Harlequin shrimp

[gtrigger]

Hi Bros,

I had fire and cleaner shrimps and have no problem keeping it; what about harlequin shrimps? Is it easy to keep? What do they feed, live starfishs?

Pls advise.

Thanks.

[DrJekyl_MrHyde]

IMO ... if u think that keeping blood shrimp should be a problem for u.. harlequin should be ok too... but feeding them is the main problem i find cause u have to look for star fish every 3weeks or so..

[iantoh]

hi there bro qtrigger,

harlequin shrimps have highly specialised diets, and will require you to meet this constant nutrition need. frankly, id suggest against getting harlequins, as youll need to constantly buy live starfish to sustain them. not only will it be costly, but it also raises your tank's bioload dramatically as harlequins often leave bits of starfish around to decay as they go on eating other parts.

but if youre really keen on them, and can provide both a stable environment for the shrimps, as well as meet their dietary needs, then by all means ya. they really are gorgeous creatures; just so difficult to keep.

cheers,

ian

[gtrigger]

Hi Bro Ian,

Good advice, thks.

[PerculaClownfish]

Hmm not too easy as their diet consist of starfishes!!A little too gross for me to provide!

[tineng]

a friend of mine went with me to a LFS once.....saw a nice pair of purple/pink harlequin .....spent a lot time staring at the pair and really like it......he couldn't quite understand why there was a starfish with one 2 legs in the same tank - until i explained it to him.....really freak him out.....

[Qxnviolet]

a friend of mine went with me to a LFS once.....saw a nice pair of purple/pink harlequin .....spent a lot time staring at the pair and really like it......he couldn't quite understand why there was a starfish with one 2 legs in the same tank - until i explained it to him.....really freak him out.....

Haha, my wife thought it was very cruel too. Nice shrimps though. Read that some people cut their starfishe's arm and feed that to their harlequin, wait for the arm to regenerate and then cut it again. Poor starfish Oh btw, anyone looking for harlequin can find them at Aquamarine.

[Panzz]

think some ppl even culture their own starfish.

Ya ppl do cut their starfish so that can feed more times wat... better then one whole starfish straight.

[PerculaClownfish]

haha ya

[fisheatme]

sometimes when u feed the whole starfish...the starfish may die and waste away (due to infection etc)...before the shrimp finishes it...

kinda a waste...n prob more cruel? Hence cutting maybe a better option...

[FuEl]

think some ppl even culture their own starfish.

Ya ppl do cut their starfish so that can feed more times wat... better then one whole starfish straight.

People in RC recommend culturing Asterina sea stars. But so far have not seen any in Sg yet.

[lightbolt75]

People in RC recommend culturing Asterina sea stars. But so far have not seen any in Sg yet.

My tank Asterina seems to be a never ending supply. Every week can remove up to 20. Normally I just throw them away. So maybe it is a good idea to use them as food for harlequin since they breed so proficiently.

[PerculaClownfish]

hah ya.. you can give or sell to those who owns harlequin..

[FuEl]

My tank Asterina seems to be a never ending supply. Every week can remove up to 20. Normally I just throw them away. So maybe it is a good idea to use them as food for harlequin since they breed so proficiently.

Ok...let me get some from you..Got alot of harlequins to feed.

[fisheatme]

heard they can sometimes eat coral tissue?

true?

[loowk]

don't think so ..at least mine didn't

[fisheatme]

don't think so ..at least mine didn't

sorrie...did not make myself clear...

as in i heard Asterina can eat coral tissue?