E.intheC
Active member
I wouldn't say normal, but it's not "uncommon" in my experience. Sometimes they just take a bit of time to get comfortable enough to eat in their new home.
Let's talk about Harlequin shrimp
- Thread starter E.intheC
- Start date
I wouldn't say normal, but it's not "uncommon" in my experience. Sometimes they just take a bit of time to get comfortable enough to eat in their new home.
kingfisherflesh
New member
Have you had issues with tangs eating shrimp before?
All tangs are pretty much at least 40% herbivorous. The rest of their diet is either detritus in some cases, or micro invertebrates. I wouldnt guess a harley would make the cut, even if it was very small.
You would have to have one the size of your pinky nail, and a tang that was 5"+ in my mind.
I wish I would have known this stuff back when I had an infested 75g...I almost want to start an asterina culture in my 125g to get a pair...but its really not worth the CC stars in my mind.
What I would like to see on this thread is more discussion about how you actually maintain their feeding needs.
How many CC stars are people rotating?
How long do they last?
Is there any number where you can just rotate indefinitely?
What do people feed the CC stars while they are in captivity?
L98-Z
New member
These are the questions I'd like to see as well. People say it's doable, but no one seems to point out the details in making it happen.
JokerGirl
Whistler's Mother
I finally lost my pair of about 5 years over the winter. First the female, and the male went a couple of months over her. Coincidence? I'm not sure.
I acquired a new pair in Chicago last month, and they appear to be doing well. But, the female is pretty aggressive to the male. I will probably have to start doing separate feedings for eat of them as she doesn't seem very willing to share her star. We'll see what happens as time goes on.
I acquired a new pair in Chicago last month, and they appear to be doing well. But, the female is pretty aggressive to the male. I will probably have to start doing separate feedings for eat of them as she doesn't seem very willing to share her star. We'll see what happens as time goes on.
E.intheC
Active member
StephLionfish
New member
Saw a pair of the little lovelies today! I was so close to bringing the harlequins home! Fabulous thread 
KillerReef
Wrasse-a-holic
I just picked up a harlequin today after having read this thread. I believe it is a female. I was worried to get one before because of their diet and not wanting to put a cc star in my reef, but after reading how they paralyze the starfish, I decided to give it a try.
I acclimated them together since they both came out of the same tank at the LFS. This is actually the same star that the fish store had given the shrimp to eat, so it jumped right on it. Once in the tank, I watched carefully and the shrimp did exactly as I'd hoped, pulled the starfish to a "good spot" and then went to work. The starfish has not moved since then so I assume it has been "shot up".
I did notice that one of the chocolate chips is missing, unfortunately I did not notice this before so it may have been gone from the start. But I read they usually leave those behind. Is that true?
I plan to get a new starfish every time the shrimp has finished the old one. I don't have the space to keep them in the sump and break off a leg each week.
I acclimated them together since they both came out of the same tank at the LFS. This is actually the same star that the fish store had given the shrimp to eat, so it jumped right on it. Once in the tank, I watched carefully and the shrimp did exactly as I'd hoped, pulled the starfish to a "good spot" and then went to work. The starfish has not moved since then so I assume it has been "shot up".
I did notice that one of the chocolate chips is missing, unfortunately I did not notice this before so it may have been gone from the start. But I read they usually leave those behind. Is that true?
I plan to get a new starfish every time the shrimp has finished the old one. I don't have the space to keep them in the sump and break off a leg each week.
KillerReef
Wrasse-a-holic
Yes, I was talking about the cc shaped knob on top of the star, but once I was able to get a better view, I could see that it was healed over and must have been gone before.
How do you break up your feedings? Do you wait a week after the starfish is gone? Thanks for the info...
How do you break up your feedings? Do you wait a week after the starfish is gone? Thanks for the info...
olemiss reb
Molon Labe
I'm on the one leg a week plan and then toss in the central disk when all legs are gone. Central disk last one to two weeks.
Dinner time
Dinner time
KillerReef
Wrasse-a-holic
nice pic, olemiss...
So basically you ration out your starfish. You keep it in your sump till feeding time? Do the legs just break off? Or do you have to cut them?
How long have you had the shrimp?
So basically you ration out your starfish. You keep it in your sump till feeding time? Do the legs just break off? Or do you have to cut them?
How long have you had the shrimp?
olemiss reb
Molon Labe
I've had it ~4-5 months. I keep a chocolate chip in the sump and cut legs off as needed. I use regular ole kitchen scissors but I think I'm going to try some bone shears next time. Scissors take some elbow grease to make a cut.
I try to cut below the first "bump". The scissors don't always cut clean and I've damaged the central disk in the past when I cut above the first bump. I'm hoping the bone shears will solve this problem.
new star--
KillerReef
Wrasse-a-holic
Thanks, do you directly feed the star anything or just let it eat what it can of scraps that make it to the sump?
olemiss reb
Molon Labe
I give it scraps of octopus/squid/shrimp whenever I feed my fimby. I just put some kenya tree in with it. I'm hoping it eats the trees- I have a lifetime supply in my 90 that I'm having trouble giving away.
KillerReef
Wrasse-a-holic
Cool thanks...
