Moorish Idol in a reef. What did yours eat?

[Enderg60]

Anyone who has had an Idol in a reef, how did they behave? What corals did they end up eating?

I found a very nice specimen that eats frozen, nori and now even pellets.

I plan to quarantine him along with this batch of fish then add the Idol to my 330 reef. Worst case I can put him in my 320 Frag tank and monitor what he eats before I decide if he goes in the reef.

Let's see if I found a gem or a future problem.

 

[i cant think]

Anyone who has had an Idol in a reef, how did they behave? What corals did they end up eating?

I found a very nice specimen that eats frozen, nori and now even pellets.

I plan to quarantine him along with this batch of fish then add the Idol to my 330 reef. Worst case I can put him in my 320 Frag tank and monitor what he eats before I decide if he goes in the reef.

Let's see if I found a gem or a future problem.

You’ve likely found a future problem;
Acans, Trachys, Scolys, Acanthos, Zoas all seem to be common snacks for these guys. I know @Miami Reef had one and I believe they had issues with it.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I had one for roughly 6+ months. It ate everything and was healthy until one day it was not. Out of no where it died.

 

[Miami Reef]

You’ve likely found a future problem;
Acans, Trachys, Scolys, Acanthos, Zoas all seem to be common snacks for these guys. I know @Miami Reef had one and I believe they had issues with it.

It was awful. Ate trachyphyllia and acans. I didn’t keep acanthos and scolys at the time, but I have no doubt it would have eaten them, too.

It was a fail at being a reef citizen with LPS. It would probably do well in SPS only tanks, assuming it would live long enough lol.

I rehomed mine before I could find out if I could keep it alive long term. It had a great appetite.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Had mine over a year, it's favorite food was @Reef Nutrition TDO, which I got it on after transitioning if from some frozen sponge diet and LRS Reef Frenzy, it would spurn frozen brine for TDO.

At around the year mark it ate one of my spawning RFAs which is which I decided to rehome it before it decided to sample anything else in the tank.

 

[Enderg60]

It was awful. Ate trachyphyllia and acans. I didn’t keep acanthos and scolys at the time, but I have no doubt it would have eaten them, too.

It was a fail at being a reef citizen with LPS. It would probably do well in SPS only tanks, assuming it would live long enough lol.

I rehomed mine before I could find out if I could keep it alive long term. It had a great appetite.

Thats what I was afraid of. I have lobos, trachys, acans, blastos and zoas. The zoas are probably the only thing in that list I would really want to keep.

I have another week to decided if I rehome him or QT him and give him a chance in the frag tank. In the mean time he has a full buffet to try in the current holding tank.

 

[steveweast]

Obviously, this is a fish where your mileage will vary. Stories will be all over the map regarding experiences. In my case, I have had mine for coming up on 3 years. So far, he has only eaten offered food and doesn’t forage on corals at all. He will eat pellet, flake, nori, all frozen foods and loves to be hand fed scallop. My system has Sps, torches, gonis, lobos, scolyies, zoas, anemones, etc.

I’m under no impression that his dietary preferences will not change…..but…..a three year run has been a pleasant surprise.

Aug 2023 400 Gal Mixed Reef

 

[Enderg60]

Your mag looks like my mag but bigger... And that's saying something because mine is huge!

Well that's one at least!

 

[Gudhjem]

I've had mine for 6 years. Pretty sure he eats zoas, acans, gonies and torches. Not sure though, as I have a few angels in the tank as well (including pomacanthus). I am sure though that he does not eat anemones, most acros, stylophora, mushrooms, montopora, bridsnests, and a few other sps, as I've had those with him for years. Basically anything fleshy (except anemones for mine) are risky.

 

[Trueruby]

Had mine over a year, it's favorite food was @Reef Nutrition TDO, which I got it on after transitioning if from some frozen sponge diet and LRS Reef Frenzy, it would spurn frozen brine for TDO.

At around the year mark it ate one of my spawning RFAs which is which I decided to rehome it before it decided to sample anything else in the tank.

I wish I could have seen this reply before I bought from lfs . I love my rfa’s and I hope wont have the same issue

 

[Doctorgori]

I’ve had a few of these. Yeah they see acans as dessert but I’ve never seen one touch a acro, or monti, et…
I have one now, doesn’t touch anything I’ve noticed so far ( no LPS are in the tank).

 

[Koty]

He is not picky he ate them all (lps is what I had )this guy is not reef safe