Enough Asterinas to keep a Harlequin Shrimp?

[ntropics]

I have a 180 with a fifty gallon sump. The tanks is eight feet long by two feet high by 18 inches front to back. If you look at the photo, each little white dot is an asterina. Those are, of course, the ones that are visible. Obviously there will be many that cannot be seen.

Will this be enough to keep one harlequin happy without having to purchase more starfish to feed? My goal is that the reproduction rate of the asterinas will outpace or at least keep up with the needs of the shrimp.

Thank you
Bruce

 

[mcgyvr]

I'm not entirely sure.. They are quite an eater from my understanding..
I have seen reports of people stating they have cleared a tank with hundreds of Asterinas (probably much like yours) in just 2 months

 

[MondoBongo]

i would advise against that.

they consume a truly incredible amount of stars.

i have a 160 that's overrun with asterinas, and i had to supplement all the time with chocolate chip stars. you would be shocked at how fast harlequins can rip through those delicious tube feet.

 

[ChrisnViv]

We too had about 100 Asterinas in our 75 gallon tank, and purchased a harlequin shrimp about two months ago. The seastar population quickly depleted, and the shrimp moulted 2x. We bought a chocolate chip star to feed it since the Asterinas were almost gone, cut off the leg and placed it near the shrimp. I haven't seen the shrimp now in over a week, and yesterday, I found the cut chocolate chip seastar leg in the tank, appearing to be uneaten. Should we be concerned the shrimp has died? I've not found any parts of it in the tank. Previously, it was fairly active except for a couple of days around when it moulted.

 

[Scurry]

They do make quick work of asterinas. I had a bunch and they were gone in a month or so. They once a month I'd throw a sand sifter in there. Missed a month once and the Harley died.

 

[ntropics]

Oh well. As Emily Latella would say, "Never mind."
(I'm showing my age here!)

Bruce