3
32Bit_Fish
Guest
Does anyone has Harlequin Shrimp in their tank?
Are there any issues with this specie?
Are there any issues with this specie?
- Location
- Stamford ,CT
just that they need starfish to eat
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Sent from my T-Mobile G1 using Tapatalk
- Location
- Amityville
yep thats all I have ever seen or heard or them eating. most use legs of CC stars
ryangrieder
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Northern Jersey
yup, i have heard linkia and chocolate chip. they make a mess in your tank when they rip the star fish up, you almost have to have a hang on filter to quickly clean it up. nice shrimp, but feeding it a starfish is never fun and can get expencive. now if you do maybe a species tank that would be a good idea!
copied from various sites...
Feeds on sea stars; detects prey by scent. The large, flattened claws are used to dislodge and turn over the sea star, which is eaten from the tips of the arms inward. It can take up to a week for a pair of these shrimp to eat a sea star.
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Moderate lighting and temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 26 degrees Celsius) are acceptable for Harlequin Shrimp. A pH value of 8.3 or 8.4 and a specific gravity between 1.023 and 1.025 are also ideal. Levels of iodine should be maintained to avoid problems with molting. Copper based medications should not be used in tanks where Harlequin Shrimp are housed. Extreme nitrate levels are also unacceptable. Harlequin Shrimp are best kept in pairs, and should not be kept with sea stars or urchins that are not intended to be food. Plenty of hiding places should be provided, and substrates should be made of rocks or coral rubble. Harlequin Shrimp should be fed a diet of sea stars, as this is their natural nourishment. Some will accept other food items in captivity. It is widely agreed that Linckia species are ideal for juvenile Harlequin Shrimp, while adults are usually offered the species Asterias rubens.
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The Harlequin Shrimp's diet consists solely of the tube feet of Echinoderms in the Starfish Family. In Hawaiian waters we know that when you find a Harlequin Shrimp, the small Linkia species of Comet or Blood Spotted Starfish will usually be close by. This is its primary food source, but in some rare cases the Harlequin may accept other aquarium foods. Unless you have a good supply of starfishes for this shrimp to live on, and they are not particular of what kind, it does not do well in captivity. Don't keep any prized starfishes in the same tank with it.
Feeds on sea stars; detects prey by scent. The large, flattened claws are used to dislodge and turn over the sea star, which is eaten from the tips of the arms inward. It can take up to a week for a pair of these shrimp to eat a sea star.
-----------------------------------------------------
Moderate lighting and temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 26 degrees Celsius) are acceptable for Harlequin Shrimp. A pH value of 8.3 or 8.4 and a specific gravity between 1.023 and 1.025 are also ideal. Levels of iodine should be maintained to avoid problems with molting. Copper based medications should not be used in tanks where Harlequin Shrimp are housed. Extreme nitrate levels are also unacceptable. Harlequin Shrimp are best kept in pairs, and should not be kept with sea stars or urchins that are not intended to be food. Plenty of hiding places should be provided, and substrates should be made of rocks or coral rubble. Harlequin Shrimp should be fed a diet of sea stars, as this is their natural nourishment. Some will accept other food items in captivity. It is widely agreed that Linckia species are ideal for juvenile Harlequin Shrimp, while adults are usually offered the species Asterias rubens.
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The Harlequin Shrimp's diet consists solely of the tube feet of Echinoderms in the Starfish Family. In Hawaiian waters we know that when you find a Harlequin Shrimp, the small Linkia species of Comet or Blood Spotted Starfish will usually be close by. This is its primary food source, but in some rare cases the Harlequin may accept other aquarium foods. Unless you have a good supply of starfishes for this shrimp to live on, and they are not particular of what kind, it does not do well in captivity. Don't keep any prized starfishes in the same tank with it.
Yes. They only eat starfish. You have to be careful because certain stars aren't reef safe. I've had a pair for a few months now and love them. Really neat looking creatures.
You only have to feed them one star per 2-3 weeks.
Also, don't rely on the asterina stars being able to sustain them. My colony of asterinas in the 72 bow were completely wiped out in only a few weeks. (This is a plus though because I don't really care for asterinas.)
Other than that; these shrimp are awesome. I'm a HUGE fan and won't be selling them. They're beautiful and have neat little quirks about them. I've heard they mate for life but haven't had any first hand experience with that part.
If you don't have stable params, peaceful fish (that wont eat inverts), and aren't willing to buy stars every few weeks, don't buy these guys.
this sounds nasty, smells nasty, you can cut the stars up and freeze them, 2-3 shirmps can't really take a full star, you don't want the stars to foul your water, get choclate chip stars, is the cheapest star out, or you can probably go to any LFS and ask for 1/2 dead stars.
ryangrieder
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Northern Jersey
haha there ya go. there are alot of really cool shrimp out there. im sure something else will spark an intrest for you.
- Location
- LONG ISLAND , NY
Had them never had a problem, they were awesome.
While there is some very good info on this thread so far, there is also some incredibly incorrect information.
Probably my favorite site for ACCURATE information on Harleys:
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/harlequinshrimp.html
You might just change your mind after reading this
Probably my favorite site for ACCURATE information on Harleys:
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/harlequinshrimp.html
You might just change your mind after reading this
- Location
- Long Island, New York
While there is some very good info on this thread so far, there is also some incredibly incorrect information.
Probably my favorite site for ACCURATE information on Harleys:
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/harlequinshrimp.html
You might just change your mind after reading this
+1
I have had my harlys for over a year and love them. I have 6 chocolate stars in my sump and I feed the pair 1-2 legs every week....I rotate thru the stars giving them time to regenerate.
While there is some very good info on this thread so far, there is also some incredibly incorrect information.
Probably my favorite site for ACCURATE information on Harleys:
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/harlequinshrimp.html
You might just change your mind after reading this
To help the readers, can you please specify what you consider to be incorrect?
Thanks
Harelquin shrimp are awesome creatures....i had a pair...
1 Chocolate Chip star fish a week is all they need for a pair....
If u plan on keeping one then 1 leg a week from the starfish will be good....I would buy my CC starfish and use a razor blade to cut a leg off....i wud place the starfish back in my sump and give it a silverside and feed the leg to the shrimp....if you put the entire starfish in your tank for the pair the shrimps will smell it and hunt it down and they will not let it go until it is gone.
If you decide to get them make sure your LFS can get starfish for you at least once a week or buy 2 and keep them in the sump.... :star:
1 Chocolate Chip star fish a week is all they need for a pair....
If u plan on keeping one then 1 leg a week from the starfish will be good....I would buy my CC starfish and use a razor blade to cut a leg off....i wud place the starfish back in my sump and give it a silverside and feed the leg to the shrimp....if you put the entire starfish in your tank for the pair the shrimps will smell it and hunt it down and they will not let it go until it is gone.
If you decide to get them make sure your LFS can get starfish for you at least once a week or buy 2 and keep them in the sump.... :star:
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