Feediing Styles for feeding Harlequin Shrimp?

[JasonD]

Hi,
I was told to just put the chocolate Star in the tank for about 24 hours and let the shrimp work him over. Then take him out and let him regenerate for a couple of weeks.

But I've read that you can cut off a let and feed it to the Shrimp. Which style do you guys and gals tend to prefer and why?

Jason

 

[kawicivic]

the most popular method I have heard of is keeping 2 stars and cutting off a leg to feed. I don't remember how frequent most do it but they alternate to give the stars time to heal. I want to say about once a week they add a new leg.

 

[kawicivic]

O and the method you described would work but I think you need to feed more often than every couple weeks. I think cutting the leg off would be easier on the starfish vs losing a majority of the legs.

 

[JasonD]

I did an experiment and put the chocolate star in with the shrimp. Oh man the shrimp was really working him over, so much so I took him out after a couple of hours. Definately think it would be easier on the star to just cut off a leg and feed it.

Jason

 

[racrumrine]

To me, the whole Chocolate Star feeding system is rather brutal.

What about setting up a tank with Asterina starfish? At least the Asterinas would have a chance to hide in your Main Tank. If you had enough of them, they would probably reproduce faster than your shrimp could eat them. And, they would clean the algae too.

Best of luck,

Roy

 

[study]

My shrimp never would touch the Chocolate Star. I was afaid he'd starve.

I had to special order the common star, and spend more money.

From my research....I came across some info about how the high percentage of minerels makes Chocolate Star's body hard like a rock.

I was told that the common star is more of a fleshy starfish and much better for my Harlequins.

Anyone else look into this?

 

[philter4]

my harlequins eat what ever star I put with them, but they definitly prefer linkia stars, if they are eating a chocolate chip and I put a linkia in with them they immeciatly leave the chocolate chip and move to the linkia, even if the chocolate chip is mostly whole. If given time they eat any star down to almost nothing in about 1 week to 10 days.

As sad as this seems, I knew what it ate when I collected them and decided to keep them anyway. I am lucky in that I can collect stars as often as I need them but if I wasn't able to I would still purchase them food as if they were any other animal I chose to keep.

The cost of food should only be a concern before you get the shrimp, after that it is our responsability to keep them as healthy as possible. Chopping off one leg IMO has 2 problems with it, first you have to have many stars to get the legs otherwise if you have to keep cutting off legs you may as well just put the whole star in. 2nd for a star to grow its leg back takes lots of food and time. My harlequins eat a star every 10 days or so and seem to shed and do well, I don't ever let them fast because if food is available and they are not hungry they will stop eating but I want them to have the option.

[/IMG]

 

[philter4]

here is th photo I tried to post from the last response,
it is the female of the pair caught in Hawaii nov of 06, photo taken about 1 month ago