Harlequin shrimp questions!

[JayChen]

So I am very interested in getting a harlequin shrimp or maybe even a pair, if I do get a pair, how do I know which one is male and female when buying them? Also, how often do I need to feed them, I heard people said that they feed one leg of a CC starfish and freeze the rest. If I just throw the whole CC starfish in it, will it move around and damage my corals? I have some softies and some LPS.

 

[homer1475]

I have absolutely no idea how to sex them, but I kept a pair for a while. After they wiped out the population of asternias(in about 2 weeks in my 80G), they starved to death and disappeared. Apparently I was not feeding them enough with 1 leg every other week.

Upon further reading I should have just chucked the entire starfish in the tank. It seems that harlequins have a sting that immobilizes the star so it cannot get away from the shrimp, and would not wreak havoc in your tank. After further reading it seems people just throw one chocolate chip star every other week for a pair.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a pair and sex of shrimp is best determined if and when they breed . I bought them for Asterina control and industry average of owners is to drop in a chocolate chip star due to low cost and let the shrimp have at it.

 

[JayChen]

I have absolutely no idea how to sex them, but I kept a pair for a while. After they wiped out the population of asternias(in about 2 weeks in my 80G), they starved to death and disappeared. Apparently I was not feeding them enough with 1 leg every other week.

Upon further reading I should have just chucked the entire starfish in the tank. It seems that harlequins have a sting that immobilizes the star so it cannot get away from the shrimp, and would not wreak havoc in your tank. After further reading it seems people just throw one chocolate chip star every other week for a pair.

Interesting, I just read people saying they throw a whole starfish in but didn't mention the part about the sting to immobilize the starfish.

 

[JayChen]

I have a pair and sex of shrimp is best determined if and when they breed . I bought them for Asterina control and industry average of owners is to drop in a chocolate chip star due to low cost and let the shrimp have at it.

Will the starfish roam around and harm corals? Or the shrimp immobilize it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Will the starfish roam around and harm corals? Or the shrimp immobilize it?

The starfish are temporarily stunned from sting but rarely start roaming around thereafteras their cells are weakened

 

[homer1475]

I was curious so I did a bit of digging......

It seems they don't "sting" them at all. What they do is flip the starfish over, and start by eating all their tube legs so they cannot escape but are still alive and healthy up until the very last moment when the shrimp eat the main body disk. So they can immobilize several stars at a time and can keep them like this for a long time until they decide to eat them. Apparently they do not like dead stars, and will only eat live living stars.

Could also explain why mine died as I was feeding just one leg at a time instead of the whole star.

 

[fishguy242]

hi they are varatious eaters keep em feed well ,can be trained ,i keep the extra stars in one of my sumps ,harly comes to corner up to top to take piece from me very cool ,eat a lot considering their size

 

[JayChen]

I was curious so I did a bit of digging......

It seems they don't "sting" them at all. What they do is flip the starfish over, and start by eating all their tube legs so they cannot escape but are still alive and healthy up until the very last moment when the shrimp eat the main body disk. So they can immobilize several stars at a time and can keep them like this for a long time until they decide to eat them. Apparently they do not like dead stars, and will only eat live living stars.

Could also explain why mine died as I was feeding just one leg at a time instead of the whole star.

Thanks for the detailed info, I think I will throw in a whole live starfish and save me some time chopping up the starfish lol

 

[JayChen]

hi they are varatious eaters keep em feed well ,can be trained ,i keep the extra stars in one of my sumps ,harly comes to corner up to top to take piece from me very cool ,eat a lot considering their size

How long will they take to finish a CC?

 

[fishguy242]

a pair imo less than 2 weeks at 3" cc star

 

[homer1475]

hi they are varatious eaters keep em feed well ,can be trained ,i keep the extra stars in one of my sumps ,harly comes to corner up to top to take piece from me very cool ,eat a lot considering their size

When I had mine I did find out CC stars will predate each other. I would cut a leg off one and toss it back into the sump. A few days later and one CC would be devouring the other weaker legless star. If you keep more then one in your sump, separate them.

 

[homer1475]

a pair imo less than 2 weeks at 3" cc star

I had no idea when I got mine they are this voracious! I think my problem stemmed from not feeding enough, and them finally wiping out my asternia population.

 

[JayChen]

When I had mine I did find out CC stars will predate each other. I would cut a leg off one and toss it back into the sump. A few days later and one CC would be devouring the other weaker legless star. If you keep more then one in your sump, separate them.

Yea I read about that too, I am 10 mins away from a LFS so i don't need to buy multiple starfish

 

[homer1475]

I'm about 2 hours one way from an LFS so I was buying multiples at a time.

 

[JayChen]

I'm about 2 hours one way from an LFS so I was buying multiples at a time.

OMG that's way too far lol

 

[homer1475]

Worst part is, it's not even a good LFS.

I do 99% of my buying online.

 

[fishguy242]

agree not too many good ones out there jmo,but just for food eh what can you do ,make room 10 gallon,order a pile

 

[Alexispr2000]

I do have a Harlequin Shrimp and mine prefer the sand starfish instead of the CC. I also prefer the starfish because is smaller and the harlequin will eat it in around 4-5 days so I don't have to be looking into a dead CC for a whole week or more which is how long it takes for my harlequin to get rid of the CC. I wait around 4 days or so after he finished his meal before putting another one in.

 

[reef lover]

Females are also twice as big when mature.