Moorish idol question?

[nymotts]

Are they reef safe? Does anyone have one in there tank? This one i want is from hawaii...

[Me No Nemo]

Almost impossible to keep alive. They rarely, if ever, eat in captivity.

[nymotts]

so if you get one that eats will they pick at your corals?

[InLimbo87]

I agree with Marcye. I personally think that keeping this species in a tank is unethical because of the large rate of ones that die in the process.

If you are considering getting one, please research more than just whether they are reef safe. With the right amount of research on their diet (I believe its mostly sponges), and the proper tank size (BIG!) you may be able to pull it off.

Please, for the sake of these animals, do the proper research first.

[tangers]

Even if they do eat, they have a track record of not lasting more than a year. They have to have sponge in their diet. I have seen only one person on reef central that has successfully had one for an extended period of time, and he is able to dive somewhere himself and collect sponge to feed it. I have seen others successfully keep them, but not for very long.

[Roger928]

Please do not buy this fish. I assure you it will not fare well in the long term. Buying these "expert only" "impossible to keep" fish only encourages the collectors and LFSs to keep providing them.

[CDD]

I have done a lot of research on the moorish idol and I agree with tangers. I know that they will nip at corals and eat soft corals and zoas. They need a lot of space and care. I would only try it in a fully established large reef tank with lots of sponge and over grown corals that can handle the nipping. They also require high flow to swim in.

[thor32766]

yes what tangers said is correct. There is only one person on this board that has had for a year or more. The last two I have seen in stores both eat pellets extremely well, but it wont keep them alive long.

[nymotts]

ok thanks for the info guy's will not be buying the fish even tho i saw a large 6-7 inch beautiful one at the store today...

[dugg]

Thee cheers for nymotts!!! It's really nice to see someone take good advise when it comes to issues like this. So many times people come and ask, and then go and buy the animal anyway thinking that thier case will be different. Buying them only encourages LFS's to order more of them, and this is one fish that belongs in the ocean not a tank. Any store that orders one in, deserves to eat the cost x 10. Damn Nemo for making these fish popular.

[InLimbo87]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11108192#post11108192 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dugg
Thee cheers for nymotts!!! It's really nice to see someone take good advise when it comes to issues like this. So many times people come and ask, and then go and buy the animal anyway thinking that thier case will be different. Buying them only encourages LFS's to order more of them, and this is one fish that belongs in the ocean not a tank. Any store that orders one in, deserves to eat the cost x 10. Damn Nemo for making these fish popular.

Amen! Hopefully this sentiment catches on and we can get fish like this out of the aquarium trade :D

[cowboyswife]

I agree!

[dugg]

nymotts, here is a good source for fish that are not good to try and keep in an aquarium.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=10291463

[mflamb]

I applaud your very mature decision!!!

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p117/mflamb/clap.gif

[Me No Nemo]

Bravo! If more of us researched and then took a stand against creatures that should not be imported, it would make an enormous difference not only in our home tanks, but also in the wild. Dugg, great reference article. Thanks for taking the time to post it!