[NewFishGirl]

My fiance and I are going over to the LFS to purchase a harlequin shrimp today. We have an enormous overpopulation of asterna starfish in our tank (not exagerating, we have thousands) and although we have been maually removing them for weeks now, we can't even make a dent.

I know that harlequin shrimp will only eat starfish, so I'd like some advice for feeding him once the asterna stars are gone. Would a small starfish once a week be enough?

 

[Doug1]

I think they primarily feed on the tube feet, but thats not a for sure, at the shop we would keep pairs and feed them a choclate chip star every couple weeks if they didn't sell right away.
Keep your eye out for left over star corpses till you figger out if they will eat the whole thing

 

[NewFishGirl]

I think they primarily feed on the tube feet, but thats not a for sure, at the shop we would keep pairs and feed them a choclate chip star every couple weeks if they didn't sell right away.
Keep your eye out for left over star corpses till you figger out if they will eat the whole thing

Are you refering to the asternas? Even if they don't eat the entire star, I think we could leave the smaller carcases (some are very tiny, the size of an apple seed) and siphon out the larger ones (still pretty small, about the size of a kernel of corn.

Or were you refering to later, when I need to feed larger starfish?

Thanks for the advice!

 

[NewFishGirl]

Also, is it okay that we are only buying one? I see a lot of people keep them in pairs.

 

[Doug1]

Are you refering to the asternas? Even if they don't eat the entire star, I think we could leave the smaller carcases (some are very tiny, the size of an apple seed) and siphon out the larger ones (still pretty small, about the size of a kernel of corn.

Or were you refering to later, when I need to feed larger starfish?

Thanks for the advice!

Both as far as left overs, but esp with the larger stars later on

I think they seem happier in pairs but I have never actually kept them myself. I don't recall off hand if they are hermorphadite like some shrimp, so I don't know if they will assume male/female role like clowns do

 

[NewFishGirl]

We would have bought a pair, but the LFS only had one today, and we were really wanting to get one in the tank ASAP.

Thanks for the tips, I will definitely keep them in mind.

And if anyone else has one of these little guys, I'd love to hear how you care for it.

Thanks!

 

[umakemekissu]

I have 2 in my 125gl.. not a pair though!! i feed them chocolate starfish! since i have 2.. i cut off a couple of legs off the star so both of shrimp dont fight over 1 starfish! they will eat constantly all the time.. once you thow the star in.. shrimp and star are side by side all the time until the star is gone!! if you have a refugium.. you can buy several starfishes.. and then cut off the legs to feed the shrimp then let that starfish regrow the missing legs! that way you can save lots of money in a long run! Hope that make sense!!