Harlequin shrimp vs LG blue linkia

[Pulp Fishin]

I saw this blue linkia starfish for $25 in Brampton last week and couldn't help think how long it would fed my 2 harlequins for.
Turns out the linkia was too big and my harlequins couldn't do much dammage so after watching them try to flip it for a day I knew they had meet their match!
Here are pics...
Beside a red fromia star thats been in the system for 3 month without being touched by my harlequins.

2 min later my harlequins were on the attack

Watch them try and flip over this guy

By now the harlequins seem to be giving up.

After a few hours I broke out the pruning shears and cut off a part of his arm and tossed it in the tank.
Here they are making off into the dark with the linkia arm..havn't seen them over the last 5 days since so I hope they enjoyed their super-sized meal!

 

[Pulp Fishin]

Here they are making off into the dark with the part of starfish arm!

 

[Pufferpunk]

Considering the already poor sucess rate of these stars, I bet the Harleys will get him eventually, especially not that he's damaged.

 

[cmlloveless]

Tis a shame to see such a beutiful star get fed to ur shrimp! But I guess the shrimp have to eat too!

 

[Pulp Fishin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13762030#post13762030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cmlloveless
Tis a shame to see such a beutiful star get fed to ur shrimp! But I guess the shrimp have to eat too!

You will be glad to hear its not a total loss yet. The blue linkia is in my 135g tank since this event and regorating his arm quite fast.
My fiance reminds me all the time she feels its cruel to kill or cut arms off starfish for my harlequins but my only defence is its their nature. If my harlequins were out in the ocean or in my tank they would still eat stafish.
I knew this before I got them so I feel I had to be ready to provide them a good home and enough food to keep them happy. I would feel its crewl not to provide for them sine I got them.

So for nowthe Linkia is fine and welll, I've suplemented my harlequins feedings with a chocolatechip star. So lets hope the blue linkia continues his fast regoration and is in good health for the next time I come back with the purning shears! *snip snip*

 

[AqUaCHiC]

sad

 

[REEF-n-Chicago]

awesome! love the harlys

 

[Pulp Fishin]

Thanks reef-n-chicago, glad you like the harlys.

And for those who are starfish sensative, i'll repeat the linkia is now in my 135 regorating to normal health.
I'm sorry for those who adore starfish and hate too see this, its their(the harlequins) nature to eat starfish. If you keep these shrimp it would be very crewl not to supply them with food they need.

Cheers

 

[sunfishh]

Great thread. In a way its too bad your shrimp could not enjoy their feast, but atleast you now own a beautiful creature.

 

[suta4242]

Why can't you just breed some asterinas?

Won't the shrimp eat those?



cheers

 

[Pufferpunk]

You can put out a plea for asterinas to your local reef club & keep them in your fuge.

 

[Pulp Fishin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13813332#post13813332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by suta4242
Why can't you just breed some asterinas?

Won't the shrimp eat those?



cheers

Good point, breeding astreas takes no care just space for them to breed without getting eaten!
Lucky when I started my 135(spare tank) I bought 100lbs of used rock that had tones of astrea stars all over & in them. So when I see a few that are easy enough to reach I'll grab them and toss them in my 65 reef tank w/ the harlequins. Even if I added a bunch of astreas though they wouldn't feed 2 harlequins for long though.
I do find it nice that I still find free snacks for my harlequins and I just try not to depleat the astrea population compleatly.

I always suplment their feeding with whatever I find available at my LFS or the shops in my area. I feed them mostly linkia & chocolatechip stars. In my 65 system I have a red fromia star & 2 bristol stars that seem to be fine. Not that my harlequins can't eat them but they can't/arn't.

I don't feed them whole blue linkias often at all. In fact last time I did was early summer. Since I watched them go though a med blue linkia in 7 days I don't think even breedig astreas will completly apise their appetites compleatly.

Heres pics of the linkia healing well

Here he is w/ his new tank mates!

Next time I'll get a good close up of his regorating arm.

 

[sunfishh]

Nice pics

 

[chrisstie]

I'm not sure that you'd want to but do you know if they also pray on cucumbers? I have heard that some of their little arm things that they use to move around are similar to the starfish and at least bumblebee shrimp will eat them. Just curious if anyone has tried with the harleys

 

[Pulp Fishin]

No they won't eat cucumbers.
I have 2 diffrent cucumbers in my 65g reef system and the Harlequins don't seem to pay them any attention at all.

I want to buy 2 or 3 diffrent urchins and let them roam the 65 and see if the Harlequins will try eating any of their tube feet.

Cheers