Got a new moorish idol

[Dakotamay]

Ok guys, before you go off and freak out that this fish should never of been bought and will never survive etc, etc....   I know this. I read up about them.   I decided to try and keep one.  He's only been in the reef since yesterday afternoon.

I've moved sponge covered rocks from my sump up to the main tank in hopes he'll pick at those.  Also hoping he'll take the many foods I feed in a day.

They are.
New Life Spectrum pellets
H2O LIfe mysis and spirulina mix, oyster eggs, blood worms
PE Mysis
Cyclop-eeze
Julian Sprung's Sea Veggies

All of these are fed in small amounts throughout the day.

Is there anyone else on here that has kept or is keeping a moorish that can suggest a food I don't have that theirs likes.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[kole18]

Oh boy this fish is worse than Achilles, I tried one small of this fish in my 90g before it did ate for a while & 1st food been taking it was mysis, brine . after couple of months doing ok in my tank. All sudden it start picking on my clams, nipping all my sps frags 1 by 1 & decided not eat again later that day I knew something is wrong with this idol, I've got feed this fish to get going do wouldn't bother corals. It didn't stop anyway I gues it did died causes of not eating prep food I've lost a few sp. frag but not my clams. It's going to be very tough to keep this kind of fish your tank, maybe a bigger tank would probably best just reduced stress & space to swim around. I would say on reef system 50%50 safe good luck if you having a M'idol nice fish but it's a challenge though:)

[JetJumper]

All I can say is I wish you the best of luck with the fish.. its an awesome looking specimen.. but a PAIN to keep alive.

[Hookup]

I will be adding those as well...  I have a 125g in the basement that will be used to get them eating my foods before adding them to the display... That amd a copper banded butterfly...

Best of luck...  IMO they were impossible but now they are just hard if you don't feed foods like mysis, ova, brine, bloodworms, etc...  Get them eating and your home free...  Flake and pellets would be my last choice...personally.

[Darth]

I will be adding those as well...  I have a 125g in the basement that will be used to get them eating my foods before adding them to the display... That amd a copper banded butterfly...

Best of luck...  IMO they were impossible but now they are just hard if you don't feed foods like mysis, ova, brine, bloodworms, etc...  Get them eating and your home free...  Flake and pellets would be my last choice...personally.

my copperbanded butterfly will only eat frozen mysis, I put a mix in of mysis and other frozen and he will hunt down and eat only the mysis drives me nuts

[kole18]

I've got lucky for my ccb eating well, but he decided to take a pcs of my hydropora so he ended been thrown out my tank heehe

[kole18]

I mean sold to 1 our co-ovas here:)

[Darth]

I've got lucky for my ccb eating well, but he decided to take a pcs of my hydropora so he ended been thrown out my tank heehe

yes my hydropora is gone bye bye as well but am not sure if its the cbb or the file fish

[Dakotamay]

So far so good. I've gotten the moorish who we've name Maury to take a few NLS pellets and some mysis shrimp yesterday by about 6 pm. He is also happy to nibble the sponge off of a rock that I moved up from my sump. I did this as I read that their main diet in the wild is sponges.  I've now asked Jim of Forty Fathoms to order me in some non ornamental cheap sponges to offer up to Maury lol. Whatever it takes to keep him fat, happy and healthy. Going to try blood worms and mysis again this morning.
I turned the powerhead off yesterday morning but left it on last night. Maury seems to prefer it on. It seems that if it wasn't moving with current he didn't show any interest in it.

We do have a large enough tank for this guy. We have a 180g. His only other larger tank mates are a blue tang and a vampire tang. He also has a small right now (1 inch) long horned cow fish tank mate who will get larger in time. The rest are all small reef dwelling fish.  The largest being a dispar anthias.

[Hookup]

Any photos?

[Dakotamay]

I'll take some today and post.  He or she is a beauty. Very long top fin.

[Dakotamay]

Here's our experience so far.

Day 1 in the reef was marked by small encouraging signs as he adjusted to his new home. He picked at the live rock and the sponge covered rock that I moved up from the sump for him. I'd read in the wild they mainly feed on sponges. He also tasted the NLS pellets. Didn't really go crazy. Mysis, cyclop-eeze and finely chopped oyster were ignored as was also the marine grazer from new era and sea veggies.

Day 2 is showing much more improvement. He now takes NLS pellets. Has greedily eaten himself some mysis and is now taking algae sheets from the clip. He also really liked the finely chopped oyster today. I'd say that was his favorite. He's still grazing his sponge rock as well.

I've asked Jim to order in some non ornamental sponge for Maury's pallet lol.

I'm confident if we can keep him eating like day 2 on a daily basis then he should do well. All dietary needs should be met. I'll try and keep this thread updated with information and progress as we go along. This way if anyone else wishes to try one but wants more first hand experience information first. I'm happy to provide what I can.

I will note that he is not an aggressive feeder. I feed the rest of the tank first so they are busy and then feed him. I watch him closely to make sure he is getting food.

I'll get a pic up asap. If anyone on the forum has any experience and knowledge to offer. I'd sure be glad to hear it.

Here's hoping I'm updating this thread for a very long time 

Small day 3 update. I've just used the cheese grater and grated up oyster. Making a really stinky mess lol. However, Maury was much appreciative as the pieces were small enough for him to eat.  I am seeing that he will eye ball the piece first and if it's too big he won't even try to eat it. Tiny morsels are his preference.

The things we do for our fish lol.

[Dakotamay]

Here are some pics for everyone that would like to see them. Going to take pics of him every couple weeks or so to document his growth, color etc....

He's not overly fond of the camera lol. So these were the best I could get. He can dart away pretty fast.



Of course the blue tang and vampire tang are camera hogs.









This last one is of Maury's sponge rock. The little longhorned cowfish was investigating it at the time. The cowfish is eating well too. Loves his blood worms. Haven't seen him take any pellets yet. Just meat.

[Cheebs]

That is one gorgeous fish... Good luck!

[Dakotamay]

That is one gorgeous fish... Good luck!

Thanks Phil for both the comment and the good luck.  We'll need it.  From what I've researched you can't consider yourself out of the woods with this fish until you've had it at least 2 years.   

[jimskoi]

I'm glad he is doing well for you guys. We do not get them in very after. In fact. I don't think we have had them in for 4-5 years.

I will have some sponge for you this week.

Please keep us all posted.

[kole18]

Wow amazing fish selection that tang & idol beauty:)

[Dakotamay]

I'm glad he is doing well for you guys. We do not get them in very after. In fact. I don't think we have had them in for 4-5 years.

I will have some sponge for you this week.

Please keep us all posted.

Awesome Jim. Thanks for the quick ordering.  I'll certainly keep this thread updated. Hopefully for a long time. No bad news.

[Dakotamay]

Day 3 full update

Today has been successful. Maury has ate very well. This morning consisted as I said earlier of grated up tiny pieces of oyster. Maury devoured this.

Later in the day I fed NLS pellets. Which he had a few of.  Not overly fond of them. But ate a few.

Around this time I also put in a New Era Mini Grazer disc. Maury very much likes this as well. Has made many trips to the grazer to munch. What's really surprising is the vampire tang is very possessive over the grazer disc's and usually chases everybody away. However, he's actually allowing Maury to be on one side of the grazer while he is eating from the other side of the disc. 

This evening the tank was just fed blood worms. Maury scarfed a couple of those as well.

He has also continued to graze his sponge rock throughout the day along with the rock work itself.  We have a long way to go with this guy. But first days are encouraging that he will settle in and eat enough to meet his dietary needs.

[Hookup]

Awesome!!  Looking forward to getting my own soon..