Harlequin Shrimp Detailed Article

[zoakeeper]

I think they are not reef safe because they can eat corals. They will stay alive and not rot during the whole time it is being eaten. The shrimp will eat all the legs keeping it alive then eat the rest of it before it has time to rot. The shrimp eats the stars in a way that keeps them alive for the longest time possible, this keeps it fresh for the shrimp.
Sweet, going to give the shrimp a tank for itself. Maybe get another or two.
I got my local reef shop to drop the price of the stars since I would be buying them every week, maybe yours will do the same for you. Maybe even get them to order a shrimp for you and that way help to support your local reef store.

 

[Conski]

Hes kept him in the same spot all night and today so far so im not worried about him eating any of coral

heres an update pic of him in day i moved my clam as well, poor guy i moved him so much i hope he doesn't get harmed by all this moving

 

[Conski]

I begin supplimenting iodide tomorrow! i also replaced my stock pump with a maxijet 600

 

[zoakeeper]

I begin supplimenting iodide tomorrow! i also replaced my stock pump with a maxijet 600

Be sure to use the iodide according to directions and it would not hurt to use a bit less if you do not have many softies/inverts.
That is a small fella. I am fortunate in that one of the LRS gets the chips in pretty steady and there is usually small ones I can pick out. Just keep an eye on the chip and if the shrimp goes off it for a time might need to place it in your sump/fuge for a few days. The shrimp will probably molt more with the smaller size.
THe chip will stay alive even if the shrimp has eaten a few of the legs off so don't toss it if you have to remove it for a little bit.
And if you miss it for a day, the shrimp leaves it, don't freak, the chip probablyh won't eat anything right away. I have had my shrimp go off feeding during molts and left the chip in the display for a couple days. THey usually head to the top of the tnak hanging on the glass at the water's surface.
Time to enjoy it. I might have already said, but mine will drag the chip off to a secluded spot and once it is finished will hang right out in the open at the front till I place another star in the tank. Really cool. Like it knows now where its food comes from. It will explore my hand now when I get near it.

 

[Conski]

i dont have a sump or fuge, just a fully modded 14 gallon biocube lol. thats why im getting a 29 so that i can remove all my corals and let everything do its own thing in this 14 gal.

You were right about seclusion after 3 days hes managed to drag it from the front of the tank to the very back behind all the rocks to a place where i can barely see him. I was wondering i could maybe put a little container and hang it over the tank (but in the tank) and use that as a little fuge?

 

[Conski]

He finally flipped it and i dk wtf happened but he now only has one defensive claw?

 

[Conski]

maybe im not seeing him right but it definitly looks like one?! aww i hope this doesnt screw him up :/

 

[Conski]

Does anyone have any idea if it will? i mean he is still eating and anything that comes near the star he pushes it away with his other claw? how could he even of lost it nothing in my tank is aggressive like that?!

 

[Conski]

he is doing fine without it! instead of the legs hes pretty much taken a huge chunk out of the center area a deep chunk too.. the star is still alive and everything seems to be okay in his world!

 

[zoakeeper]

I was moving my rock around and noticed one of the paddle like appendages had come off of mine also. It seems to be doing fine. Will take some time but it will grow back. It is used to flip stars over but can do just fine with one.