| Fish Archive Subforum includes Fish Disease Archive |
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06-14-2003, 10:42 PM
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#1
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Obsessed Reefer!
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Posts: 479
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Are Moorish Idols Reef Safe? Hardy?
Anyone know anything about Idols? The LFS has some really nice Small ones (about 2") and of course the kids want one so they can name it "Gil". I was wondering if I should risk it in the reef and how hardy/needy they were. Do they live alone or prefer a school?
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If you find a cure for the aquarium disease - please let my husband know!
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06-14-2003, 11:15 PM
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#2
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,603
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extremly hard to keep I wouldnt get one .
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06-14-2003, 11:22 PM
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#3
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Little fish in a big pond
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Canton, GA USA
Posts: 5,890
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If you like the look of a moorish idol, please consider instead a Heniocus sp. Moorish Idols are coral/sponge feeders and extremely difficult to keep. Personally I won't stock the at all, they are considered impossible by most. Heniocus are similar enough for a child not to know the difference and some will school and are reef safe - don't have my book handy but in Scott Michaels' Marine Fishes book there is one that is reef safe, in fact TDWYATT bought two from me just the other day.
Leave the Idols in the LFS ... sadly if they die there, perhaps the owner won't order them again 
Jenn
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Member of the "J" Crowd & the BRW Crowd!
LFS Owner: Imagine Ocean
Just keep skimming, just keep skimming, just keep skimming, skimming skimming! What do we do? We skim, skim, skim!
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06-14-2003, 11:25 PM
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#4
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,603
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Agree with Jenn the heniocus are easy to keep I have 2 of them
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Double your drive space. Delete Windows
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06-14-2003, 11:58 PM
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#5
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Officially insane...
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Chico, CA
Posts: 658
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I'm wondering if the idols were ordered by the LFS to coincide with 'Finding Nemo'... I would hope not, but you never know...
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06-15-2003, 10:02 AM
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#6
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Obsessed Reefer!
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Posts: 479
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I was thinking the same thing about Nemo.....I love that movie - we've seen it twice - but sadly I think it is causing the death of a lot of innocent creatures. Almost every LFS I have been to recently has a "we found nemo" sign in the doorway!
So yes - I have never seen Idols in this store before the movie....and they happen to have some Hennies as well. I think I'll hold off on both for now - the tank is only a month old and I don't think either species will fare well in there yet!
Thanks!
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If you find a cure for the aquarium disease - please let my husband know!
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06-15-2003, 12:40 PM
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#7
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Little fish in a big pond
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Canton, GA USA
Posts: 5,890
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Smart move - take it slowly.
They are beautiful fish, but best left in the ocean. Plenty of suitable look-alikes to choose from  One common name for henis is "Poor Man's Moorish Idol".... poor man gets the last laugh because his "knockoff" is more likely to be alive in a year...
Jenn
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Member of the "J" Crowd & the BRW Crowd!
LFS Owner: Imagine Ocean
Just keep skimming, just keep skimming, just keep skimming, skimming skimming! What do we do? We skim, skim, skim!
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06-15-2003, 02:13 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Gig Harbor, Washington
Posts: 99
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Moorish Idols have about the poorest survival rate of any reef fish. They can eat like a pig and die an hour later. They are not reef safe either. I think they should be left on the reef.
Terry B
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06-15-2003, 02:14 PM
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#9
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Shark
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: wash
Posts: 2,262
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If you go after the henis make sure you get the right ones. Thier are 2 types and its hard to tell the difference. One school and are reef safe the others dont school and feed on corals.
Mike
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06-15-2003, 03:06 PM
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#10
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Jedi Master
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 1,435
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I always cringe when I see a thread asking about these fish because they are so hard to keep, and too many marine aquarists try to keep them because of their beauty. I am glad you asked questions first. I believe you have made the right decision. Hopefully, in a few more years, someone will find the true secret to keeping these fish alive long term. Untill then, they should remain at home in the oceans.
Andrew
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