Moorish Idol??

[Checkitout]

Ok let me first start off by saying, I am not getting a Moorish Idol I believe they should just be left in the ocean, I would just like to know for my own personal knowledge. I know they eat sponge and coraline alage but my question is "Are they safe with sps"? I'm just trying to figure out what exactly are they missing in their diet that makes them so hard to keep. Is it something in corals in nature they are eating and not in the home aquarium or what. Again, I'm not getting one, I would just like to know if they are safe with sps? Thanks.

 

[110reef]

Mine has never gone after my sps. Yes, mine eats zoas and palys, but thats it. I have never seen it eat the yellow sponge I have growing in my tank either.

I will say that they do need a good amount of algae. Mine ate byropsis for a while, til I finally eradicated it, then his health seemed to decline til I began feeding Nori. His pennant will stop growing unless he gets Nori. (I think it is the same effect as eating gelatin helps your fingernails grow - gelatin comes from algae. Thats my theory anyway...)

 

[CaptainAndy]

Over the years I've kept a couple in predominantly SPS reef. Eventually sold them because they ate just about everything else but never saw them eat SPS. Word of advice is to not buy them unless you see them eat personally.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

How long have you all kept them successfully?

 

[VanGogh121]

Hardest part aboput a Moorish Idol is getting them to eat. Once there eating pellets, they are easy. Kept one for several years eating Spectrum New life. Sold it about 4 years ago and last time I confimed he was still kickin'

 

[110reef]

How long have you all kept them successfully?

I've had mine for 21 months so far.