Starfish Stomach eats cleaner crab

[redchick2]

Hi,

Just wanted to share this pic. It seems chocolate chip starfish really enjoy peppermint shrimp for a snack. Their preference seems to be the one just bought 1 hr prior that think starfish will be a nice, safe place to hide. <groan> This picture captures the starfishes ejected stomach as it devours the shrimp.

thanks,
Renea

 

[new2betas]

Hey...cool pictures....sorry about your shrimp loss though.

 

[redchick2]

Since this is my practice tank, I didn't lose much money. It really was interesting to watch though....

 

[melosu58]

It`s really hard to believe a starfish caught a shrimp. Was the shrimp already dead?

 

[redchick2]

It wasn't quite dead, but even though I tried to acclimate it for about an hour, it was really shocky when I put it in and tried to hide under the starfish..

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Well sorry for the loss, but great pics!

 

[roka64]

Inverts should be acclimated longer, since they are less tolerant to parameter swings.
Did you use the drip method?
Nice shots, by the way.

 

[redchick2]

<blush> the drip method was my intention... this aquarium is teaching me new things allready, like patience (which I lack) will be very necessary if I want to progress to a larger, more complex tank. The shrimp is a lesson learned the hard way....

 

[cmor1701d]

It's easier to learn in a larger tank.

 

[Patroklos]

But less expensive to learn

 

[Animal Mother]

Carnivorous stars definitely have voracious appetites. I found my Bahama star munching on one of my octopuses it had apparently trapped in a hole. The octo would take its food into holes to eat. I had seen the starfish try to climb on top of the octopus several times while the octopus was eating. I never would have believe it possible for something as "brainless" as a starfish to kill an octopus.

I was wrong.

Bahama Stars make pretty neat frisbees.

Just kidding. I traded it in at a store. But I wanted to use it as a dog toy.

 

[AngelsNgolds]

great shots. Sorry for your loss, but like you said a lesson learned.

 

[SwimmingWithTheFishes]

You should post those pics in the image contest they're interesting and very cool.