help with harlequin

well, my asterinas are pretty much gone so I bought the chocolate chip starfish and my LFS only had a pretty large one. the starfish is on the bottom upside down with the harlequin having dinner - how long do I leave the starfish in there? I've read where the shrimp will just eat the tentacles (for lack of a better word I can't think of at the moment) - it's kind of hard to tell if they are gone or not or does it become obvious?

Please help! I certainly don't want to foul up my tank but want to make sure the shrimp is getting enough.

 

bump!

 

help me pretty plz

 

We have been amazed at our harlequin. We could only get a large chocolate chip as well he spent over a week working on it. He dragged it into a cave to protect his feast and the starfish was 5 times his size. I think he finished it off, and I need to get some more food. I wish there was an alternative dining plan but I'm told its starfish or nothing for him.

 

About how big is the star and how many Harlequins do you have? I believe that you can leave mister starfish in the tank as long as he is being eaten. If you notice he has not been eaten in a while then do take him out.

 

Wait a minute, I'm learning something new here. Harlequin only eat star fish? Why have I never heard of this

 

Yeah I know, it was surprising for me too because I wanted one and then I did some research and I just decided not get one because it would be too much trouble to keep and plus I wanted a link is. I'm surprised there so common with their troublesome feeding habits.

 

The word you're looking for is tube feet OFK. This is true. They only eat the tiny tube feet of the starfish, not the actual fleshy part. You should leave it in there until they finish off all the tube feet.

 

They actually consume the entire starfish.They usually start at the tip of the arm and move inward.I imagine if they haven't been fed recently they may start with the tubes.

LA-It is very particular about what it will eat, dining only on echinoderms, primarily starfish, and a few urchin species. It will eat starfish (Linckia, Fromia sp.) by starting at the tip of the arm and working its way to the central disc. The starfish may shed the arm, but is often mortally wounded.