Harlequin Shrimp

gcantu · #1 12/13/2006, 11:08 PM

Do you think they can help control the tiny starfish that tend to invade tanks in mass quantities???

lunker101 · #2 12/13/2006, 11:09 PM

nah, Harlequin shrimp really only eat the arms of certain species of starfish, those tiny starfish will probably mostly be overlooked.

wee-reefer · #3 12/13/2006, 11:14 PM

The two type I see in marine aquariums are those asterina stars and then mini brittle stars. Detritavores, and good for your tank. If you have too many, pass them around to other hobbyists. Harlequin shrimp are a poor choice IMHO because they are obligate starfish eaters. What happens if they wont eat what you have already? Either they die, or you are stuck buying starfishes for consumption, and too many of those die in the chain of custody for every one that makes it. Just a bad choice.

gcantu · #4 12/13/2006, 11:19 PM

Are the Asterina stars the ones that eat sps corals? If they are then I don't have those, but the ones I do have are starting to bother my zoas by climbing and clinging all over them.

wee-reefer · #5 12/13/2006, 11:32 PM

No not really, there are asterina look alikes that DO eat some corals but you'd have to I D them on your own.

gcantu · #6 12/13/2006, 11:34 PM

Thanks for the info..

jab502 · #7 12/14/2006, 12:47 AM

The LFS that I purchase from uses a harlequin to rid the tank of pest starfish. I recently put one in my tank and it is my experience so far that if they don't have an ideal meal (linkia or chocolate chip) they will eat any star they can find. And they will hunt them down. Mine is out to see nearly everyday, so if it does not work out, catching him would be easy.

joelamb7467 · #8 12/14/2006, 01:14 AM

My buddy has a harlequin and it does eat the asterina stars. He also gets the nearly dead or dying starfish from the LFS for cheap or free and feeds the harlequin. Pretty cool shrimp.