Harlequin Shrimp feeding Question

[Momo1994]

For any who have harlequin shrimp- how long should I let mine eat the leg of a chocolate chip starfish before removing the leftover eaten leg from the tank? I put the leg in the tank yesterday at about 4pm and I tried retrieving it this morning but my harlequin just runs away with it.

 

[glb]

For any who have harlequin shrimp- how long should I let mine eat the leg of a chocolate chip starfish before removing the leftover eaten leg from the tank? I put the leg in the tank yesterday at about 4pm and I tried retrieving it this morning but my harlequin just runs away with it.

They eat pretty fast IME. I used sand sifters for food when I had a harlequin and it always ate the whole thing before it started to pollute the water. If the leg starts to go bad or the harlequin stops eating it, I’d take it out. Otherwise I’d just let your shrimp do its thing.

 

[MtnDewMan]

If they have eaten all of the little suckers off the leg, then it is probably not going to eat that much more of it.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

How veracious of eaters are they? I have an asterina infestation and am debating on getting one of these guys but honestly, i dont want it to starve to death in a week because it cleaned everything out. Plus i dont mind keeping a FEW asterinas.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Harlequins are cool, no doubt about it but I could never see myself being able to chop up live starfish to feed them...i just personally wouldn't be able to do that after studying starfish for a little while now and knowing about their sensory biology

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Harlequins are cool, no doubt about it but I could never see myself being able to chop up live starfish to feed them...i just personally wouldn't be able to do that after studying starfish for a little while now and knowing about their sensory biology

Yeah..i wouldnt be tossing in sand sifters or chocolate chips either...i just dont have another answer to all of my asterninas.

 

[jmichaelh7]

If anyone is selling a harlequin please send me a dm I have about a thousand asterina in my tank. I’ve been looking for one at LFS

the answer to your question I am not sure but I would think nitrates increasing is your concern ?

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

If anyone is selling a harlequin please send me a dm I have about a thousand asterina in my tank. I’ve been looking for one at LFS

the answer to your question I am not sure but I would think nitrates increasing is your concern ?

No. Nitrate raise is not my concern. i have a pretty good nutrient export system. I actually have to dose nitrates to bring them back. I just need to control the asterina population without continually putting my hands in the tank.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

I never remove the legs they carry it around until either they eat the whole thing or the cuc consumes the rest .

 

[bnord]

Read above the Harlequins eat the tube feet? This is what bumble bee shrimp eat.

Also read that Asterina (please help me remember the new Genus name) do not have tube feet.

I have the start of a population expansion in a 180, does anyone have experience with Harlequins in a tank of that size doing real control, or just sitting on the bottom looking at all the star on the glass...

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I never remove the legs they carry it around until either they eat the whole thing or the cuc consumes the rest .

That actually seems less morbid by far...that's just nature

 

[exnisstech]

How veracious of eaters are they? I have an asterina infestation and am debating on getting one of these guys but honestly, i dont want it to starve to death in a week because it cleaned everything out. Plus i dont mind keeping a FEW asterinas.

I used one to clear out what I considered an astrina over population. For me they are like a sea cucumber in the way that once their purpose is accomplished I return them to the LFS so they don't starve. Unless of course you want to mutilate chocolate chip stars to feed it. I tried this but didn't have the stomach for it. I wouldn't worry about keeping a FEW asterinas. They always seem to return at some point IME. Mine have reach a decent population finaly and stay on the back glass mostly now. It was a few years ago that I had the shrimp

 

[bnord]

I used one to clear out what I considered an astrina over population. For me they are like a sea cucumber in the way that once their purpose is accomplished I return them to the LFS so they don't starve. Unless of course you want to mutilate chocolate chip stars to feed it. I tried this but didn't have the stomach for it. I wouldn't worry about keeping a FEW asterinas. They always seem to return at some point IME. Mine have reach a decent population finaly and stay on the back glass mostly now. It was a few years ago that I had the shrimp

Thanks - do wrasses leave them in peace?

 

[exnisstech]

Thanks - do wrasses leave them in peace?

Sorry I can't help with that as I did not have wrasses when I had mine. I would assume they have the same risk as other shrimp as far as predation goes.

 

[bnord]

Sorry I can't help with that as I did not have wrasses when I had mine. I would assume they have the same risk as other shrimp as far as predation goes.

thanks - my concern as well - didn't know if the gaudy colors and bouncy behavior reflected some sort to "leave me alone" response....

considering putting one in the desk top 15 and collecting the Asterinas from the 180 to feed it/them

 

[exnisstech]

thanks - my concern as well - didn't know if the gaudy colors and bouncy behavior reflected some sort to "leave me alone" response....

considering putting one in the desk top 15 and collecting the Asterinas from the 180 to feed it/them

They definatly exhibit a more aggressive stance than most other shrimp that are kept in our tanks, exept maybe coral banded aka boxer shrimp. The harlequin can look pretty intimidating when it thinks someone going to try and take its food. It's interesting to watch one take down a full chocolate chip star. They wrestle the star over onto their back and keep them pinned down. It's nature and some things in nature can be brutal and but interesting

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

I used one to clear out what I considered an astrina over population. For me they are like a sea cucumber in the way that once their purpose is accomplished I return them to the LFS so they don't starve. Unless of course you want to mutilate chocolate chip stars to feed it. I tried this but didn't have the stomach for it. I wouldn't worry about keeping a FEW asterinas. They always seem to return at some point IME. Mine have reach a decent population finaly and stay on the back glass mostly now. It was a few years ago that I had the shrimp

If you had to estimate...how many asterina's did it go through in a week? Just debating if this is worth it or not. Thanks

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Read above the Harlequins eat the tube feet? This is what bumble bee shrimp eat.

Also read that Asterina (please help me remember the new Genus name) do not have tube feet.

I have the start of a population expansion in a 180, does anyone have experience with Harlequins in a tank of that size doing real control, or just sitting on the bottom looking at all the star on the glass...

They typically eat the tube feet first, but they eat the whole star. Eating the tube feet first might be a taste/nutrients thing, or it might just be to help keep the starfish from escaping.

 

[Piscans]

id make sure the shrimp get the starfish if you have a large tank. if they dont, you could wake up to your prized corals eaten. chocolate chip starfish are corallivores

 

[Piscans]

They eat the tube feet first, but they eat the whole star. Eating the tube feet first might be a taste/nutrients thing, or it might just be to help keep the starfish from escaping.

keeps the starfish from escaping.