what's the best way to feed harlequin shrimp

[jden092901]

I will be getting a Harlequin shrimp next week, and I know they eat starfish. Do they eat some of the other things on the bottom, leftover food, ect. When feeding a starfish, what is the best kind to get? I dont want to loose my coral from a chocolate chip star. I was told that I could put the chocolate chip star in a different tank, cutting off the legs to put into the main display tank. Having two of them would allow me to rotate, allowing them to grow there legs back. What would be the best way to feed a harlequin shrimp?
Thank you

 

[pakora]

the legs would grow back too slowly for you to rotate. you'd need a bunch of starfish. and you are correct, just slice off an arm and throw it in and they will consume it. I'd buy a shrimp but its sort of cruel to do that to a starfish, its slow torture. Im not some tree hugger but a life is a life and I respect it as long as its living. (Im not saying you dont respect life)

 

[snakeblitz33]

Harlequin shrimp in the wild actually capture a starfish, turn the starfish over on it's back and hold him upside down where he can't get up. Then he slowly eats him over the course of two months. This can be done because the shrimp catches other types of food and feeds the starfish to keep it alive. It's awsome to watch, but makes me feel for the starfish.

 

[snakeblitz33]

By the way, chocolate chip starfish are going to be the absolute cheapest starfish you can probably find and afford. Have fun!

 

[smartorl]

Find someone who has an overload of hitchiker asteria stars. I have successfully had a harlequin for almost two years and that is all that he eats. He is healthy and active. I have the tiny stars in several of my tanks, and throughout the day, when I see one on the side, I will scrape it off and the harlequin will take it off of my nail. I guess it is really still a star but it doesn't seem as drastic as a larger one. When I got my HS he had managed to pull a linkia's leg through the vent between tanks at the LFS and was eating him.

 

[earlybird]

I've read where some have several stars and rotate them in put them upside down and let the shrimp go at it for a while then take the star out. You'll need more than 2. I believe I read the guy had about 10.

 

[jden092901]

o wow...I watched the deep blue , think thats what it was, where the HS would carry the star away, to keep him feed for months so they could eat. They are so neat, sounds mean, but they are one of my fav. Do you think I would be safe to put a chocolate chip star, a small one on his back in my tank...dont want my reef to be gone. O, and is there somewhere I can buy the little hitchhiker stars for feed?
Josh

 

[jessica47421]

someone in the selling section of this site sells them for 15.00

 

[nigerbang]

As far as I remember they eat the Tubed feet out of the legs..and the will not eat or survive on anything else...