harlequin shrimp

[tkimmons85]

Well after battling for what seems many months an asterina starfish epidemic in my tank I finally found a good game plan. HARLEQUIN SHRIMP. Don't know why I didn't know this before but turns out Harlequin shrimp decimate an asterina problem very quickly. So I'm on the hunt for a pair of shrimp. Anyone have any they want to get rid of ? I know its a shot in the dark but who can blame a guy for trying. I'll prob order some from the critter. Yes i also know that Im going to have to feed them starfish after the asterinas are gone to keep them alive. I have been doing research on them and they love chocolate chip and blue linka starfish. I'll prob keep a few chocolate stars in my sump and break a leg off to feed them ever other week or so.

 

[mapn4reef]

"break a leg off" Hmmm you better not post that on your facebook page, seeing as folks have targeted you as conducting acts of cruelty to animals...

We might work out a deal, Chocolate chips eat Xenia, I house the chips, they do the work then I pass them on to you...win, win...as long as I can keep them away from the softies I want to keep...

 

[tkimmons85]

Sounds like a diabolical plan of asterina and xenia EXTERMINATION !!

 

[GT_Jacket]

See if Critter will take them back once the situation is under control.

 

[tkimmons85]

That is a possibility, but they are so cool I may want to keep them and feed them chocolates.

 

[sandra01]

But cut or braking off legs sounds so cruel!
Shrimp are pretty but I could not cut up the starfish. YUCK! that is just me.

 

[tkimmons85]

Starfish have no problem regenerating legs, sort of like a lizard shedding its tail as an escape mechanism.

 

[tkimmons85]

Either that happens or it happens like it does in the wild. The shrimp eat the starfish alive.....mooooahhh ahhha ahahah <- evil laugh

 

[mapn4reef]

Guess I shouldn't mention those coral covered rocks and your oven baking adventures...OH, oops... Wonder if you can buy baby choco chip stars somewhere...or other star babies...

 

[tkimmons85]

No No you got it all wrong... I first scraped all the palys off with a wire brush, then I boiled the rocks for 5 hrs, then I baked them at 500 for 5 hrs.

 

[Jennifier615]

Only issue is the eat your brittle stars too.....they don't discriminate.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Sounds like you like your Rocks well done! Hehehe
Bill

 

[tkimmons85]

Harlequins wont touch brittles, research it.

 

[TomStill]

is this the preferred way to get rid of asterina starfish, or is this just the method you want to use? Sounds like a good method, I have asterina starfish in my tank and I can see them multiplying, just trying to figure out the best way to get rid of them.

 

[Pickupman66]

I had heard that they wont kill the larger stars as they need them to continually produce food (feet).

 

[tkimmons85]

From what I've researched on them they will wipe out a population and move onto the next thing and or starve. I've had thousands in my tank before and they wiped out my entire coraline algae covered back glass. I've been siphoning them out for about a year about 3 times a week. Im down to a couple hundred that are in the crevices of the rock I can't get

This is hopefully the last attack

 

[Jennifier615]

Oh Cool cause I thought they would eat my brittles......maybe we could buy a pair and kinda hand them around lol.....like a sea hare I heard was handed around by the club for like three years.

 

[tkimmons85]

Maybe, they are so cool looking though I might want to keep them.

 

[Jennifier615]

How much are they usually? Are they commensal with other inverts?

 

[tkimmons85]

It depends on what type and where you buy them, Ive seen them for 24 dollars online but then you have to pay shipping. On the other hand there are "prettier" types that cost more. Apparently one type is called the hawaiian harlequin and I saw a thread where a guy on here wanted $90 for one. I dont know what they go for here locally at the LFS