I forgot when I got my moorish idol. It's for sure more than 3 years ago. He was already eating this finicky formula at the LFS. I got him and put him in a 125g. He was big already, at about 4", and was the dominate fish. I continued using this food throughout the first year and fed four times a day using an auto feeder. He is now 6 to 7" and is one of my favs in my 180g.
Moorish Idol!!
- Thread starter Orly20
- Start date
- Tagged users None
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
To reiterate, pellets should not be a big staple of their diet. Blackworms, pemysis, nori, clam, squid should be. IMO
I just feed him whatever he likes to eat. Right now he is really liking formula two medium pellets. I recently tried a new flake food called dura flakes by Aquadine and he also likes that. Of course there is always the irresistible frozen mysis, spirulina brine, clam on half shell, and rods food.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
There's very limited nutrition in any of those foods. Long term your fish will need much better nutrition.
I've had mine about a year or year and a half he's eaten flakes and pellets perhaps twice.
I've had mine about a year or year and a half he's eaten flakes and pellets perhaps twice.
joshkirkland83
Valuable Member
So what do you feed @4FordFamily?
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Pellets vary in the nutritional benefits they provide. NLS is one of the bwtter ones available. I have seen more than a few difficult and delicate species thrive with NLS pellets as a big part of their diet.
OP
OP
Orly20
Well-Known Member
@4FordFamily I also am feeding my MI most of what you've listed but as sc50964 mentions you can only give the MI what it's willing to eat when presented the variety of different foods. I am giving mine nls pellets which I let soak Selcon for about 5 min, Nori also soaked in selcon, PE mysis, gut loaded Dr G's brine shrimp, Angel Formula (sponges) and Sea Veggie flakes. I am going to be buying squid this week to see if he takes to it but I am sure he will.
It is worriesome that this fish can self-destruct and suddenly die even though people keep them well fed with a variety of foods.
Sharvey103
ReefAddicted
Best of luck for the long term. I was able to keep one for a year and a half before it expired. It was eating pellets and other foods very well. It is one of my very favorite fish but the unknown in long term care keeps me from trying again. Keep us posted on your success.
OP
OP
Orly20
Well-Known Member
One of the main reasons I took this little guy home was because he was feriously munching on pellets in the store. Mine has also become my families and friends favorite, it is a beautiful fish. IMO the more people keep these fish with the intent to fully commit keeping it with success and also studying and observing their eating habits in hopes to find what the main nutiritional deficiency we as hobbyist must learn to provide this tabboo fish. The hobby has come a long way in recent years with many aquarium fish and I hope the MI is one species like the Yellow Tang and others that have had recent breakthroughs.
OP
OP
Orly20
Well-Known Member
HI @Sharvey103, thank you for your input.
Did the MI die overnight or did it waist away slowly refusing to eat?
Eienna
5000 Club Member
Try Amazon.com or drsfostersmith.com.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
My idol gets red and green nori daily, quite a bit and a large mixture of pemysis, brine, spirulina brine, Angel formula, squid, bloodworms, emerald entre, a few other frozen foods all soaked in selcon. I mix it up once per week and feed it daily. If all it eats is nori for a good while you're in good shape. Red nori is the kicker to get them started - they cannot resist.
