i need a harliquin shrimp....but.....

[getairfx]

but i also have a large brittle starfish. i would love to get rid of my little white and black star fish population but i dont want it to kill my big brittle sea star. will a small shrimp eat my larger star fish?

 

[homer1475]

The larger star would be the first thing it goes for. They eat the tube feet of the star, there are not enough tube feet on an asterna to feed them long term.

 

[Kal93]

No, they don't eat brittle starfish

 

[homer1475]

Opps sorry missed it was a brittle star. Nope they usually won't touch brittle star.

 

[Duffer]

Harlequin shrimp only eat starfish (and in times of absolute desperation, sea urchin). Specifically the tube feet of starfish. There is no alternative food source you can easily entice them with. A pair of harlequins goes on the hunt for starfish, able to smell their prey, even if the echinoderm is hidden

 

[Billdogg]

What do these little black and white stars look like? If they are mini brittle stars they are a very important part of your clean up crew. If they are asterina stars, IMHO they are also an important part of the CUC. If you have too many of either, limit their food (stop over feeding) and they will self limit their population.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

They don't eat brittle stars.

 

[getairfx]

they are asternia that i wanted to depopulate and i did just find out i was over feeding. i did a pinch of flake in the a.m. then another pinch at lunch and 2 frozen cubes of brine around 7pm......which is the reason my nitrates are so high. its been around 8 yrs since i last had a tank.....i forgot a lot.

 

[KrisReef]

they are asternia that i wanted to depopulate and i did just find out i was over feeding. i did a pinch of flake in the a.m. then another pinch at lunch and 2 frozen cubes of brine around 7pm......which is the reason my nitrates are so high. its been around 8 yrs since i last had a tank.....i forgot a lot.

Well you are in a good place to get lots of reminders,
BTW: Welcome to Reef2Reef!