I've never considered one of these until the other day. I've read they don't live in aquariums. I understand because they have to live food. At my LFS I watched him feed his mooris idols a pelleted type of food. It ate it all up very very quickly. In fact, I watched it for a two weeks and the fin on the top had grown substantially.
Moorish Idol
- Thread starter AWD
- Start date
I've been in this hobby (hobby? hell....lifestyle) for ten years professionally, maintenance companies, retail, wholesale, now a zoo. I have seen many moorish idols waste away and die. I know it must be tempting but don't egg on the store to think people should be keeping very difficult species that would be better left in the ocean. 
hi.
If you have a papercut, and eat nothing except sawdust and sewage for next few day, your cut will recover, but that's does not mean you will live for a very long time.
Without know what exactly was fed, I feel that my statement above is a bit harsh. I apologize for that. As end note, keep in mind that there are exception to general behavior of fishes, and it is possible that that particular Moorish will be fine. However, these behavior can be revert back to "normal" under some conditions, such as stress. So if you bring it home, and it stop to feed with the same food, don't be too surprised.
If you have a papercut, and eat nothing except sawdust and sewage for next few day, your cut will recover, but that's does not mean you will live for a very long time.
Without know what exactly was fed, I feel that my statement above is a bit harsh. I apologize for that. As end note, keep in mind that there are exception to general behavior of fishes, and it is possible that that particular Moorish will be fine. However, these behavior can be revert back to "normal" under some conditions, such as stress. So if you bring it home, and it stop to feed with the same food, don't be too surprised.
all this talk about moorish idols being impossible to keep! what a load of crap, i'v had 3 in my reef tank for the last 9months I would say that they have to be in a reef tank with loads l/r algy, sponges etc .replicating there natural enviroment. i have also found that healthier specimens come from hawai. The idols get olong with my 8 yellow tangs, 1 emperour,1 sailfin , 1 regal , 1clown tang which is the only surgeon to show aggression to the idols.. so not impossible with the right conditions
GT...s wales
THE HOME OF GREAT REEF TANKS!!!!!!
GT...s wales
THE HOME OF GREAT REEF TANKS!!!!!!
Gary Thomas,
No one is saying that Moorish Idols are impossible to keep. Reread my statement. I am happy that you have 3 healthy Moorish Idols in your tank. I have seen perhaps over 40 Moorish Idols die (not all by my hand). Don't you think that people should, for the most part, leave fish on the reef that are difficult enough to keep that 20 have to die to get one alive? Maybe these people should go diving in Hawai'i. The fact is Gary, that Moorish Idols are not for everyone. If demand of Moorish Idols goes up with the current survivability rates, then Moorish Idol skeleton will be decorating everyones Christmas trees. :wink:
No one is saying that Moorish Idols are impossible to keep. Reread my statement. I am happy that you have 3 healthy Moorish Idols in your tank. I have seen perhaps over 40 Moorish Idols die (not all by my hand). Don't you think that people should, for the most part, leave fish on the reef that are difficult enough to keep that 20 have to die to get one alive? Maybe these people should go diving in Hawai'i. The fact is Gary, that Moorish Idols are not for everyone. If demand of Moorish Idols goes up with the current survivability rates, then Moorish Idol skeleton will be decorating everyones Christmas trees. :wink:
hi.
Garry, I hope you don't take this as a request for proof, but I am sure many of us are very interested in seeing your tank and the detail of its setup. The fish-only folks will love to duplicate your setup and what you do to keep these gorgeous fishes.
Any webpage? Or a digit camera handy?
Garry, I hope you don't take this as a request for proof, but I am sure many of us are very interested in seeing your tank and the detail of its setup. The fish-only folks will love to duplicate your setup and what you do to keep these gorgeous fishes.
Any webpage? Or a digit camera handy?
As is obvious, experienced reefers are giving excellent advise against the keeping of Moorish Idols.
