Can I put a harlequin shrimp with my seahorses for asterina starfish?

[lulu1228]

I have asterina starfish in my seahorse tank and they keep latching onto the seahorses and irritating them. Can I get a harlequin shrimp to help?
Second question: will a harlequin shrimp eat tiny bristle stars i have in my sponges and sea fans?

 

[MantisShrimpMan]

I’m not an expert on any of these fields but that said I was of the impression that seahorses are difficult specifically because of how hard it is to source foods that are small enough for them; like brine shrimp. Even just glancing at the mouth of a seahorse or pipefish suggests they have little to no ability whatsoever to go after anything larger than an amphipod.

As for the harlequin shrimp, the whole reason they’re a pain to keep is because starfish are the only thing they’re interested in eating. Makes it all the more unlikely that the shrimp will be a problem inhabitant in said theoretical, and we’ve already surmised the same is true for the seahorses. Also I could be wrong about this but from what I’ve seen it appears that harlequin shrimp lack the same desire to constantly climb all over your rockwork and corals the way that Scarlett skunk, camel, and peppermint shrimp do. If I had to venture a guess, id assume the harlequin would have no interest in climbing the gorgonian (or whatever other coral the seahorses are residing in) and therefore, I doubt they even notice one another.

 

[lulu1228]

I’m not an expert on any of these fields but that said I was of the impression that seahorses are difficult specifically because of how hard it is to source foods that are small enough for them; like brine shrimp. Even just glancing at the mouth of a seahorse or pipefish suggests they have little to no ability whatsoever to go after anything larger than an amphipod.

As for the harlequin shrimp, the whole reason they’re a pain to keep is because starfish are the only thing they’re interested in eating. Makes it all the more unlikely that the shrimp will be a problem inhabitant in said theoretical, and we’ve already surmised the same is true for the seahorses. Also I could be wrong about this but from what I’ve seen it appears that harlequin shrimp lack the same desire to constantly climb all over your rockwork and corals the way that Scarlett skunk, camel, and peppermint shrimp do. If I had to venture a guess, id assume the harlequin would have no interest in climbing the gorgonian (or whatever other coral the seahorses are residing in) and therefore, I doubt they even notice one another.

Do you know if the harlequin shrimp would eat tiny bristle stars? I assume it would. I'm planning on trading it in once the asterinas are all gone.

 

[lulubap]

Do you know if the harlequin shrimp would eat tiny bristle stars? I assume it would. I'm planning on trading it in once the asterinas are all gone.

harlequins won’t typically eat brittle stars. i’m not sure the exact reason, but i’d assume it has something to do with the difference in tube feet between brittle stars and the usual sea star suction-cup-like tube feet