Harlequins cant subsist on asterina alone for a long time, there are not enough tube feet per starfish so keep that in mind. They will seem fine and then die during molt or not regrow limbs ime.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Is that the only thing they eat or do they need other items to consume?Harlequins cant subsist on asterina alone for a long time, there are not enough tube feet per starfish so keep that in mind. They will seem fine and then die during molt or not regrow limbs ime.
Is that the only thing they eat or do they need other items to consume?
good pointsthey only eat the tube feet of starfish. They eat asterina like popcorn and when you see how they devour a whole chocolate in a week, you’d understand how tiny asterina couldn’t sustain one for long. I used a pair to wipe a plague from my 20g and they ate 100% of them in about 10 days or so. I lost one during this time and this is when I found out they need meaty tube feet and often. Absolutely one of my favorite inverts! Worth trying to keep if you are down to buy a starfish all the time. You don’t have to cut off legs either, they are fully capable of holding the starfish in place until the whole thing is done and easily one of the most entertaining predator/prey capture interaction in a home aquaria. They literally use their paddles to do a handstand as they use their back legs to pry the starfish leg off the ground...Maybe this is why they pair mate for life because it is SO much easier for them to capture large prey and hold them.
Have a harlequin that cleaned up the 75 gallon dt.good points
About the chocolate starfish I mean if you have 2 in the sump, and you cut off feet per few days to keep feeding the shrimp, the starfish will have enough time to recover it self (and yes then detritus and other planktonic food, which is good to have in the sump for the starfish). But when the shrimp eat all of the feets, the star will die completely, that way cutting off one by one from 2 star, you can get them and the shrimp alive for really long.
Man this is a good read...I wonder if I buy one and one a star fish and place it in the sump until it is time to devour it if that would workthey only eat the tube feet of starfish. They eat asterina like popcorn and when you see how they devour a whole chocolate in a week, you’d understand how tiny asterina couldn’t sustain one for long. I used a pair to wipe a plague from my 20g and they ate 100% of them in about 10 days or so. I lost one during this time and this is when I found out they need meaty tube feet and often. Absolutely one of my favorite inverts! Worth trying to keep if you are down to buy a starfish all the time. You don’t have to cut off legs either, they are fully capable of holding the starfish in place until the whole thing is done and easily one of the most entertaining predator/prey capture interaction in a home aquaria. They literally use their paddles to do a handstand as they use their back legs to pry the starfish leg off the ground...Maybe this is why they pair mate for life because it is SO much easier for them to capture large prey and hold them.
I am definitely leaning towards getting one today from two locations (Baltimore/D.C. areas)...kindda hard to find these things lately and really expensive...lol even getting Fresh water went up in priceHarlequin shrimp works wonders
Totally agree. I really enjoyed having asterinas for many years, then one day I saw one attached to a zoa. Next day the zoa was gone and another asterina was on another zoa. I'm constantly pulling them out and relocating them to my dedicated hermit crab tank these days.I couldn’t agree more that asterina are the most annoying things I have in my tank. They multiple so fast and I know that people say they are harmless, but I have plucked ones out with zoas in their little mouths. People say there are two different kinds, one harmless and a darker brown one that eats zoas. I don’t discriminate anymore. I pull all of them. When they get really bad, I’ll pull hundreds at night out if the tank. They destroy coraline as well. I can tell instantly that a specific patch of zoas has a problem because they’ll shrivel up over night. Sure enough, they’ll be 10 asterinas nibbling away. I pull them and zoas always rebound. I almost pulled the trigger on a harlequin because people have been very successful with them. But I have 4-5 starfish in the tank and I don’t want to sacrifice those guys.
You can't keep 2 choclate chip together, they are cannibalistic. When you cut a leg off one, the other will devour it. They also do not grow the legs fast enough to keep doing this.good points
About the chocolate starfish I mean if you have 2 in the sump, and you cut off feet per few days to keep feeding the shrimp, the starfish will have enough time to recover it self (and yes then detritus and other planktonic food, which is good to have in the sump for the starfish). But when the shrimp eat all of the feets, the star will die completely, that way cutting off one by one from 2 star, you can get them and the shrimp alive for really long.
I was def also on about a 10 day rotation with my fish store to buy chocolates (so voracious they scour the tank as soon as the starfish enter the water) for the harle but MAN are they gorgeous. They also fan their paddles in the morning current I’ll try to find my old video of mineYou can't keep 2 choclate chip together, they are cannibalistic. When you cut a leg off one, the other will devour it. They also do not grow the legs fast enough to keep doing this.
When I had 1 harlequin, I was buying 3 stars a month to keep it fed. Awesome invert for sure, but a tough one to keep fed if your LFS doesn't get regular supply of star's.
Pulled the trigger on the harlequon today..$69.00 locally plus a military discount...going through the acclimation process right nowI couldn’t agree more that asterina are the most annoying things I have in my tank. They multiple so fast and I know that people say they are harmless, but I have plucked ones out with zoas in their little mouths. People say there are two different kinds, one harmless and a darker brown one that eats zoas. I don’t discriminate anymore. I pull all of them. When they get really bad, I’ll pull hundreds at night out if the tank. They destroy coraline as well. I can tell instantly that a specific patch of zoas has a problem because they’ll shrivel up over night. Sure enough, they’ll be 10 asterinas nibbling away. I pull them and zoas always rebound. I almost pulled the trigger on a harlequin because people have been very successful with them. But I have 4-5 starfish in the tank and I don’t want to sacrifice those guys.
So question, with the Xmas wrasse, will that shrimp be fine? I have a cleaner shrimp and he doesn't bother that one...I was def also on about a 10 day rotation with my fish store to buy chocolates (so voracious they scour the tank as soon as the starfish enter the water) for the harle but MAN are they gorgeous. They also fan their paddles in the morning current I’ll try to find my old video of mine
So question, with the Xmas wrasse, will that shrimp be fine? I have a cleaner shrimp and he doesn't bother that one...
I have more than I thought...they are EVERY -****** Where inbetween corals, rocks,,and YES they are all on my Zoas who are now closed up everywhere...I would get rid of them at all costs, I clean my glass most mornings before the lights come on as they will destroy your coralline algae if left unchecked after I left them alone and they cleaned my rocks of most every piece of corralline algae and zoas closed up. I thought they were just a mild nuisance at one point, now they are ENEMY NUMBER ONE after clearing a ton of my rocks and irritating my corals.
if you can lift your corals and rocks up and out, look underneath them during the day and you'll find them lying in wait for the night and start brushing the little bast*** off the bottoms of your corals and rocks then return the rock or coral to your tank. Then wait till night and sweep the glass with a net.I have more than I thought...they are EVERY -****** Where inbetween corals, rocks,,and YES they are all on my Zoas who are now closed up everywhere...