There will always be some poster boasting of his success against the odds. :lol: (If keeping a fish alive for 9 months is sucessful)
Please be guided by experienced reefers and keep these fish in the oceans. Better yet tell the LFS to smarten up or you will take your business elsewhere.
There will always be some poster boasting of his success against the odds. :lol: (If keeping a fish alive for 9 months is sucessful)
Please be guided by experienced reefers and keep these fish in the oceans. Better yet tell the LFS to smarten up or you will take your business elsewhere.
Garry thomas":1ov8hq3w said:
You're that outspoken exception to the rule that keeps the moorish idol trade going. Just because you can keep them doesn't mean that it's a "load of crap" that moorish idols have very poor survival rates. If you did some research, you'd quickly find that you're far from an authority on them.
BTW, how large is your tank with your trio of idols, 11 tangs, and an emporer?
Garry- I would love to see photos of your tank. Not that I doubt you, just that I love to see cool tanks!
BTW a "troll" is someone who cruises the boards looking to stirr up dissention and controversy by dropping statements intended to incense.
I am not saying that you are a troll- just defining the word.
BTW a "troll" is someone who cruises the boards looking to stirr up dissention and controversy by dropping statements intended to incense.
I am not saying that you are a troll- just defining the word.
Wow,
I've tried to stay away from confrontations with the tang police but some of you guys are too much. AWD saw a Moorish Idol eating and doing well at a pet store. Garry confirmed that they sometimes do well in reef tanks with natural food available. (Especially the ones from Hawaii.) Some of you acted like you wanted to tar and feather Garry. How do we ever unlock the secrets of keeping difficult fish if everyone is prohibited from keeping them. Moorish Idols are found in practically every ocean and are far from endangered. Only taking large numbers of fish that do well in our aquariums while leaving plentiful fish that don't is fool hardy. Read the recent article about the status of Bangaii cardinals in THF if you want to champion a fish that shouldn't be taken from the wild.
I've tried to stay away from confrontations with the tang police but some of you guys are too much. AWD saw a Moorish Idol eating and doing well at a pet store. Garry confirmed that they sometimes do well in reef tanks with natural food available. (Especially the ones from Hawaii.) Some of you acted like you wanted to tar and feather Garry. How do we ever unlock the secrets of keeping difficult fish if everyone is prohibited from keeping them. Moorish Idols are found in practically every ocean and are far from endangered. Only taking large numbers of fish that do well in our aquariums while leaving plentiful fish that don't is fool hardy. Read the recent article about the status of Bangaii cardinals in THF if you want to champion a fish that shouldn't be taken from the wild.
Umm,
Wo, I didn't mean to start this. I watched Him (LFS) feed the fish. He did say that he won't touch the indo-pacific ones b/c they won't survive. As for the Hawaiin ones he hasn't had problems. I am not trying to promote the Moorish idol in aquarium. On the on the contrary, I used to live in Maui and the moorish idol was the least common of all the fish I usually saw.
I was considering one in the future if I knew it wouldn't die. That tank I was considering putting it in is roughly 610 gallons with a 500 gallon sump. Otherwise, I wouldn't consider it because the Moorish idol likes swimming room.
With respect to taking fish out of the ocean. It doesn't bother too much as long as I feel it is being done responsibly. If anything should be outlawed and much more regulated it would be fishing. I remember watching people as the beach with spear guns killing thousands of tangs, butterflies, and other "pretty fish" because they were so neat.
Wo, I didn't mean to start this. I watched Him (LFS) feed the fish. He did say that he won't touch the indo-pacific ones b/c they won't survive. As for the Hawaiin ones he hasn't had problems. I am not trying to promote the Moorish idol in aquarium. On the on the contrary, I used to live in Maui and the moorish idol was the least common of all the fish I usually saw.
I was considering one in the future if I knew it wouldn't die. That tank I was considering putting it in is roughly 610 gallons with a 500 gallon sump. Otherwise, I wouldn't consider it because the Moorish idol likes swimming room.
