Guest Mbeef61 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 i got a pair of harlequins today and was wondering from anyone who has them how they feed them... i have a chocolate chip star fish right now about the size of a silver dollar. im wondering if its better to give them the whole thing... let them eat what they want and then put it back into the sump or cut off a leg and give them that.... or maybe there is something else im missing... im planning on cutting a leg off with a razor and then feeding it... also how often do you feed...thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I feed mine a whole one about once every two weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 That size whole thing, look into some large chocolate chips. I got 4 large 5" for $6 each and feed a leg a week. It works well, but I only have one harlequin but hes about 2" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I have 2 of them and I just throw the whole star in there and they drag it back to there cave and eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ringwurm Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Don't you feel bad for the starfish? I'm not sure I could chop one up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powdertang05 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 they dont feel pain J/K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 No hard feelings its just food to me, you kind of have to prep yourself for that before buying a harlequin, even though my wife still hits me over the head every time I feed one it grows its legs back out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 They sell frozen starfish legs. You could also consider getting some asternia stars in your sump. They reproduce readily in our tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I can provide a near bottomless supply of Asterina stars. Ever since my Stylo-eating-asterina episode, I kill them on site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I feed mine asterina to but they seem to eat them very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mbeef61 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 lol starfish have no brain no nothing...just a stomach and light sensitivity...they have to eat them...i would feel worse if the shrimp starved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 i got a pair of harlequins today and was wondering from anyone who has them how they feed them... i have a chocolate chip star fish right now about the size of a silver dollar. im wondering if its better to give them the whole thing... let them eat what they want and then put it back into the sump or cut off a leg and give them that.... or maybe there is something else im missing... im planning on cutting a leg off with a razor and then feeding it... also how often do you feed...thanks I just got 2 harlequins so if they are eating the abundance of brittle stars in the tank do you still give them a cc starfish leg a week? I just got the two but I never see them together do I only give 1 leg or do i give them each 1??? How long does it take them to find it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I was told by a LFS that you can feed a pair of H. shrimp 1 CC star once a month. They will eat everything on the star. I would feed 1 leg about evey 10-14 days if you go that route. Or 1 whole star about every 4 weeks. If you have the room get a few CC stars and keep them in your sump and take a leg from a different star each time allowing them to regenerate/heal and you should have food for quite some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I bought 5 large (5-6") cc stars and put in the sump of my home tank, then got harlequin on my office tank and fed them 1 leg every other week, the thinking was they would regenerate and have a supply. They just don't grow back that fast but the system worked well. If your feeding whole the info I got was once a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hey Nyles any idea how long it takes to regenerate a leg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I would guess... on my larger stars, 6-9 months. smaller stars probably half as long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I come to you for answers and this is what I get!!! I would guess... (laugh)(laugh) (laugh)(laugh) (laugh)(laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 he he, sadly it will vary for every system, amount of food and water conditions. I dont feed my stars, just what they find they get to eat. Unfortunately my harlequin was eaten by a starfish a while ago. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 LOL! That is Karhma right there. Sounds about right. I plan on getting a pair of these little guys. I think I will keep about 10-15 cc stars so that I can alternate through them and their poor little legs lol. I just find these shrimp to be so interesting. Garrett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 They are very neat, one of my favorite. Cutting CC stars is a rough deal they have a very TOUGH outer skin / shell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 So ok , you think I should get 6 - 10 little 3 - 4 inch cc stars? would that be enough so that they could regenerate? So they are OK in the sump? What about light? Can they get out? or do I need to rig something for them to be in the sump? What do they (CC Stars) eat if I wanted to feed them, What do they Eat in the sump If I don't Feed them? I know lots of questions! I Love my little harlequins and that sounds like a very good way to keep the budget down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 So ok , you think I should get 6 - 10 little 3 - 4 inch cc stars? would that be enough so that they could regenerate? So they are OK in the sump? What about light? Can they get out? or do I need to rig something for them to be in the sump? What do they (CC Stars) eat if I wanted to feed them, What do they Eat in the sump If I don't Feed them? I know lots of questions! I Love my little harlequins and that sounds like a very good way to keep the budget down. Sounds like you have the idea. They don't need any light though a small one wouldn't hurt for viewing purposes. They will eat leftovers from your display feeding but if not much food gets down to them, try giving some meaty foods to them like chopped up cocktail shrimp and silversides. Make sure to take out any excess that just sits there or it will reak havoch on your water quality. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Exactly, they wont crawl out, they will come out of water now and then but always did go back in, just screen off any pumps of course, they will find any pump inlets. Simple gutter guard does the trick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TankIt Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Shrimp This sounds like a great plan I have always wanted a pair but didn't want to feed CC stars cause I have always had a reef! I never thought to keep them in the sump!!! I am in the works for a new tank another 75. I will finally be able to get a pair of Harley Shrimp as my daughter calls them!!! SHe will be extatic!!!(clap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 As another option, my LFS was telling me (last year) that he could get frozen CC stars for harleys. Just another option and probably pretty cheap since its not a live good. Not sure how they respond to the frozen product but he insisted that they are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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