View Full Version : Well I did it, Moorish Idol comes home tonight!
Ok so after having great success with my Powder Blue Tang and finding this fish locally I bit the bullet.
He is in good health and spirits, swimming and picking at the the LFS.
Finding a Moorish Idol is almost impossible locally, they have a horrible track record. Anyway its been a year from the last one I saw so I thought I would give it a go.
I will post some pics when he is settled in the QT tank.
PLEASE WISH ME LUCK!! Maybe a little dance, prayer, song, or what ever.
Sugar Magnolia
08-25-2005, 06:01 PM
Good luck to you! They are extremely picky eaters. I hope it will accept some prepared food for you.
FishinInTheDark
08-25-2005, 06:18 PM
Good Luck!
Well he is home, getting the drip IV to acclamate.
He did eat some frozen and flake and the LFS so I have a good feeling.
I will post some pics when he gets into the QT.
Ok here is a really quick pic.
http://members.aol.com/fppf/fish/idol.jpg
I did not want to bug him to much he was picking and eating everything in site, which I think is a REALLY good thing.
I will keep you posted on how he does.
Doctor_Reef
08-26-2005, 02:15 AM
Wow....that is a beautiful fish...I am glad he is eating...please keep us informed...and I hope he does well for you....
FishinInTheDark
08-26-2005, 03:30 PM
Very pretty fish. Congrats.
Well so far so good.
He is eating Julian Springs Sea Veggies off a clip in the corner of the tank.
After the first day it is VERY easy to see why these fish are so hard to keep and yet so highly prized. I put a piece of LR in the QT tank that has some sponges and polyps on it. Just trying to give him the largest selection to graze on. I'm hoping he does not get sick and will not need any treatments.
Doctor_Reef
08-26-2005, 06:23 PM
We will keep our fingers crossed for ya!!!
Matt.D
08-26-2005, 07:50 PM
wow man, good luck! You are takeing on a very hard task, but I think you can do it. Going great so far it sounds like!! Def. keep us updated and then we want nice pics of him in the main tank!
Ok
Morning of day 3, he seems like he is getting more comfortable. Swimming around in the QT more and more. This morning he ate some frozen angle food that contained spong. Still picking in the tank and on the LR thats in there. Could not tell if he ate anymore Sez Veggies.
I read a few people say that "New Life Specturm" pellets are good? Can't find any at my LFS so I will need to order from Marine Depot and get it shipped Red.
Doctor_Reef
08-28-2005, 05:19 PM
Glad to hear that everything is going well so far....:)
Reefnut Shop
08-29-2005, 02:36 AM
You may want to contact "Paul B" on Reef Central. He has one going on 10 months now which is certainly a step in the right direction. He is one of the most down to earth guys around and may have a few extra tips for you....and vice versa.
Someone serious has to break the husbandry on these guys....I wish you luck!
Thanks Reefnut Shop
I need all the help I can get, I really don't know it all. I don't want to loose him if at all possible. I went out and spent more money on LR to put in the QT tank than I did on him to give him something to pick at.
Reefnut Shop
08-29-2005, 11:34 AM
I believe a lot of food is part of the "experiment" Paul mentions as he talked about having some nuisance algae as a result. Perhaps these guys are grazers like we have never encountered before with our other "normal" grazing fish such as tangs, etc.
gman0526
08-29-2005, 12:59 PM
PaulB has access to "fresh" sponges that he collects in NY waters where he lives at. Sponges seem to be the key, don't neglect that, good luck!!!
Matt.D
08-29-2005, 04:46 PM
hmmm.....might need to get a sponge cultural system going!
Brock Fluharty
08-29-2005, 04:58 PM
That would be interesting to make a thread about. It would be cool to have a sponge culture tank...
Matt.D
08-29-2005, 05:29 PM
Thats what I was thinking when I posted that........because i've never heard of it.
EDIT. I found a little info........... http://www.seasky.org/reeflife/sea2a.html
I have been feeding frozen spong Angle food.
From some of the threads I read Paul gets the spong in the summer months and then freezes it.
I live in NY, but not close enough to the ocean.
Matt.D
08-29-2005, 05:53 PM
the Haliclona compressa seems like it would do best. I know you wont be able to use them as food everyday, but maybe if you get enough started or something you could keep a small supply the whole time.
gman0526
08-29-2005, 06:11 PM
I live in NY, but not close enough to the ocean.
Yup I don't think lake Ontario or Erie have Sw sponges in their waters. :-D
I lived in Rochester.
Ok, well I can't figer out if I'm a genius or a real IDIOT!
So the more I read and the more pics of the wild I saw....
It seems Moorish Idols are always in pairs. There is an idea that I have read in more than a few places that maybe one of the reasons there hard to keep in captivity is because we only keep one.
So what do I do you ask?
I went back to the LFS and bought the second one. But he was too big to fit in my 20 gallon QT, so what do you do? Buy a 30 gallon QT right?
I can not beleave how much money I have spent on 2 fish that may not make it. But I think I made the right choice to improve there chances of servivle. They where already caught and in the LFS, I would rather have them with someone who will go the distance and make every effort, no matter what the cost.
Now, here is where we are at...
The 2 fish have a large size differance, but it does not seem to matter. As soon as they came together there like 2 peas in a pod. The little one is following the big one all over the tank. Its the most activity I have seen yet. Then to top it off the big one is eating like a pig, and the little one is following suit. So far I think it was a good move.
Time will tell and the story continues.
That you everyone for the kind words of encourgment and pointing me to more sources to read. Your time is not wasted with me for sure!
Matt.D
08-29-2005, 09:12 PM
Wow it does sound like the right move!! Keep us updated for sure. I look up to you for your actions! I actually think, you will pull this off and have the healthest Idols we've ever seen in captivity!
Well I thank you for your kind words but I would not go that far :shock:
It was a little hard to swing a few hundred bucks when its not a sure fire thing. But yes, the more I watch the more I fell its in THERE best intrest. I will post some pics later tonight, I need to take care of some honey do's. My wife is a saint for supporting this stuff!
Matt.D
08-29-2005, 09:53 PM
For real! At least your trying!
Ok here is a pic of the pair Gill, and Jill (my wife names the fish) in there new 30 gallon long.
http://members.aol.com/fppf/fish/idols.jpg
Doctor_Reef
08-30-2005, 12:50 AM
Wow....how amazing is that...they look great...I hope they do well for you...they sure are one of the most beautiful fish out there....
gman0526
08-30-2005, 09:33 AM
That's great, my best wishes to you.
albert
08-30-2005, 11:54 AM
Keep going! :thumbsup:
I have had mine (http://charon.assert.ee/aquarium/pics/sarvik/sarvik.htm) fourteen months now without any problems. Keeping two of them together seems to be an interesting approach. :roll:
stpetehxc
09-01-2005, 02:31 PM
beautiful fish man! :thumbsup:
Sugar Magnolia
09-01-2005, 04:31 PM
They seem to be doing well for you so far! Congrats!
Thanks again for the support.
We had some scary moments, I think Gill (large one) likes to eat to fast. After binging he vomits all the food back up :shock:
I have changed my feeding to VERY small amounts at a time over a LONG time frame. So far there has been no more issues. I also only feed them one type of food at a time incase its a reaction to a food.
All in all I think there doing great. :-D
Both of them are starting to grow there trailing fin back and seem in good spirits. I caught Gill nipping at Jill last night, but then she nipped back and it was settled. Guess they had a little domestic going. :roll:
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