herpboyben
New member
buttons buster, what type of filtration do you use in your shrimp tank? also what size tank is it? im asking because i set up a ten gallon yesterday for my shrimp.
Harlequin Shrimp
- Thread starter buttons buster
- Start date
herpboyben
New member
bump
buttons buster
New member
I have an eight gallon biocube. I use the standard biocube filter.
I also have chaeto in the middle and third chambers.
I also have chaeto in the middle and third chambers.
buttons buster
New member
My shrimp have seem to be in the process of courting.
They have locked claws and are dancing around the tank.
philter4
New member
I usually take the star out if it starts to disolve or the shrimp abandon it. While the star is being consumed it isn't dead so it produces no more waste then a live star would. I usually buy one every 7-10 days, depends on how hungry the shrimp are, as mine go through a star I watch and decide when to get another.
Sorry for so much questions. I really like these, but want to guage and plan. Roughly how often and how much does it consume? I'm afraid it draggin the star away and hiding it.
So your saying, it'll devour the star, and until then you won't add it to your tank?
Do you bother acclimating the star anyway if its gonna die, but if it goes into shock it might die right?
I've read they eat linkias and chocolate?
Thanks.
So your saying, it'll devour the star, and until then you won't add it to your tank?
Do you bother acclimating the star anyway if its gonna die, but if it goes into shock it might die right?
I've read they eat linkias and chocolate?
Thanks.
Tennyson
Active member
To answer your first question, my harlequin will eat a WHOLE star (about 3-3.5 inches across, sometimes smaller). But other people's are different.
They can be fed (last without food) for about 3-4 weeks, but it is really best to feed it after its done with its star ASAP to make it very happy. -I feed mine withing a week after its done with it's star.
Don't bother acclimating the star, unless maybe theres a huge salinity difference. Otherwise theirs no need, its food. :lol: Out of the maybe 10 times I've fed mine so far (I've had it for about 3 months) none have died and they were never acclimated. I don't add another star to the tank until it's done with the first one completely.
There are many species they will eat. They prefer linkias over all stars, but go with chocolate chip stars and save your money. Most people use those because they are the cheapest.
And they will not eat brittle stars/serpant stars. They are too fast and scare the shrimp when/if they try to attack it.
Some people buy them (harlequin shrimp) to control populations of Asterina stars (small hitchiker grazer stars) and that works too, but they should be fed after all the stars are gone.
Many people use a special technique with feeding Chocolate chip stars to save money and time they'd spend going to the store every week.
They buy 4-6 stars, any size. And add them to a seperate tank/fuge/refugium. Every time the harlequin needs food, they cut off the leg of one star and feed it to them. The leg will grow back on the star, during this time of regeneration, you can rotate with the other 3-5 stars.
I, though, like to feed them whole stars just because its so much cooler watching them eat and attack it
:lol: And I think they enjoy it more too. And some people complain that their harlequin's will not eat star legs because they are not alive, but its all different.
Good luck! They are worth all this time and money, trust me. And a mated pair is best to have because its twice the beauty!
They can be fed (last without food) for about 3-4 weeks, but it is really best to feed it after its done with its star ASAP to make it very happy. -I feed mine withing a week after its done with it's star.
Don't bother acclimating the star, unless maybe theres a huge salinity difference. Otherwise theirs no need, its food. :lol: Out of the maybe 10 times I've fed mine so far (I've had it for about 3 months) none have died and they were never acclimated. I don't add another star to the tank until it's done with the first one completely.
There are many species they will eat. They prefer linkias over all stars, but go with chocolate chip stars and save your money. Most people use those because they are the cheapest.
And they will not eat brittle stars/serpant stars. They are too fast and scare the shrimp when/if they try to attack it.
Some people buy them (harlequin shrimp) to control populations of Asterina stars (small hitchiker grazer stars) and that works too, but they should be fed after all the stars are gone.
Many people use a special technique with feeding Chocolate chip stars to save money and time they'd spend going to the store every week.
They buy 4-6 stars, any size. And add them to a seperate tank/fuge/refugium. Every time the harlequin needs food, they cut off the leg of one star and feed it to them. The leg will grow back on the star, during this time of regeneration, you can rotate with the other 3-5 stars.
I, though, like to feed them whole stars just because its so much cooler watching them eat and attack it
:lol: And I think they enjoy it more too. And some people complain that their harlequin's will not eat star legs because they are not alive, but its all different. Good luck! They are worth all this time and money, trust me. And a mated pair is best to have because its twice the beauty!
here are mine!
buttons buster
New member
get them and post some pics lol
These were taken with my old camera.
I bought a new camera just for pics of my Harlequin & sexy shrimp.
I bought a new camera just for pics of my Harlequin & sexy shrimp.
I love my harlequin, I got it(haven't sexed it yet but will)about a week ago & man what a cool creature. It has been going to town on the asterina stars in my tank, I've seen him munching on like 1 per day! I was thinking about adding another but IDK I could see the feeding becoming a problem although I like the chocolate chip starfis legidea. We'll see I'm sure in a few weeks I'll have another 1!
wicked_NaCl_h2o
New member
I really like your picture aztbs..What I like about it the most is that I can finally see where their eyes are. Before these pictures I use to think the shrimps antenna were its eyes :lol: 
I am thinking about getting some Harlequin Shrimp to get rid of asterina stars. Lets see if I can convince my hubby. He is totally against buying them because they are one of the preditors of the crown of thorn stars.
I am thinking about getting some Harlequin Shrimp to get rid of asterina stars. Lets see if I can convince my hubby. He is totally against buying them because they are one of the preditors of the crown of thorn stars.
