what kind of starfishes can be fed to harlequins?

[mingwen1611]

hi all...

need some help here... what kind of starfishes can i feed my harlequins... they just finished one orange linkia( is this the correct spelling?) star... was thinking whether can let them eat choc. chip starfish... is it ok? or rather... what kind of starfishes should i avoid feeding them?

[hamannbmw]

sand star is cheaper

[hamannbmw]

yes u r right, they love linkia but if starve awhile eat everything. If yr harlequin is small and u throw the whole sand star in, it might have problem feasting, cos sand star hides under the sand.

[Zero Oxygen]

better feed with linkia...... it is much more nutritious then sand star.

after a long time, the shrimp might die of malnutrition.

if your shrimp is small, you might want to starve it for a few days, freeze the linkia, break off the chuck that they are able to consume. this will help to save some money and prevent ammonia spike if the star died before they are consumed.

[kareen]

I know harlequin shrimp eat starfish.... but it is kind of cruel that u keep buying live starfish to feed.... Will this harlequin shrimp learn to eat other stuff like frozen mysis shrimp, cylopees, brine shrimps, etc, etc?

Jus curious to find out more....

[lightningstrike]

harlequin shrimps only feed on echinoderms, primarily starfish, and a few urchin species. It will eat starfish (Linckia, Fromia sp.)

[yuji]

hmm.. so sad to but starfishes only to have the shrimps eat them...

[kareen]

harlequin shrimps only feed on echinoderms, primarily starfish, and a few urchin species. It will eat starfish (Linckia, Fromia sp.)

[lvcap]

a red linkia seems softer for them to tear apart..

i am feeding my paired ones with a blue linkia now..they take a long time to tear off the leg...

but blue ones are cheaper..

maybe buy a red once in awhile to pamper them?

and after finishing the red linkia..they do turn a bit more reddish..will see how it goes after this blue one..

[mingwen1611]

for all the replies.... my pair finished one whole star in like think 4 or 5 days... den its like almost every week gotta spend $$$ on stars....

juz curious... but how do u guys feed ur harlequins? juz dump the whole star into the aquarium?

[mingwen1611]

a red linkia seems softer for them to tear apart..

i am feeding my paired ones with a blue linkia now..they take a long time to tear off the leg...

but blue ones are cheaper..

maybe buy a red once in awhile to pamper them?

and after finishing the red linkia..they do turn a bit more reddish..will see how it goes after this blue one..

haha.... mine's the blue ones..... so wun turn red...