Kessil

Starfish Outbreak

Jeff Rehling

Jeff Rehling

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I have an asterina starfish outbreak. I added a harlequin crab to my tank Saturday. He's moving about a bit, but the starfish seem to have multiplied rather than been depleted. I read they eat up to 15 per day. When should I see him begin to eat, or are they nocturnal?

Also after I scrape them from the glass, do i need to siphon them up, or can they stay in the sand?

Thanks in advance!
 
Which one does it look like? Cause the crab won't help you.
Lissocarcinus_orbicularis_-_Harlequin_Crab.jpg
HarlequinShrimp.jpg
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Jeff Rehling said:
do they eat all day? all I've seen him do is hide under a rock! Thanks for your help
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How long have you had it? If it’s newly added to the tank might take a few days to feel comfortable enough to go venturing out and eating during the day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
So from what I’ve read, harlys only eat the tube feet of the starfish, not the whole thing. I’ve always thought “won’t all of the left over mass of starfish cause a nutrient spike”? Very very cool shrimp, however.
 
when you see all the start fish on your glass then you know they run away from the shrimp. I have one available if anyone need him.
 
nly04 said:
when you see all the start fish on your glass then you know they run away from the shrimp. I have one available if anyone need him.
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This is really where the harlequin shrimp are useful. Not because they eat all the starfish but because they scare them all onto the glass where you can grab them and toss them.
 
It's not like peppermint shrimp, file fish or copperband butterfly with aptasia. They either eat starfish or they starve to death. They don't eat anything else.

I don't have one but I've used them before
 
Quiz for BAR members...when I scrape them off the glass and they lay in the sand bed, are they still alive? Should I remove them or save them for the crab?
 
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