In addition, I believe it is important to offer support and encouragement to all our members. This hobby can be hard enough at times and it doesn't help to just tell someone they are going to fail when they come here asking for help in the first place. JMO.
He said it himself -- he did not come here asking for help. I don't believe it is okay for someone that knows how difficult these fish are to buy them for a tank that is already filled with incompatible fish, and that doesn't have the proper food for them. That's worse than ignorance. That's purposely setting those fish up for failure. My attitude towards it would be different if he had actually tried to provide them with a good environment where they had a better chance of survival. What has he done to make sure his moorish idols have a shot at surviving? Made sure the tank mates are compatible? Nope. Made sure it has food to eat in the tank? Nope. He thinks the fish is a type of tang -- he probably thinks it will eat algae sheets. He is not even home for 2 weeks straight every month, and thinks that environment is okay for moorish idols? He is not a noob that just walked into a store and bought a pretty fish he saw. He should know about these fish, and what they need. He should hold himself to a higher standard in this hobby, but he's not. He bought these fish because he wanted them, and has no regard for providing them what they need to survive. That is a terrible way to act in this hobby.
The other person on here that tried a moorish idol actually tried to provide him a suitable environment. She did her best to research the fish, and provide him with everything he needed (and he still died). But Rob is not doing that. He is not even providing the basic requirements for these fish to be happy. The worst part is he knows that, and seems to be okay with that, and it's too bad you are okay with that too.
IMO, it is not okay to ignore people that are deliberately and purposely making bad and irresponsible decisions and just tell them "Good Luck". That is irresponsible of the person reading, who, I believe, has an obligation to step in and say "What you are doing is NOT okay." We all have fish that we want. I want a ray for my tank. I know they need a large sand bed and little rock. My tank is the opposite of that. Is it okay for me to just go ahead and buy the ray anyways, because my desire for this fish trumps the requirement that I provide for their basic needs? No, it's not okay, and I would expect someone on here to at least stand up to me and tell me I am being a douche by buying that ray for my tank when I know it needs a different set up. Someone who is experienced, and has been in the hobby for a while has no excuse for just buying animals like that without making sure they can give them a good home.
People like that are what give critics of the hobby like Snorkel Bob ammunition. Reefers that are intentionally irresponsible and purposely disregard basic requirements for their livestock are not good for his hobby. And they are no friends of the reef. What he is doing is the opposite of being "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" and sorry, David, I'm not going to just smile and say "Good luck!" when I see that.
