Thinking about Harlequin Shrimp...

[Chrisv.]

So deep in the rock its usually a small glimpse of him, it almost never comes out, that I see, but sometimes it will be out and the colors are amazing.

I didn't realize they are so reclusive. Cool shrimp.

 

[The_ReefB0y_FOX24]

okay

 

[Antyama]

Something interesting, I found a store that apparently managed to feed them some kind of alternative food a year ago, but after asking them what happened, they basically told me they died after some weeks/months.
Their guess was that the nutritional profile didn't match up enough.

It's interesting, why exactly do harlequin shrimps only eat starfish? I guess it must be a special compound in them that is an essential nutrient for these shrimps, kind of like how cats are obligate carnivores

I guess there must be people that tried it already but could one just mix ground up starfish with something other and maybe make a star shape and give it to them?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Something interesting, I found a store that apparently managed to feed them some kind of alternative food a year ago, but after asking them what happened, they basically told me they died after some weeks/months.
Their guess was that the nutritional profile didn't match up enough.

It's interesting, why exactly do harlequin shrimps only eat starfish? I guess it must be a special compound in them that is an essential nutrient for these shrimps, kind of like how cats are obligate carnivores

I guess there must be people that tried it already but could one just mix ground up starfish with something other and maybe make a star shape and give it to them?

You could (at least in theory) powder the starfish (or freeze it, freeze dry it, etc.) and feed it to the shrimp, but I don't know that it would be any easier than feeding live. I do know there has been some work done on alternative feeds for these shrimp, but I don't know if anyone has found something effective yet or not. The main problem I see with it is the same problem we already have - breeding/farming the starfish to keep a constant, not ecologically harmful source of food for the shrimp.

 

[Antyama]

You could (at least in theory) powder the starfish (or freeze it, freeze dry it, etc.) and feed it to the shrimp, but I don't know that it would be any easier than feeding live. I do know there has been some work done on alternative feeds for these shrimp, but I don't know if anyone has found something effective yet or not. The main problem I see with it is the same problem we already have - breeding/farming the starfish to keep a constant, not ecologically harmful source of food for the shrimp.

I'm interested in what the "threshold" of starfish content is for harleys to eat hybrid food. If the ratio is 50/50 mixed with some nutritious easily available invert food, you could maybe combine it with the chocolate chip starfish method of cutting of a leg and mixing it so you have double the feed so to speak. But yeah, such a shame that the most beautiful inverts like nudibranches and harleys are so hard to keep because of their diet

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Not every saltwater animal is ment to be kept long term in our glass cages, we as hobbyist should just enjoy this animal if it is needed for a purpose then pass it along to the next person to enjoy, if you don't require this shrimp to remove pesky asterina starfish then enjoy that, but I think it is cruel to have it, and it have a limited food source so it's always hungry or purposely dismember a starfish to keep it alive.

I currently have one but he is well fed for now but when I can see the starfish numbers have diminished or it looks like he is hunting way to hard I will give him away until the numbers come back and I will get one again, I'd never cut up/slowly kill a starfish for it thats ludicrous to me.

(Remember nature is nature, but nothing about our aquarium set up is natural, find a piece in the world like your tank and maybe I'd take it back, even then I bet it doesn't plug in)

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Still have 100's of starfish but now I can notice the shrimp venturing out further from its normal area, when its chasing food down Is a good sign its getting low on resources, luckily my other system is growing asterina just as quick so this shrimp may be able to go back and forth for a while. I only got one shrimp and glad I did 2 would have probably wiped out the starfish population pretty quick.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I added one too. Reef cleaners. Shipped well. Just chillin in his cave. Plenty asterina.

 

[hart24601]

I do want to add CC starfish grow limbs very slowly. I had some harlequins to clear out astrina and I supplemented with CC stars I kept in my 150g Rubbermaid sump with chaeto. Gave the shrimp away after a while and it’s been at least 6mo and the stars have just tiny nubs for arms so cycling them to regrow isn’t very viable.