Aggressive Moorish idol removal/reintroduction

[JenB]

270gal tank - So we have a resident Moorish Idol of about 2 months I think. We attempted to school by adding two more. The original is relentlessly attacking the two new Moorish Idols who are larger. We’ve moved the bully to the 93g tank and the purple tang is now attacking the Moorish. Is it possible to move the bully back into the original tank after an hour? We’ve got the lights off on the 93g. We’re attempting to trap the purple tomorrow but don’t want the Moorish to be murdered in the mean time. I don’t think I have an acclimation box large enough for the Moorish.

 

[JenB]

Nevermind I found I do have an acclimation box large enough. Couldn’t figure how to delete thread

 

[Xanthurum]

Why delete it, I want to hear how this goes.

 

[kevgib67]

Me too!

 

[i cant think]

270gal tank - So we have a resident Moorish Idol of about 2 months I think. We attempted to school by adding two more. The original is relentlessly attacking the two new Moorish Idols who are larger. We’ve moved the bully to the 93g tank and the purple tang is now attacking the Moorish. Is it possible to move the bully back into the original tank after an hour? We’ve got the lights off on the 93g. We’re attempting to trap the purple tomorrow but don’t want the Moorish to be murdered in the mean time. I don’t think I have an acclimation box large enough for the Moorish.

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to form a ‘school’ and instead you’ll probably wind up with a pair that want the other dead - who ends up dead is unknown however my bet is whichever is smaller.

I’m still interested in how it’s going to go but it’s unlikely you’ll be able to have it work out unless introducing them at the same time. Another thing to do is redo your rock. The territory of the old moorish will still be there and unless he’s removed altogether, you will probably find the same issue reoccur.

 

[Nano_Man]

Please keep us informed how you get on jen b there's a wealth of knowledge to help in situations like this we are all learning. There has to be someone who has had the same issues. We are a friendly Bunch of people willing to help. Your information will help people in the future with Moorish idols so please keep posting

 

[Miami Reef]

Been there, done that. Moorish idols school in the ocean, but will kill each other in aquariums: just like powder blue tangs.

Only one per tank.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Been there, done that. Moorish idols school in the ocean, but will kill each other in aquariums: just like powder blue tangs.

Only one per tank.

This reminds me of a story (at my age, that's pretty common) - back in the day (late 1980's) somebody on Compuserve's FISHNET posted that they had "solved" the issue of Moorish Idols being delicate - "they must be kept in schools of five or more" (grin). Oh the carnage when other people took that to heart and tried to do that.....

Same thing happened with pinnatus batfish. Somebody wrote that they thrived if fed bananas. A bunch of people went out and bought pinnatus, which promptly died, never eating one bite of the proffered fruit.

We do have a nice pair of Idols in our 90,000 reef exhibit, and I have seen photos of schools of idols in smaller tanks, but these were typically introduced at the same time.

We have a school of pyramid butterflyfish - every time we try to add more, the existing ones kill them.....

Jay