moorish idol

[CASTLES]

Hello reef keepers,

I am very curious and wanting some information, I have a reef system(75) set up for about 4 years now, I have really not had anything die in the last two years (maybe two pieces of corals (pora and torch), it is basically softies, some poras, polys, hammers/frog spwans, and anemones (carpet). It has a wet/dry system with all the fixings, I have three maroon clowns that share the anemones, regal tang, lawn mower blenny, goby, and a huge fire shirmp (some of these these guys have been with since I started the tank). The system has all the fixings with metal halides(175w x2 ) and regular flourescents (40w x2 )but my question is I saw this weekend a beautiful moorish idol that I completely thought would look excellent in my tank, but it was $85. and I have heard that they are very delicate, so I wanted some advice from experts, is the price okay and are they very deleicate? The fish looked nice and healthy. It was in a tank with a blue mask angel (majestic/regal) which also caught my eye but will this angel eat my coral. I really thank you for help and time.

[RayAllen]

Moorish Idols have a extremely high death rate. Expert or not most believe it is a speices best left in the ocean. I dont know of anyone on Maast the even has one, but if you were to attempt it a 75g I belive is to small, and Maroon clowns are to aggressive to go with a fragile species.

[CASTLES]

thank you for ur quick response, well if no one on maast has one, they really have to be delicate and as stated best left in ocean, what about the blue face angel. I have seen those in many pet stores, thank you again

[RayAllen]

Blue Face Angels are really cool, but may nip at your corals. Will eventually outgrow you 75g, but can be successfully kept.

[CASTLES]

thxs for ur help and time

[alton]

I grew a Blue face juvy into an adult and kept him with Frogspawn, Xenia, Mushrooms, GSP, Slimmer and Montipora with no problems. I tried and could not keep Candy Cane, Brains, and Zoo's. Blueface are very aggressive just like most large Angels. Felipe had a Moorish Idol at one time in his store. But like Ray stated I do not know anyone that has one?

[bigmoe21]

yeah the moorish is suppose to be pretty nasty himself too and need something like atleast 400g i read once..and not sure about the price or where you are but a store in san antonio had a couple in consecutive weeks for $35-$40..

[envy]

b&b had some but have read the same difficult to keep

[CASTLES]

alton, big moe, and envy,
thanks for all the help and I appreciate the time, I was just so amazed at the beauty of this fish (moorish idol) eventhough I had seen them before but at that time I thought I was not ready, maybe I will try the blue face angel, becuase our selection is not as diverse as S.A. or H-town down here in the rio grande valley,
thanks again

[alton]

Castles can you insert your location it helps us know where you are coming from, thanks and welcome to MAAST. A little history back in 1992 I was working on a Wal*Mart in Harlingen and visited a fish store in Mc Callen I remember they had 10" Clown Trigger, don't remember the store, part of getting old.

[SoLiD]

what about the blue face angel. I have seen those in many pet stores, thank you again

Our LFS had a Brown Zoa outbreak (over 300 Polyps) in there L-Shaped Display tank. They added a Majestic Angel in there and in 3-4 weeks the Zoa's in the entire tank were practicly gone. I would say that would have happen with any of the Angelfish in that genus. If you have softies or Polyps in your tank I'd stay clear of one. HTH

-David

[CASTLES]

Thanks for the info Solid, that really helps, I do have Zoas and a lot of softies,
Also is anyone familiar with maroon clowns associating or sharing a carpet amemone, is it a good idea or should you stick to the percula /ocellaris clowns
thxs

[SoLiD]

I've seen Maroon Clowns make just about anything a host, such as Frogspawn, Xenia, Sand, Toadstools, Goniaporas (they killed it), and Anemones to name a few. Keep in mind that they are also One of The Most Aggressive Clowns. Personally I would go with the Ocellaris Clown. They are one of the least aggressive clowns (toward other fish). They are also one of the most recognizable fish in the world. It might have something to do with that Nemo movie. :bigsmile:

-David

[BA]

didn't fin addict have one in the tank on the side for a while???

[CASTLES]

BA and Solid,
See I am from the HarlingenBrownsville,Texas area and we do not see much of moorish idol or angel and when we do they sell fast to people who believe they can just stick them into their tank w/o any precaution, but I guess I am over the moorish idol but it just was such an amazing sight and forget the angel , that guy will eat my softies and zoa's and as far as the maroom clowns it just I have had two of them since I started my tank @ 5 years ago but I use to live in S.A. and I quickly got addicted to salt water tanks (thanks to Alamo Aquatics, TxTropical, and at times Fintique on West St) and one of the maroon clowns has been with me since she is @ a good fat 6-7 inches I just would feel so bad giving her up but any way I see that they do not really help the carpet anemone and i know they have killed or eat up a bulb tip anemone, i really appreciate ur help and advise and maybe u can make some suggestions I really want to keep the carpet (one of my favorite corals) but I also like my fat clown, i know to take them out is not the problem i can catch them at night in the anemone,
thxs again p.s. when I visit S.A. going to the aqaurium shops is usually still my favorite