in 6 months either.
This is one of those fish that should NOT be collected for the trade to begin with, and is best left in the ocean.
Cheers[[

naesco · #9 05-08-2009, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my2rotties

I very often see them at a few LFS...

You need to consider giving them a talking to the next time you visit.

Loser LFS import them, knowing they are almost impossible to keep and sell them to unsuspecting newbies.

my2rotties · #10 05-08-2009, 04:41 AM

I don't really think I am in any position to tell a store what to stock or not to stock. I don't think what I said would matter, as the fish are there on special order... When I have mentioned the MI I am quickly told they are hard to keep and they don't usually live. I don't think a store would bring them in without special order due to low survival rates and they do not want to lose money themselves. However, what do I know?

Quote:

Originally Posted by naesco

You need to consider giving them a talking to the next time you visit.

Loser LFS import them, knowing they are almost impossible to keep and sell them to unsuspecting newbies.