The Moorish Idol Fish stuffed animal shown at bottom is made by Douglas Cuddle Toys. You can find some in the Jeannie's Cottage Gift Shop. Jeannie's Cottage carries several fish stuffed animals, including the Moorish Idol Fish. The Buy Now button will open a new page into Jeannie's Cottage.

The Moorish Idol Fish stuffed animal shown below at right is made by Douglas Cuddle Toys. Jeannie's Cottage Gift Shop has some in stock.

The moorish idol, Zanclus cornutus ("Crowned Scythe"), is a small marine fish species (7 to 9 inches). Looking very much like an Angelfish or Butterflyfish, the Moorish Idol fish (Zanclus cornutus) actually belongs to the Surgeonfish family. It is the only member of the family Zanclidae. It belongs to the order Perciform.

It inhabits tropical to subtropical reefs and lagoons from Hawaii to Australia, and from the west coast of Central America westward to the coast of Africa and the Red Sea. It is widely distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific. A number of butterflyfishes (genus Heniochus) closely resemble the moorish idol.

The moorish idol got its name from the Moors of Africa, who believed that catching the fish would bring happiness. This fish prefers shallow waters and flat reefs. It can be found at depths from 9.8 to 590 feet, in both murky and clear conditions.

The stout beak, the long, scimitar-shaped dorsal fin, and bold, vertical black, yellow, and white bands quickly distinguish this fish from all others. They have bristle-like teeth and feed on algae, sponges, tunicates and small crustaceans.

The Moorish idol is a diurnal fish that sticks to the bottom of the reef at night, adopting a drab coloration. Often seen alone, moorish idols also form pairs or occasionally small schools, especially as juveniles. Like butterflyfish, they mate for life. Adult males do not play well together and will display aggression toward one another.

Moorish idols are pelagic spawners; that is, they release eggs and sperm in the water column, leaving fertilized eggs to drift away with the currents. The impressive range of these fish may be explained by the unusually long larval stage.

Class: Actinopterygii | Order: Perciformes | Family: Zanclidae | Genus: Zanclus
Species: cornutus

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