Harlequin Shrimp feeding questions

[TheORKINMan]

A couple questions on feeding these guys.

a.) How long should I leave the starfish in with the shrimp? Just wait until it looksl ike all the feet are gone or what?

b.) After he's finished with a star how long should it be before I give him another one?

I've been planning on alternating the kinds of stars I give him, he's had a chocolate chip and a red thorny starfish, and my LFS gets some common atlantic starfish etc... is that good or does it not make a difference?

 

[cateyes]

just leave the starfish in with the shrimp. he probably will stay with it to the last piece bit of leg is consumed....

our shrimp usually pulls the starfish back into the rocks so we don't see him all the time. we know it's time to get him another when he comes out of the rockwork and starts roaming around the tank.

not sure about offering different stars. i once offered a sandsifting star to my shrimp, he nibbled a bit and abandoned it. he jumped on cc stars... HTH,,,, lisa

 

[MrRyanT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14699243#post14699243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cateyes
just leave the starfish in with the shrimp. he probably will stay with it to the last piece bit of leg is consumed....

our shrimp usually pulls the starfish back into the rocks so we don't see him all the time. we know it's time to get him another when he comes out of the rockwork and starts roaming around the tank.

not sure about offering different stars. i once offered a sandsifting star to my shrimp, he nibbled a bit and abandoned it. he jumped on cc stars... HTH,,,, lisa

I do the same thing with my pair.

 

[TheORKINMan]

OK cool I'll do that, so far he's gone after and squatted on both so hopefully thats a good sign that he's not finnicky.

As for the timing just drop one in like once every two weeks or as soon as he's done with one?

 

[edgex]

stars

stars

Not trying to jack your thread,just want to ask if anyone puts stars in reef for harlys or just peices of legs.I just wonder if he will stay on star not letting him eat my corals or will he eat his fill then let the star wonder off to destroy my tank.It is a c/c star by the way.I have two in the sump and take peice of legs 2-3 times a week,a bit cruel I know but harleys are very interesting to keep so I already have heard all the comments.Thanks

 

[luther1200]

I put in 1 CC star for 1 HS about once every 5 weeks. But I have asteria(not sure about spelling) stars i n there he eats in the mean time. I just leave it in and he doesn't let it leave the whole time he has it. I have seen it take up to a week for him to eat 1. But I wouldn't worry about the star getting away, the HS is very good at catching and incapacitating them.

I have had mine for almost 2yrs now and I love the guy, they are so interesting to watch. Mine is always wondering around the tank looking for those tiny stars I mentioned above. Ecept when I put a CC in for him that is. The only other thing I would recomend triyng to do is clean the area he eats with a siphon if you can get into it. It can get a little dirty, but your CUC and bio filter should be able to handle it if you can't get a siphon in the area.

 

[monti1]

I have never added a star to my tank with my Harlequin. I do have tons of asterinas. WHen I run low I can get more asterinas from the LFS

 

[cateyes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14699681#post14699681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheORKINMan
OK cool I'll do that, so far he's gone after and squatted on both so hopefully thats a good sign that he's not finnicky.

As for the timing just drop one in like once every two weeks or as soon as he's done with one?

yeah, i'd just wait until you see him out roaming, from my experience , he'll stay with one until it's gone completely, then start roaming out in the ipen.. that's my clue to drop him another...

here he is getting down to "the last drop"