Meet Harley the asterina starfish slayer

[glb]

After pulling at least 30 asterinas out of my 40g this morning and finding more just a few hours later, it was time for a Harlequin shrimp. Meet Harley!

 

[lapin]

Hope it is hungry

 

[Garf]

Welcome to the inter web Harley

 

[glb]

Hope it is hungry

I hope so too. They say for every asterina you see, there’s dozens more in the tank.

 

[Joedubyk]

Make sure you have some chocolate stars after it clears your tank in no time

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Harley looks big! Mine get a chocolate chip star once a week. Is the underside of Harley all white or is there purple/pink markings? I can tell you it’s gender

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Boy and girl

 

[glb]

Harley looks big! Mine get a chocolate chip star once a week. Is the underside of Harley all white or is there purple/pink markings? I can tell you it’s gender

I can’t see its underside yet but overall he looks pink and blue. As far as the CC starfish, will that work in a 40g? I’m worried about it fouling up the water.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I can’t see its underside yet but overall he looks pink and blue. As far as the CC starfish, will that work in a 40g? I’m worried about it fouling up the water.

How big is Harley? 1/2 in 1in 2in?

 

[CMMorgan]

Asterina starfish never bothered me. I leave them be. I have bumble bees that keep them in check I guess. I have two on my back wall that have coralline grown over them. It's a really pretty shrimp though!

 

[glb]

How big is Harley? 1/2 in 1in 2in?

Probably 1 1/2”-2”

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Probably 1 1/2”-2”

That is a nice size Harley. A Harley that size can manage a whole small chocolate chip star for probably two weeks. No worries about it decomposing they keep the starfish alive to the last bite

 

[glb]

That is a nice size Harley. A Harley that size can manage a whole small chocolate chip star for probably two weeks. No worries about it decomposing they keep the starfish alive to the last bite

He’s just hanging out in one place since I acclimated him. I put some asterina by him but so far he hasn’t eaten. I’m figuring he’s just getting used to the tank. Should I be worried?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

He’s just hanging out in one place since I acclimated him. I put some asterina by him but so far he hasn’t eaten. I’m figuring he’s just getting used to the tank. Should I be worried?

Would give it a day or so. They generally don’t move too much mine have an area they generally hang around until they get hungry and come out to the front of the tank looking for food

 

[sunken3]

mine mostly wiped out my billion asternia in a few weeks.. then he ate a few double stars - then i moved him to an 8 gallon and now he eats a CC every 2 or so weeks..

 

[sunken3]

Asterina starfish never bothered me. I leave them be. I have bumble bees that keep them in check I guess. I have two on my back wall that have coralline grown over them. It's a really pretty shrimp though!

i used to leave them be . even liked them.. but they do seem to eat zoas.. so that wasn't cool.

 

[glb]

Poor Harley didn’t make it through the night. I found the hermits feasting on him this morning. Are hermits predators for harlequin shrimp?

 

[MERKEY]

Poor Harley didn’t make it through the night. I found the hermits feasting on him this morning. Are hermits predators for harlequin shrimp?

Oh no so sorry to hear this

How did you acclimate him?

Was he active after and moving around the tank or did he stay in the 1 spot until the crabs came and got him ?

Yes unfortunately crabs are eaters of everything!

 

[glb]

Oh no so sorry to hear this

How did you acclimate him?

Was he active after and moving around the tank or did he stay in the 1 spot until the crabs came and got him ?

Yes unfortunately crabs are eaters of everything!

I floated the bag in the tank for 20-30 minutes to equalize temperature then I put him in. He wasn’t active in the tank, which I thought might be normal for a day or two. I don’t know if he died first or if the crabs killed him. Is there something I could’ve done differently?

 

[CMMorgan]

Sorry to hear that. RIP Harley. He was a beautiful shrimp. It's hard to say what could have been done differently. Maybe drop in some food to keep the hermits fat and happy before he went in?
Try some bumble bee snails. They do a good job also.