Harlequin Shrimp

[VultureCP]

Has anyone here kept harlequin shrimp? I have done a lot of research and believe my 30g would make a good home to a pair. My real concern is finding a cheap source of starfish (~$10) and where to buy the pair. I don't exactly like purchasing inverts through the mail due to their sensitivity.

Any suggestions? My closest LFS is Aquaria Studio and their prices are a little high on starfish for feeding purposes.

 

[lusenut2]

Contact Rick on here. I know him and his wife had 1 for a long time. There name on here is tricky.

 

[jade2122]

sand sifting starfish are about $10, that is what i used to feed the one i got. i have no idea where to buy a pair though

 

[cee]

Do you have any reefer friends with asterina starfish they could harvest for you? Harlequins love them! Mine has gone over a year on those alone, although my tank is considerably larger than a 30. I have started supplemental feeding of a blue linkia, keeping the star in the sump and periodically cutting a leg off for the shrimp. A bit barbaric perhaps, but better than the linkia rotting away in the tank and going uneaten. I used to freeze chocolate chips and do the same about 15 years ago when I last kept Harleys.

 

[sttaylor]

I was just about to suggest asterina stars when cee posted. A year or so ago I harvested 30-40 for someone who was interested in culturing them to feed to their harlequins. Since then there has been growing debate over the desirability of asterinas in a reef tank. I am sure that you could find several locals willing to harvest them by the fist full from there tanks for next to nothing. They are also small enough that you shouldn't have to worry about the uneaten portions fouling your tank.

Scott

 

[achilles1]

If you want some asterina stars shoot me a pm. I've also been entertaing the idea of a harlequin myself. Where are you getting the shrimp from? I harvest the stars myself to thin the numbers out from time to time but I would rather have the shrimp do it for me. I took out at least 150 last month. I don't want them out competing the snails and fish for algae. They are like little lawnmowers.

 

[hexedagain]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12029982#post12029982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by achilles1
Where are you getting the shrimp from?

 

[hexedagain]

 

[achilles1]

Nice shrimp. How do I get a pair? What kind of stars do you feed yours?

 

[hexedagain]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12030392#post12030392 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by achilles1
Nice shrimp. How do I get a pair? What kind of stars do you feed yours?

Sent you a PM.
I feed these asterina and brittle stars.

 

[cowboyswife]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12030157#post12030157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hexedagain

Thats a really beautiful pic! Ive always wanted one, but I cant bring myself to hacking a star's leg to feed it lol

 

[Brazengrrl]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12031852#post12031852 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cowboyswife
Thats a really beautiful pic! Ive always wanted one, but I cant bring myself to hacking a star's leg to feed it lol

Im with you...............

 

[VultureCP]

Well those are amazing pics, and I believe that is the pair I am picking up tomorrow at World Wide Corals swap from hexedagain. I can't wait, been checking all my parameters making sure everything is 100% stable for their arrival.

I actually started looking into Harlequins as a means of controlling my asterina population. They are out of control and destroyed all of my coralline. My tank use to have a nice purple hue, in the past 4 months they have wiped most of it from the tank. Luckily they don't seem to consume any of my corals, though they do clean the pallys.

 

[hexedagain]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12031982#post12031982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by VultureCP
Well those are amazing pics, and I believe that is the pair I am picking up tomorrow at World Wide Corals swap from hexedagain.

That is the lovely couple themselves.

 

[hexedagain]

 

[VultureCP]

Wow they really are the most amazing shrimp looks wise. Which tank do you keep them in? I see you have 5!

 

[hexedagain]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12033049#post12033049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by VultureCP
Wow they really are the most amazing shrimp looks wise. Which tank do you keep them in? I see you have 5!

I need to change that to 7. :eek1:
I keep them in my 30 breeder yuma tank.

 

[gsellers1245]

i have my pair and they eat blue linkia, chocolate chip stars, and a starfish that ends up on shore locally about once a year. here's my 2 mated pairs

i have had mine for almost a year and the female constantly throws babies

 

[hexedagain]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12038845#post12038845 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsellers1245
i have my pair and they eat blue linkia, chocolate chip stars, and a starfish that ends up on shore locally about once a year. here's my 2 mated pairs

i have had mine for almost a year and the female constantly throws babies

Very nice. Do you have these in their own tank? It almost looks like they are in a frag tank.
What camera/lens are you using?

 

[gsellers1245]

yeah they are in the 40 frag tank. i am using a panasonic DMC-LZ2 5 mp camera with macro mode....(WALMART clearance $125) best camera i ever bought