Harlequin Shrimp.
- Thread starter eco170
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Tyrosinase
New member
These shrimp will only eat starfish. If you don't have many of the little starfish or a way to provide starfish for it then you will not be able to keep one for very long. I have heard of people cutting off starfish arms to keep them fed.
They eat the tube feet of starfish. Some individuals can be pickier than others, only accepting certain star species (though I suspect if they get hungry enough they'll become less picky - I've heard of them even going after other echinoderm tube feet, not just stars). I had a pair in a 55g reef years ago. Fed them chocolate chip stars. Kept a few stars in the sump. Cut a leg off different individuals every week or so for the shrimp. CC stars are fairly easy to keep/feed, that's why I chose them. I'll also point out that these shrimp, at least IME, are not very showy...they hide a lot....only come out when hungry.
hth
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I've got one in my 29g tank. They're not very active animals, so tank size shouldn't be an issue. I've had it for 8 months, during which time it's practically doubled in size.
Harlequins eat only starfish. They eat the whole thing BTW, not just the tube feet as some people have said. As long as you can get starfish in some form, they're very easy to keep. I'm fortunate in that I'm able to go out diving regularly and catch my own starfish locally, so this isn't an issue for me. They're not very picky about species, so practically any kind of starfish ought to be fine. They'll eat frozen pieces of starfish too, so you can stockpile food for them if you have to. I like to feed mine Linkia stars, because after the shrimp has picked it apart the legs stay alive and don't foul the water. One starfish lasts nearly a month.
My harlequin spends most of his time in holes in the rockwork. The way I have the tank set up, though, the caves all face frontwards so you can see him most of the time. He's a gorgeous animal and always gets comments whenever people see the tank.
Harlequins eat only starfish. They eat the whole thing BTW, not just the tube feet as some people have said. As long as you can get starfish in some form, they're very easy to keep. I'm fortunate in that I'm able to go out diving regularly and catch my own starfish locally, so this isn't an issue for me. They're not very picky about species, so practically any kind of starfish ought to be fine. They'll eat frozen pieces of starfish too, so you can stockpile food for them if you have to. I like to feed mine Linkia stars, because after the shrimp has picked it apart the legs stay alive and don't foul the water. One starfish lasts nearly a month.
My harlequin spends most of his time in holes in the rockwork. The way I have the tank set up, though, the caves all face frontwards so you can see him most of the time. He's a gorgeous animal and always gets comments whenever people see the tank.
Guess I never really paid attention to which parts they were eating as they ripped into it. I stand corrcted
Here's a blurb I found interesting:
Species of the Month
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Harlequin Shrimp
Hymenocera picta
Harlequin shrimp are like clowns of the sea. Not only do they look funny, they only feed on starfish and to watch them drag a starfish is like watching a circus act. In fact, they are sometimes called simply Clown Shrimp for that reason.
World Range and Habitat:
Harlequin Shrimp are found in the Central Pacific Ocean below the intertidal zone on the deep side of the reefs. Encounters with these shrimp are rare. They are rarely seen on any reef and when they are they are usually tucked into crevices in male-female pairs.
Feeding Behavior:
Harlequin shrimp subsist solely on a diet of starfish. Using their petal like antennae, the pick up the scent of their prey. Then, using their unique paddle like pincers, they usually work as a team to flip the starfish onto its back piercing the skeleton using specialized mouthparts to get to the soft tissue. The shrimp cleverly keep their prey alive while feeding by beginning with the tip of the arm working towards the central portion of the starfish's body. The starfish's only defense is to abandon the arm on which the shrimp is feeding.
Reproduction:
Harlequin shrimp reproduce sexually with females releasing 100-5000 eggs per season.
These shrimp are found in mated pairs that remain together for long periods of time. In many animal species, especially in mammals, the male will mate with many females to spread his DNA to as many offspring as possible. Male Harlequin shrimp however remain monogamous with their mate because receptive females are scarce in Harlequin shrimp populations, and left alone, it is likely the female would quickly find a new mate.
Family Gnathophyllidae | Genus Hymenocera | Species picta
References: http://www.pbrc.hawaii.edu
I also found articles concerning their ability to locate stars using chemical trails, as well as their noticeable monogamous nature.
I had mine for over 2 years before I lost it in a molt. They are fascinating creatures. It grew quit a bit while I had it. The only problem I had was getting starfish. I would buy all they had everytime I could find them. But there were times I had to hit every LFS in Salt Lake to find one. So I opted not to get another one.
DizziDezi2
New member
um... does no one else think its horrible to 'cut' off star fish legs?
Live_Rock'r
New member
I have always admired those little guys. I also didn't ralize they would except frozen star fish. About how much does an individual eat on a weekly basis?
