Originally Posted by
Reef_Dart21
http:///forum/post/3163716
I just bought a 5 gallon hang reefigum and was curious if i could keep a pair of harlequin shrimp their? (of course their special cuisine)
also do these shrimps offer any sort of benifits towards your reef? or just beutiful?
I don't see why not. I was going to do a 5 or a 10 gallon just for them when I got my pair. I would think keeping up after them in there would be nice and easy. They don't eat all the star. They leave little round balls of it behind. If you can't find a pair right off and need to buy them one by one like I did. Make sure to buy the correct gender, as they will fight. It is very easy to tell the difference. I was nervous when I was looking. The difference is very prominit. I tought my LFS how to tell them apart.
As far as benifits go, aside from thier beauty, if you have a asterina problem or you don't want them in your tank any more. They will get them for you. That's about the only benifit I know of. If you don't clean up after them they will do harm. If you do put them in the display side of your tank, don't expect to see much of them. They are cave dwellers. Mine go to the very dark back of my tank once the star fish is eaten down enough to get it in there.
Here is good reading on them. Chuck is a nice guy. IDK if he in on here but, I have spoke with him on the big site and another one I visit.
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/harlequinshrimp.html
