How big are they? (Maximum length)
 | 25 cm. (9 inches) |
What do they look like? (Appearance)
| Thin, disclike, flattened body |
| Very long, white, ribbonlike dorsal fin |
| Coloring varies between white and yellow |
| Two broad black bars on the body |
| Yellow spot across the snout |
| Snout is long |
| Mouth is small. |
| Small horn between the eyes |
What do they eat? sponges and algae
What are their enemies?
Humans catch them for aquaria. They eat their
own spawn. Fish eating fish of the coral reef will eat smaller
fish. Tarpon, lionfish, jacks and goatfish are fish eating fish on coral
reefs.
Reproduction?
| Moorish Idols lay pelagic eggs. |
|
Spawned eggs are left to drift with the currents. |
| Larval
stage is 6 - 8 weeks. |
| Larvae
are transparent and can grow to 8cm in length. |
|
Light draws the larvae to the bottom of the reef. |
|
Once settled on the bottom, the larvae assume their typical color pattern
|
How long do they live? 2 to 4 years in
captivity
Classification:
The Moorish Idol is the only species in the family Zanclidae.
Other Facts
| Its Hawaiian name is Ki hi ki hi. |
| Another fish the
Moorish Idol can be mistaken for is the False Moorish Idol or Pennant
Butterflyfish, Heniochus acuminatus and
H. diphreutes. |
|
Zanclus cornutus is the only TRUE Moorish Idol. |
|
Where do they live?
Range
|
Widespread Indo-Pacific |
|
Worldwide in tropical seas. |
|
Australia, Hawaii, Tahiti, East Africa |
Habitat
| Marine |
| Subtropical: 24 - 28°C; 30°N - 35° |
| It lives near the coast in regions of rocky coasts and coral reefs |
| Inhabits muddy inner lagoons, reef flats, and clear seaward rocky
and coral reefs |
How deep in the ocean are they found? (Zone)
| 3 to 182 m |
| Zone: Sunlit to Deep |
Picture from FishBase*
Public Domain Drawings by Robert Cada.
Characteristics
| It uses its long snout to feed on algae and
sponges in cracks and crevices of coral reefs. |
| Moves in pairs or schools. |
| Scales are very small and can not be seen with the
naked eye. |
| Beautiful for saltwater aquaria but it is difficult
to keep because of its need for space and its feeding habits. |
| Moorish Idols are diurnal. |
What is their Endangerment Status?
Unthreatened
Sources
Journey Malaysia: Coral
Reef and Fish Kula Naia:
Wild Dolphin Research
Foundation, Inc
Fishbase: Species Summary: Moorish Idol
Pet Place.
Com
Alexander
Mustard's Guide to the Ecology of Coral Reefs
|
/ 