My Harlequin Shrimp

[125reef_AnnaElyse]

Hello! I just wanted to share some insight into my tank. I haven't created any threads so far and thought my harlequin shrimp would be a perfect starter.

I had hundreds of small zoas throughout my tank, and over the past couple months I noticed them disappearing. The culprit: asterina stars. I don't know when they made their appearance in my tank, but I had a huge issue to deal with. These things were everywhere, I don't know how I didn't see their numbers before!



I thought about my options, and after handpicking these devils for what seemed like hours, I hadn't even made a dent in their population. My next choice was a harlequin shrimp. And since I am unoriginal when it comes to names, meet Harley.



I figured I would give it a try and see how the tank was doing in a couple days. I didn't expect him to work nearly as hard as he does! I love this little guy. He/she, (I've been calling it a he), has a tremendous personality that I didn't expect. Whenever my hand is in the tank, he wants to go for a ride. He's out 24/7 all around the tank, frequently picking up asterinas left and right. I've noticed a decrease in my population over time, and I figure he's got about a month or two before he's wiped them out.

At this point though, I've become attached to the little guy. When my asterinas are gone, I plan on picking up some chocolate chips, or hey, even stealing some asterinas from someone nearby haha. I was skeptical before purchasing a $40 invert at the start, but this guy sure makes up for his price tag!



My pictures don't do him justice; the coloration and patterning are beautiful in person. He's become the protector of my zoanthids and my maintenance buddy when I'm working in the tank.



In short, these guys work their tails off. They're worth that price tag and they will help out your system tremendously if you've got some pest stars. They have amazing personalities and love attention, surprisingly! And they will always, and I mean always, pose for your camera.

 

[glb]

Adorable!

 

[Ryan Souza]

I love these guys, they are so entertaining to watch, I just couldn't keep enough food for him so I had to return.

 

[happyhourhero]

Sweet shrimp! If you had the "I had one but it served it's purpose and I passed it on" option I would have marked that. I traded it off for an acan.

 

[DracoKat]

I LOVE That last shot! Beautiful!

 

[raultsu]

I just got one but I havent seen him for a few days. I hope hes ok

 

[Fudsey]

That is really cool ! ! What do they eat besides pest stars?

 

[outeastreefer]

Just remember when Harley wipes them out. You need to feed it a chocolate chip star fish. I fed mine once a month after it cleaned my tank. Pretty cool to watch them take on a larger star fish.

 

[raultsu]

Mine finally came out of hiding. Every time is see him hes eating a star.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Just snagged one up recently. Here’s a shot of my lil guy and his buffet. Lol

 

[Izcuacho]

Here is my pair of little guys.

I feed them sandshift star fish (usually a big one last about 2 weeks for both)
I’ve done chocolate chip but u can only do one at a time because they’ll eat everything else in the tank. But it’s very cool because as soon as the star is in front of them one comes and turns it around and keeps hold of her until they finish eating it about a week or 2 there is always one of the pair holding on to it. I do sand sifting stars since the price is the same where I live for either but I can throw a cpl of starfish in the tank and they catch one and hold it down once they finish that one and there hungry they’ll go after the other (usually at night but maybe that’s when the starfish comes out). They seemed to pick that side of the tank and that’s where they hang out holding the food down. Once they finish then they come out (it’s fine because there not hiding in a cave you can see them it’s on a side rock).

Very cool little guys just have to spend about $20 a month on starfish but There unusual and cute enough that there worth it.
The male and female difference is the color in the bottom one is purple the other more white don’t remember who is who now. But if u look at them close it’s easy to see the difference.

By the way for there size and how fragile they look there strong they lift and drag a big sand sifter across the tank to there corner and if any of my seahorse goes close to there food they will run them away claws wide open (doubt they can hurt them but they eat a starfish and hold it down).

One other thing is a good cleanup crew with them because they only eat the inside of the starfish (the bottom part) one leg at a time so hermits help with the left over from the starfish if not you have to remove it so it doesn’t rot. But blue legs are usually around and clean up overnight anything they leave from the leg there eating.

 

[Samina]

I have a silly question! When they eat the starfish, does that lead to high nutrients in the tank or an ammonia spike? I have always been fascinated by these beauties!! Great pics by the way!!

 

[Izcuacho]

They eat the starfish and keep it alive. Even when they have 1 leg left you can see the leg is alive (u see all the little legs open on close). I would imagine if you don’t have a good clean up crew that eats the top part of the star than maybe that can rot but I never had that issue.

Catching dinner LOL

 

[Mini Coop]

Will they eat serpent stars??

 

[Izcuacho]

Mines don’t I have a big serpent star and a cpl of little baby ones and they have never touched them,

 

[125reef_AnnaElyse]

That is really cool ! ! What do they eat besides pest stars?

I know I'm late to this post, apparently I don't check my notifications! But I have successfully kept him on frozen/thawed chocolate chip starfish arms

 

[125reef_AnnaElyse]

Just remember when Harley wipes them out. You need to feed it a chocolate chip star fish. I fed mine once a month after it cleaned my tank. Pretty cool to watch them take on a larger star fish.

I buy a star and feed a leg about once every week!

 

[125reef_AnnaElyse]

I have a silly question! When they eat the starfish, does that lead to high nutrients in the tank or an ammonia spike? I have always been fascinated by these beauties!! Great pics by the way!!

Sorry I apparently suck with notifications! I didn't notice a change in my water parameters, and I tested before feeding, when he has one, then again after. No difference in my water, but it could be different for other people! And thanks!

 

[125reef_AnnaElyse]

Will they eat serpent stars??

Honestly no clue, I've only fed the asterinas and chocolate chips

 

[Spdjnky]

Will they eat serpent stars??

Heres my problem I have to get rid of the asterina stars but I really like my Harlequin Banded Serpent Star although I don't see him that much. I was going to take him and put him down in my fuge but tying to catch him out like in the pic is likely not to happen so do I just take a chance?