Thoughts on harlequin shrimp

[Raleighfishnerd]

I'm looking at a pair of harlequin shrimp anyone with any experience with these little guys

 

[Ricksreef]

Beautiful creatures.You will have to keep buying starfish to feed them.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Yeah them eating starfish is my girlfriends only prob with them but I will just feed at night when I do.

Have you ever had one? Trying to find out about compatibility with other inverts. Everything I find online says they are nonaggressive just looking for some first hand experience to see if they would be good with my other small shrimp and crabs. I know they only eat starfish just don't want them to tear everyone else in the tank to shreds.

 

[saltcreep1025]

Just out of curiosity, what is the usual method for keeping them fed?

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

From everything I've read and heard they should be good with a starfish a week to eat. Some will hide till they are hungry.

 

[saltcreep1025]

What kind of starfish do people usually use?

 

[Rutrag]

What kind of starfish do people usually use?

The cheapest they can get - usually chocolate chip stars. I've been considering off an on gettign one o try and control my asterina population. They aren't hurting anything per se. it's just annoying that I feel like I have to scrape the glass to get them off so things look clean. Of course, I bought a blue linkia a few weeks ago, so I'm sure one would prefer to eat that first. I've also know folks to cut off one arm at a time to feed, and keeping multiple stars in the sump and hoping it regenerates between feedings.

They're beautiful animals, but I don't think I can justify the work and expense of feeding for myself.