harlequin food

[cashyboy]

I just bought a harlequin shrimp, what will be the best star to feed it? Thanks

 

[graveyardworm]

If you can get a reproducing population of Asterina stars going that would be the best, or collect them from some local hobbyist that has an abundance. No pressure on wild collection.

 

[Premiumaq]

Occasionally I've encountered trouble getting a harli onto asterina... maybe a predisposition to a former local star or just pickiness... but you can set up a 'sustainable harvest chocolate chip tank' to cycle through as feeders as well. Keep four or five, and never feed with one long enough that it can't regenerate with some rest. Sounds cruel? No more so than consigning thousands of asterinas to death...

 

[RockinSmall]

doesnt sound that cruel to me as i am sure it happens in nature.. i think thats better than killing one entirely every week...

 

[Flightpipe]

How often do they have to be fed?

 

[Flightpipe]

and is there such a thing as frozen stars for food or is it only live?

 

[dendro982]

Don't have this shrimp, but considered getting one and did some reading then.
One guy used frozen chocolate chip star, advising the same to another, who used frozen linckia starfish.

 

[Flightpipe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14603483#post14603483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flightpipe
How often do they have to be fed?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14604438#post14604438 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flightpipe
and is there such a thing as frozen stars for food or is it only live?

???

 

[Sculp1n]

I've never herd of a frozen stars but I've been told to feed them one chocolate chip leg every 1-2 weeks. I've been doing this for a while now and mine appear to be doing great. Once I get down to the last two legs I just chuck the whole thing in there. Be advised though, if you drop a hole one in there don't expect to see your harlequins for a few weeks. They anesthetize the star, stash it away, and feed on it very slowly. They will even feed the star while they are eating it just to keep it alive for as long as possible.

Crazy little creatures.


Sculpin

 

[iamwhatiam52]

I've seen it mentioned that they can survive on asterinas, but how many would it take to sustain a harlequin? Seems like even a hundred asterinas is not equivalent to a single leg of a chocolate chip! Seems like there ain't much meat on those little suckers.

How many for one shrimp?
20 a week?
200 a week?

Also, will they eat micro brittle stars?

 

[Sculp1n]

I doubt you'll get an answer on that, I bet no one really knows. I would do some research on starfish and see what kind of smaller, less aggressive, and cheap starfish are available. Asteria's you can find for free but are a pain to pick off and they are tiny.


Sculpin

 

[Pulp Fishin]

As for how often they should be fed?

They can go 2-3 weeks between meals but I would say 2 weeks is pushing it. They will eat any star they can keep fliped over easily. Personally I've seen mine eat astrea/linkia/chocolatechip & those small bristol stars.
I have 2 bristol stars in my DT with the 2 Harlequins for the last 5 months. I doubht the Harlequisn can catch a healthy bristol star.

 

[Flightpipe]

What about quantity? Would a pair take our a whole CC star every two weeks? or toss em an arm instead?

 

[Pulp Fishin]

My paid will go though a star is usually a week or less.
A Linkia usually last 5-6 days depends on their size, a chocolate chip star is always gone within 7 days from going into the harlequin tank, then I make them wait a week and feed them another star or arm.

A arm of a star will probbly lst a day or two.

 

[2_zoa]

Re: harlequin food

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14547628#post14547628 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cashyboy
I just bought a harlequin shrimp, what will be the best star to feed it? Thanks

I feed mine CC stars cause they are cheaper and my LFS stocks them. My pair will go through a star in about 2-3 weeks.

Also if you choose to add another one so you will have a pair.....make sure of the sex that you have. If you introduce the same sex then you will have a fight on your hands.


This is a real good read,
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/harlequinshrimp.html

 

[rytrearc]

Best star is definately asterina...they are probably free. It'll probably be expensive to actually buy other sea stars for it.

 

[amstar]

so if I put about 5-7 CC into my sump/fuge (48"x18" with macro-algae, live rock and mangroves) i could just chop an arm off every 4 -5 days and feed it to a pair a harlequin's and that should take care of their food source? having 5 CC would allow me to rotate which ones I take arms from and hopefully let them grow back arms in time.

 

[2_zoa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14658214#post14658214 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by amstar
so if I put about 5-7 CC into my sump/fuge (48"x18" with macro-algae, live rock and mangroves) i could just chop an arm off every 4 -5 days and feed it to a pair a harlequin's and that should take care of their food source? having 5 CC would allow me to rotate which ones I take arms from and hopefully let them grow back arms in time.

Yes you got it. :thumbsup: It takes about a month to regrow an arm. That is if they are well feed. That is the nice thing about CC. They are easily feed cause they will accept meaty foods. So a piece of scallop or something of the such and they will be happy.