Moorish Idol and Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp

Discussion in 'Tropical Fish' started by Crabby Jim, Jan 23, 2010.

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  1. Crabby Jim

    Crabby Jim Sea Dragon

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    I stopped into a LFS that I usually will check out once in a while just to remind myself that they never have anything good ::) and to my surprise they have something I have wanted to try for a while the have 2 Moorish Idols one 3 1/2 inch long and one 4 1/2 inches long. I have been waiting to try this fish my tangs have both been with me for 16 months now so I feel that the tank is pretty stable .Bothe of the Idols had really nice color the long fins were intact and they looked to be really active and in general good shape so I asked for help and the guy didn't know much about when they came in etc he only really deals with the freshwater stuff the salt guy is on vacation . He tells me the price is 49.99 so I am thinking that this is my chance to try one in my reef but I know that they are very difficult to keep and hard to feed they are very picky eaters so I ask if I could see them eat. The guy pulls out some Freeze Dried Mysis (Does anyone else use this stuff I bought some because he ate it) I said to myself if these fish eat I am taking one . The larger fish did eat so I went for it I will post pictures as soon as I can. BTW my reef is pretty well established (see signature) so there should be stuff for him to pick on if he wants sponges Coraline algae whatever. His tankmates are a Blue Hippo, A Sailfin, A Maroon Clown who stays in her BTA and a half dozen Chromisis.
     
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  3. salami99

    salami99 Plankton

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    dead in two weeks. book it.
     
  4. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    sounds like a very good opportunity to me Crabby Jim
    never fed FD mysis, but have used other FD foods, Brine, Tubifex, Bloodworms, cyclopeze
    etc - so I would feed it if I came across it
    if I had your set up, and I came across a fish I had always wanted and saw it feeding in the store , then I would go for it

    hope it works out for you as they are a beautiful fish

    Steve
     
  5. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    It's not that they have a finicky appetite. In fact, they are voracious eaters, and I've seen many of them eat in captivity:-/ It's the "what they eat" that's the problem. They live off of sponges/tunicates in the wild. They graze continuosly like a tang does pillaging algae. A moorish idol can decimate the square footage of a tank very quickly. In order to successfully keep a moorish idol and have it thrive is to leave it in the ocean. Not knockin' you for buying them though. To each his own..... If you can keep them alive, I'd imagine that the value would increase dramatically.
    Moorish idol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
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  6. rayray

    rayray Plankton

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    really challenging and rewarding fish

    Jim, good luck with this fish. I dont mean it in a bad way, I tried 3 times with 4 fish until the 4th lived, now with me for almost a year and doing well, fat, aggressive eater who fights off 6 tangs (powder blue, blond naso, yellow, desjar sailfin, achilles, regal blue), a niger trigger, 10 anthias, 4 clownfish, etc. He eats everything i put in there but most importantly he was eating New Life Spectrum Pellets at the LFS, which may have that missing secret nutrient other foods lack. He has never bothered my SPS, LPS or clams, but does eat something off the rock continuously. It took over 6 months of heavy feeding with formula 1+2, frozen mysis+bloodworms, fuzzyphytes, live brine, live bloodworms, live ogo, SPECTRUM.. just about everything to fatten him out of seeing his spine. I had to do weekly 40g water changes and buy a second skimmer for my 180 reef to keep the water pristine, meanwhile the other 22+ fish got obese. His color and fins are spectacular and he is the largest fish and centerpiece of my tank for the kids. I am so happy to have him, but ashamed about the other 3 I lost. The first I bought on impulse, he was eating pellets too but died after 1 month. The next were a small pair from mail order which I quarantened, were eating, but died after I treated for ich with hypo. I swore never again. This one was 4in long and 6 inches tall in the LFS, and eating spectrum & I gave in again. This time I put him straight in my sump and fattened him up 2 week before I put him in the reef. I have seen many LFS in LA that have had them for months. Hope this helps.
     
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  7. Gexx

    Gexx Giant Squid

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    way to be supportive dude. well since you have the thing already and its eating try and get it to eat other stuff too. mix in some nori or some other kind of food with it. rubberband nori to the rocks so he will graze on them. you may want to look into growin your own macro to feed the thing.
     
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  9. coylee_17

    coylee_17 Fire Goby

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    Hopefully he eats well for you, wish you luck. And nobody has asked for pics yet? lol
     
  10. Gexx

    Gexx Giant Squid

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    oh yea i want pics!!!
     
  11. Crabby Jim

    Crabby Jim Sea Dragon

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    Hey smart ass he is still alive and happy. I will post pics soon he eats great and no one is picking on him.
     
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  12. drew3

    drew3 Blue Ringed Angel

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    baaadddd

    totally not cool there no need for that kind of rudeness