Moorish Idols

[jeffopentax]

I have read on this site, as well as others, that moorish idols can do well in an aquarium if fed nls pellets. Has anyone kept one long term and found this to be true? I know most of you are probably shaking your head thinking "leave the moorish idols in the ocean". Feel free to start that debate here, but would prefer to hear about attempts and outcomes of keeping this "impossible" fish

 

[Poseidon]

I know why your asking and I was thinking out it too, he said he has 2 available, and I kinda want one, but an doing a lot of research on this.

Bill at IA told me once that lbs will sustain a moorish idol for many years.........

Rob/ adinfinitum told me you need to cultivate sponges etc to feed them, and he's kept several for awhile....
I will be following along

 

[jeffopentax]

Haha I'm getting one tonight actually along with a few other fish in a trade. Wasn't part of the original deal, but the punctato butterfly i was going to get got beat up by another fish, so getting idol in its place.

 

[AdInfinitum]

I can't really cment on the nls pellets since there was nothing like that available when I had my three. Idols would eat frozen like pigs but die suddenly within a year. By cultivating rock with sponge and sea squirts and other polyps they lasted for 7 years until I moved and had to give them away. NLS supposedly has sponge in their recipe and is far better than anything that was available then.....

 

[jeffopentax]

After searching the net a bit, it seems angels also require sea sponge in their diet. So, if sea sponge is the key to a long-lived moorish idol, most angel foods should provide it.

 

[Poseidon]

This is true. Are you getting the idol from Alex Jeff?
I want the other one

 

[jeffopentax]

This is true. Are you getting the idol from Alex Jeff?
I want the other one

Yeah. Should be here in half an hour or so. Btw, the nls i have does not list sea sponge as an ingredient. Perhaps only certain food they make has it.

 

[Poseidon]

I did researching and there definitely is angel food that is fortified with sponge

 

[jeffopentax]

The two i found are hikari mega marine angel, and ocean nutrition angel formula. Anyone know where i can get either of these? Checked usual sources (big al's, mops, ia). Nothing.

 

[jeffopentax]

The more i read, the more i don't know! Found this regarding nls and sponge...
http://www.newlife.ipbhost.com/foru...n-of-nls-vs-sponge-as-part-of-angelfish-diet/

 

[jroovers]

I wouldn't get stuck on NLS being the be all end all of fish food... with any marine fish including angels I think a variety of food is good. I fed my fish including my regal NLS, mysis, cyclopeeze, noori and a frozen angel formula and my regal still got HLLE. So who knows. Probably a good bet to have a good amount of established live rock around for grazing, and probably a good idea to keep some rock in the sump and switch it out into the display for some variety on a constant basis.

I used a frozen food from Aaron at Big Al's, all my fish liked it not just my angels (has sponge). I think it was called Angel Diet. PM him and he'll let you know. There also is Angelixr which is a liquid additive for other foods that is supposed to be the same in terms of make-up as sponge. I read that it isn't sponge, it is simply a mix of proteins, AA's, etc. that is the same or similar to what is found in sponge. Couldn't hurt though.

I can't see why you couldn't keep Moorish Idols, I've looked into it myself. They are definitely not a beginner fish but if you go on RC there are plenty of people who have had success. They do need a lot of attention and care by the sounds of it. I'll be interested to see how you make out

 

[Poseidon]

I am gonna grab Alex's other one too Jeff so we can compare notes lol
And Jordan, hlle - I've heard it's from various diff things, some ppl swear it's nutrient others say it's carbon dust in the water and so on and so on... No one really knows

 

[sunnykita]

yes, Brandon I've heard the same, carbon and water quality and diet - some say the carbon is definitely an issue for them.

 

[jroovers]

I am gonna grab Alex's other one too Jeff so we can compare notes lol
And Jordan, hlle - I've heard it's from various diff things, some ppl swear it's nutrient others say it's carbon dust in the water and so on and so on... No one really knows

Yes, there are many different theories, poor water quality, insufficient nutrition, carbon irritation, immune deficiency from being in a captive environment, stray current, or some combination of all of the above. My only point was that even with the best husbandry who knows what might happen with these fish. I don't think that precludes one from trying though.

 

[Poseidon]

Yes, there are many different theories, poor water quality, insufficient nutrition, carbon irritation, immune deficiency from being in a captive environment, stray current, or some combination of all of the above. My only point was that even with the best husbandry who knows what might happen with these fish. I don't think that precludes one from trying though.

No no I wasn't disagreeing with you, it could very well be nutrient or a mixture of all of them, I have no idea, I've never had to deal with it / knock on wood /,


I was just trying to add to your comment

 

[jroovers]

No no I wasn't disagreeing with you, it could very well be nutrient or a mixture of all of them, I have no idea, I've never had to deal with it / knock on wood /,
I was just trying to add to your comment

Gotcha, no worries here . It is a perplexing thing having dealt with it myself. My other theory was that the hydraulic cistern cement I used to put my rock pillars together may have caused it... sort of similar to carbon... it disintegrated and was everywhere in my water column. I also had stray current I think too for quite some time, which didn't become apparent until I installed a GFCI. Who knows.

 

[Poseidon]

Ya it's really too bad that the masses haven't been able to pin point an exact cause, but then again, everyone argues about ich too so with so many opinions I probably hard to form a solid factual conclusion
lol

 

[jroovers]

There is a good RC article on HLLE that talks about all the potential causes including the ones I listed, and at the end of the article the conclusion is that "captivity" causes HLLE, given that it really isn't observed in the wild. Who knows, we may never get a better answer than that.

 

[jeffopentax]

So here he is! About 3-4". Picture doesn't do it justice! Eating pellets and mysis, so hopefully either the nls or angel food will keep him healthy.

 

[jroovers]

Nice, what a beauty, looks healthy! Is it getting along with everyone else?