HELP!! blood sucking starfish!!

[trying4reef]

I bought a clean up crew from SWF two days ago and just now my red serpent starfish eat one of the shimp that came in the set with the starfish!! he didn't move til tonight when he went on his vampric rage sucking the blood from one of the shimp. and he looks like he might be going for number two! <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" /> whats the deal?? any help is welcome <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />

 

[trying4reef]

anyone?! should i take him out? he seems done feeding for the night but what about the rest of the shrimp that came in the crew are they starfish food?!

 

[jakob4001]

you never know for sure w/ inverts...anyone that tells you w/ certainty 1 way or the other is greatly confused...have you realease them into the display tank yet??? as long as they are healthy the starfish should not bother them....shrimp happen to be a lot quicker then star fish...

 

[trying4reef]

Unfortunatly being new, I have just started a QT tank and no chioce, but to put them all in the dispaly tank. The shrimp was perfectlly healthy, but they have been hiding on the underside of my LR and he must have been slick enough to warp one up. I didn't see him catch it, but next thing I now he has him warped up, pale white, and the other shirp is tugging on the star fish, no lie tring to free his buddy! The starfish then moved his arm over the second shrimp who, luckly was smart enough to move. Other then my shrimp what do they eat shouls I buy brine shrimp for him? <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[jakob4001]

nope...that is supposedly why they are added to cleaner packl...eat waste & left over fish food...

 

[heavenly damsel]

I would observe him for a while. My guess is the shrimp was on his way out, otherwise the starfish should not have been able to catch him. Shrimp are much quicker than the starfish. I would then e-mail SWF.com and tell them about the incident...maybe they will replace your shrimp for you. Mine just clean up the tank like they are supposed to. They don't show any agression toward tank mates. Good luck.

 

[von_rahvin]

i have never had a problem with any of my starfish. I agree with HD that your shrimp was mostlikely dieing and the star fish munched it.

 

[tykill]

I agree with that. I think he was dead and the other shrimp was actually after the same food the star fish was after, unfortantly it was your shrimp.