Predation at its finestfinest

[Psiber_Syn]

Well it's that time of the month again.......time to feed my Harley. I got this harlequin shrimp from the lfs on 5/19/15 Was such a little thing and it fascinated me to boot. The fact that this small creature only eats starfish reinstated the everything has an opposite type ecosystem.

To see this guy come out from behind the rocks almost within seconds of dropping in a chocolate chip starfish is a sight to behold. My tank is 125g 6ft and I can drop in a starfish anywhere and it's literally seconds and he's on the hunt.

4:04 pm

The shrimp then begins to pry up the legs of the starfish one by one. The sucker feet of the starfish are then poked with a front set of appendages. They do not reopen not sure if they are paralyzed as I have heard or punctured as the appendages look very sharp

Meticuously one leg then the other until he can flip over the starfish

4:16pm

To the Victor gets the spoils!
4:18 pm

The shrimp will drag the starfish to his spot and eat him, all of him, like nothing left the odd part is when the Harley molts the starfish will somtimes come back to life and flip themselves over and try to run for it but I have seen Harley come out and drag their deformed mostly 3 legged carcass off the glass mid way up and back to the cave they go

The end-......... Or is it ?





























4:20pm

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I'm very tender hearted, but that's awesome.

 

[helen ann]

fascinating ...but could never do it!

 

[Psiber_Syn]

I gotta say I stopped cutting legs off for the same reason lol