Harlequin shrimp care?

[ficklefins]

Feedback on harlequin care and any other tips you may have.

 

[ficklefins]

I was thinking about getting some harlequin's. How did you sustain them in a reef? You said you had 3 CC stars? Did you just cut off an arm once a week to feed the shrimp? I'm guessing you kept the stars in your sump, and how often and what did you feed the stars?

Moved from here:
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread.php?p=134894&posted=1#post134894

 

[Eklikewhoa]

I cut an arm once every two weeks to feed to the harlequins as well as all the asternia stars they could catch that was already in my tank.

I fed the stars NewLifeSpectrum algae wafers probably once a week and they were kept in my sump which also collected detritus.

 

[oceanparadise1]

how long does it take for the stars legs to get big enought again once u cut them off?

 

[Eklikewhoa]

A long time....

That's why I had multiple in rotation.

 

[oceanparadise1]

so if i had 5 lets say, would i be good, as in not have to buy more for a while

 

[Eklikewhoa]

I fed once every 2-3wks

Had 3 stars that had 5 legs each... those would last roughly 30-45wks and by then a leg would have surely grown back.

 

[oceanparadise1]

cool man thanks for the info

 

[Nate82]

yea i'm thinking about doing the same exact thing mind if i ask how many harlequins the one leg fed? and also what did you use to cut the legs i've heard its tough

 

[cee]

Buy one star and keep in the sump. Cut a leg off about every 3 weeks and never feed the star; they'll be OK until completely consumed (about 3 months). Cut the leg w/ a razor blade and be careful as it takes quite a bit of force to cut through a leg.

Dave

 

[Nate82]

i'm think going to buy 2 and keep them in my fuge... maybe 3 idk i figure if i had three they'd have time to recover

 

[oceanparadise1]

if u have two idk they will have time bro go with at least 3-5 IMO

 

[paintballer768]

What do you feed the harlequins in the time lapse of getting fed the starfish legs (roughly every 3 weeks the popular figure seems to be)?

 

[Nate82]

nothing really they scavenge in the time being... they just don't eat frequently they spend the rest of there time modeling for us while we gawk at the cartoon like shrimp we have haha

 

[Nate82]

i think i'm going to do 3 phil i would go with twenty if i had the room in my fuge i think even 3 is gonna be cramped though

 

[oceanparadise1]

haha nate have you found any yet?

 

[Eklikewhoa]

They take forever to finish the legs.......a decent 2-3" leg will take one almost a week to finish.

 

[oceanparadise1]

other then that are they totally reef safe

 

[Nate82]

they also do a number on those astrenias but i'm gonna order a pair from g or tim havn't decided yet prolly end up with g cuz he's closer

 

[oceanparadise1]

how much do they run