With respect to taking fish out of the ocean. It doesn't bother too much as long as I feel it is being done responsibly. If anything should be outlawed and much more regulated it would be fishing. I remember watching people as the beach with spear guns killing thousands of tangs, butterflies, and other "pretty fish" because they were so neat.
dizzy":3ttitwr6 said:
Some people use a similar arguement for the legalization of crack, heroin, and marijuana. How are we to unock the secrets of its benefits if we are prohibited from using them? Maybe the protection is necessary? Just offering a different opinion, not necessarily my own.
Wow. I think it's bad to use such sweeping statements if you aren't prepared to offer proof. While you could be right, I severely doubt that there isn't at least one threatened population. Right whales are found in every ocean too, and they are quite endangered. Meanwhile, Moorish Idols aren't even found in the Caribbean. There's no reason to assume an animal species is safe if we aren't familar with the literature and scientific research in that field.
Remember, we thought the passenger pigeon was quite abundant as well.
Dizzy if you are trying to suggest that its OK to experiment with keeping Moorish Idol your thinking is dated and unacceptable by todays reefers who are concerned about the care of the critters they keep and the oceans they live in.
If this is the case perhaps we should pass a law that requires all LFS owners such as yourself to take an ethics course.
The study of how we might keep these beautiful fish belong with researchers and expert fish keepers. From their knowledge one day we may all be able to keep one.
Finally how can you to in any way condemn those who you call the tang police. Without their experienced advice, swarthy LFS would continue dumping powder blue, clown, achilles and goldrim tangs on unsuspecting newbies or selling them tangs to put in small 60 gallon tanks.
If this is the case perhaps we should pass a law that requires all LFS owners such as yourself to take an ethics course.
The study of how we might keep these beautiful fish belong with researchers and expert fish keepers. From their knowledge one day we may all be able to keep one.
Finally how can you to in any way condemn those who you call the tang police. Without their experienced advice, swarthy LFS would continue dumping powder blue, clown, achilles and goldrim tangs on unsuspecting newbies or selling them tangs to put in small 60 gallon tanks.
Dr. Reef,
If people like you had been making rules to govern the hobby 20-years ago we wouldn't be keeping stony corals in our tanks today. I have a retail store and I don't offer Moorish Idols to the public. I would get one for someone if I thought they would make a good effort to meet its needs. I don't especially want to see this fish widely offered for sale. I also don't want to see people ridiculed for making serious attempts to keep it. Price is usually determined by supply. I see Moorish Idols wholesale FOB LA for $10 or less. The fairly common flame angel is usually $18-20 from LA. Logic would suggest that the more widespread a species, the less likely it would become endangered. At least that's the way I see it.
If people like you had been making rules to govern the hobby 20-years ago we wouldn't be keeping stony corals in our tanks today. I have a retail store and I don't offer Moorish Idols to the public. I would get one for someone if I thought they would make a good effort to meet its needs. I don't especially want to see this fish widely offered for sale. I also don't want to see people ridiculed for making serious attempts to keep it. Price is usually determined by supply. I see Moorish Idols wholesale FOB LA for $10 or less. The fairly common flame angel is usually $18-20 from LA. Logic would suggest that the more widespread a species, the less likely it would become endangered. At least that's the way I see it.
I happy you do not stock Moorish Idol Dizzy but with respect you still to not understand.
Endangered is endangered. That is easy to understand.
But it is not longer acceptable to suggest that reefers experiment with keeping fish like Moorish Idol. Yhat thinking is in the past. It is an ethical issue, Dizzy. Moorish Idols need not die by the thousands so that one day we may be able to keep them. Leave the study of keeping fish like these to the experts
Endangered is endangered. That is easy to understand.
But it is not longer acceptable to suggest that reefers experiment with keeping fish like Moorish Idol. Yhat thinking is in the past. It is an ethical issue, Dizzy. Moorish Idols need not die by the thousands so that one day we may be able to keep them. Leave the study of keeping fish like these to the experts
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