[M] Getting Moorish Idol to eat ?
Robert Ivan
I was wondering if anyone knows any tricks to getting
a moorish idol to eat. I got a very fat one from Hawaii 2 weeks
ago and at the time it was looking around for food on rocks.
However it ignors brine shrimp, pellets and lettuce and will starve
to death in a week or two. There are only a few tangs in the tank (100gal).
Any ideas ?
Rob
Jay Hemdal
It doesn't always work, but try buying some live mussels, and offering
the moorish idol one "on the half shell". If the fish doesn't start
going for it after 4 hours, pull the mussel out so as not to foul the
water.
Personally, I've given up on idols a long time ago, even if you get
them feeding, they often waste away after a few months.
One writer, back in the late 80's told people the way to keep idols
was in schools of 3 or more. While these fish *do* form schools on
the reef, trying this in a home aquarium doesn't work -- they fight<g>.
All this guy managed to do was to get people to kill idols off in
groups of 3 or more rather than one at a time<sigh>.
jh
--
Jay Hemdal
Aquarium Computer Products
Will Dyson
I seem to recall reading a couple of months ago that they would go for
deshelled brine shrimp eggs. I know that it would be a pain to do this for
any length of time, but with any luck, they will start going for other
things after they become accustomed to feeding in the tank.
If you have Moe's Marine aquarium reference, that has a section on
deshelling the eggs. If you don't have it, there is an archived thread on
the subject in ftp.cco.caltech.edu. Failing all else, Email me and I will
type up the procedure.
--
_____________________________________________________________
|"If it was hard to write, it | Will Dyson |
|should be hard to understand." | Inocent Bystander |
| - a unix programer | wi...@dyson.microserve.com |
|___________________________________________________________|
Curt Fiedler
: I was wondering if anyone knows any tricks to getting
: Any ideas ?
: Rob
I'm wondering how much luck people have at all with captive moorish
idols. You see, in the wild a major portion of their diet is
sponges. (At least those in Hawaii.) I can see it would be tough
to get them on other foods.
So does anyone have luck with this fish? Or is this another case
of "sell 'em even tho' they won't live"?
Good Luck,
Curt
Brian
Could I add another fish to the "buy them even though they will die in
2 to 3 weeks: the cleaner wrasse. I know that one netter has been able
to keep a couple for almost a year but I have never kept one for more
than a month. I tried feeding them nauplii and live brine shrimp, etc.
They eat but they then die. Is it just me???
---
Brian
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian Malloy Internet: mal...@cs.clemson.edu
Dept. of Computer Science Telephone: US (803) 656-0808
Clemson University Fax: US (803) 656-0145
Christopher David Strom
In article <37ekie$f...@bmerha64.bnr.ca>, ri...@bnr.ca (Robert Ivan) writes:
> I was wondering if anyone knows any tricks to getting
> a moorish idol to eat.
Try this:
A couple of years ago, I made an in-tank refillable fish feeder. Take
a short section of 1" PVC pipe and attach a large bushing to one end -
this is just a weight, so the exact size is unimportant. Over the other
end, place a square of fiberglass screening and secure it with a rubber
band or (more permanent) with a nylon wire tie. Cut a small float from
a block or shhet of styrofoam that will fit in the pipe as snug as
possible and still be able to slide up and down easily. Load the tube
with a little food, insert the float, and set it in the tank. The float
will push the food against the screen, making it available to the fish.
I used this in my shop for several years, and was able to get even the
worst angels and butterflies to eat damn near anything. I found that
even dried foods - perhaps due to their strong odor - were favorites.
But the real plus is that the food stays in the tank for a long period
of time - remember, butterflies and idols are grazers. They do not
feast, they nibble!
Of course, due to prior frustrating experiences with Moorish Idols, I
never bothered to order any... But this is pretty easy and maybe worth
a shot... Good luck!
Chriswtopher David Strom | formerly "the fish tinker"
cds...@eos.ncsu.edu | I miss the sea...
Richard Sexton
They usually have them in the market, although a rock beauty is
better tasting.
--
Richard J. Sexton, ``Daydreaming must end now.'' VRx Network Services
Toronto, CANADA Usenet code of ethics followed. ric...@panchax.gryphon.com
Curt Fiedler
: In article 8...@news.Hawaii.Edu, cu...@uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Curt Fiedler) writes:
: >Robert Ivan (ri...@bnr.ca) wrote:
: >I'm wondering how much luck people have at all with captive moorish
: >idols. You see, in the wild a major portion of their diet is
: >sponges. (At least those in Hawaii.) I can see it would be tough
: >to get them on other foods.
: >
: >So does anyone have luck with this fish? Or is this another case
: >of "sell 'em even tho' they won't live"?
: >
: Could I add another fish to the "buy them even though they will die in
: 2 to 3 weeks: the cleaner wrasse. I know that one netter has been able
: to keep a couple for almost a year but I have never kept one for more
: than a month. I tried feeding them nauplii and live brine shrimp, etc.
: They eat but they then die. Is it just me???
: ---
: Brian
: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From what I hear, it depends on the species of cleaner wrasse you get. Local
(Hawaiian) cleaner wrasses (Labroides pthirophagus) don't do well in captivity.
A month would be a good length of time to keep them! This may be because this
species seems to be a little more aggressive in cleaning, to the point of
biting off scales.
People have told me that cleaner wrasses from other Pacific locales often do
better, like Labroides dimidiatus. I know someone who has had one more than
a year.
Feeding them brine naups is convenient, but it might be better to get them
onto something else, a little larger. The energy needed to pluck relatively
small brine naups may be more than that needed to eat larger stuff. And
contrary to popular belief, brine aren't "the whole nutritional package"
for most fish. I know that some people get their cleaners to eat flakes,
as well as other larger food.
Good luck,
Curt Fiedler
U. Hawaii
Zoology Dept.
: Brian Malloy Internet: mal...@cs.clemson.edu
Niels M. Sampath
When you feel the need for a Moorish Idol,
get a Whimple (sp?) Fish?
--
Niels M. Sampath Internet: ni...@lofgren.demon.co.uk
CompuServe: 10002...@CompuServe.com
-PGP- key available
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kim Lehman
> : a moorish idol to eat.
> : Any ideas ?
>
> So does anyone have luck with this fish?
I once started a Morrish Idol feeding with cooked peas - peas on their own
for a few days - then mixed with defrosted blood worm - then blood worm on
its own. After that, the occasional pea. In fact most marines I have had
will eat peas. As for Moorish Idols, I would not keep another one. They
just don't survive for long in captivity - even if they do eat peas.
Kim Lehman (Kim.L...@mgmt.utas.edu.au)