Harliquin Shrimp food

[shoddyk]

Has anyone had any luck with feeding their Harliquin Shrimp anything else besides starfish? I have one that has been eating frozen Krill Shrimp for the past 3 months. From what I have read, this is not normal. Anyone feed them anything else?

 

[DensityMan]

While it may be eating the frozen krill I would be sure to still add starfish.

The harlequin may be eating it, but it may not be getting any necessary nutrition for it. Like feeding a kid nothing but twinkies or saltwater predators only freshwater foods.

 

[spawner]

You would have the first ever report of a Harliquin eating something other than starfish.

 

[shoddyk]

Well, he looks healthy, looks like he is growing and likes to walk around in front of the liverock. I have seen him eat frozen Krill and I am going to see if he will eat anything else also.

 

[spawner]

You need to get it on film, normally they walk around and show themselves when they are hungry.

 

[DensityMan]

He may also be supplementing himself with asterina stars already in your tank, but eating starfish is not a preferrence for them, it is a dietary requirement.

A shrimp won't look sick or skinny if it's starving, it will just continue to starve until it dies... /shrug

I'm not a biologist speciallizing in shrimp or anything, but all of my research on (and care of) these shrimp dictates that they need to eat starfish to survive.

 

[fijireef]

Would like to see video of this if possible. TIA

 

[spawner]

Yes I would also, again this hasn't even be documented before, they cue on star fish with an imprinted chemical cue, be hard to believe that they are eating something else.