harlequin shrimp care

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Hi Guys,
I'm buying a pair of harlequin shrimps in a couple of days,So i'm trying to get as much as info i can for keeping them,Would appreciate if anyone can answer my questions:
1. what water conditions they need to live in, (I know cleaner shrimps are very sensitive to alkinity changes) my alkinity was a bit low and i'm trying to raise it for the past month , but it really takes long to get it right, mine is about 6 (not quiet sure) and the PH is about 8 (i think it should be a bit lower)

2. How to feed them (I'm planing to keep them in my RSM 130 with my other fishes, maroon clown, yellow tang , regal tang, mono angel) do i just need to put the cushion star fish in the tank and they'll find them and eat them? or i need to move them somewhere along with the cushions in order to get them to eat?

3. how often i've to feed them?

4. are they sensible to nitrate? (I'm having a problem with nitrate also for long time and trying to get it lower but haven't succeeded yet)

Really appreciate any helps.
 
Hope this helps...:)

When it comes to feeding, the highly specialized Harlequin Shrimps (Hymenocera spp.) are a notable exception to the rule. These shrimps only feed on sea stars and will need a ready supply of these echinoderms if they are going to survive in the aquarium. A medium-sized sea star should last a pair of Harlequin Shrimp about one week. Make sure you remove the uneaten portions of the sea star so that it does not pollute the aquarium. Many of the Bumblebee Shrimps (Gnathophyllum spp.) also have specialized diets. While echinoderm tube feet may be eaten in the wild, at least some of these shrimps will accept frozen food in captivity.
Marine Shrimps Available for the Home Aquarium: Aquarium Shrimps - Shrimp Care

The most important aspect when dealing with harlequin shrimp care is in understanding that they only consume one type of prey item in the wild, starfish. They will not eat any other type of prepared food offered. A such, they need a constant supply of starfish to survive in captivity.
Harlequin Shrimp Care and Requirements
The Harlequin Shrimp is best kept as mated pairs in an aquarium with moderate light. The Harlequin Shrimp can not tolerate copper or high nitrates, and iodine levels must be correct and maintained to ensure proper molting.
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. As its primary source of food, you will need to supply the Harlequin Shrimp with starfish (Asterias rubens for adults, and Linckia for juveniles). The adults may also eat sea urchins.
Harlequin Shrimp
 
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They feed on the tube feet of starfish and they need a lot. So unless you have an endless supply to keep them satisfied, I would not buy them.

How high is your nitrates?
 
if you dont already have a ready supply of star fish (asteria stars which multiply in captivity for example) then i dont think its worth starting with them. You can train them onto defrosted hake while they are eating on star fish although thats hard to do. they are beautiful shrimp, but need propper specialised care and in a tank of 130l which already has 2 large tangs in it (???) and an agresive clown i wouldnt mix them personally.

Note your nitate problem is most liklely linked to youir stocking density of such a small tank.
 
They feed on the tube feet of starfish and they need a lot. So unless you have an endless supply to keep them satisfied, I would not buy them.

How high is your nitrates?

Last time i checked nitrate was 2mgl
 
if you dont already have a ready supply of star fish (asteria stars which multiply in captivity for example) then i dont think its worth starting with them. You can train them onto defrosted hake while they are eating on star fish although thats hard to do. they are beautiful shrimp, but need propper specialised care and in a tank of 130l which already has 2 large tangs in it (???) and an agresive clown i wouldnt mix them personally.

Note your nitate problem is most liklely linked to youir stocking density of such a small tank.

live in cape town, so its easy to get them fresh cushion stars from the sea every week, i was thinking of breeding the stars in the refugium(where i keep the bio balls)its a bit dark, but i don't think stars mind that, and once they start breeding , i don't need to go the sea any more:blush:

The stock i keep in the tank are not too much, i've seen people stocking RSM 130 with lots of fishes and corals, and they're doing perfectly fine, The tangs i've got are not very large, the regal is hardly 5cm and the yellow tang is about 10cm,one of the clowns is about 5cm and the other one is about 15cm(its a huge female)
And i don't have much corals (i had a couple of softies but they all died in the last month i think because of the alkinity), and the tank is half fill with live rocks, i recently removed the crushed live rocks from the refugium, i thought i've enough rocks in the tank,
I'm having an idea for a while to do a 100% water change and get water from the sea, i know it might be shocking for the fishes but i've tried all possible ways to bring the nitrate down, and it didn't work, i bought the tank from someone else, and i think the problem is from the start, the tank didn't cycle completely,
Any ideas is appreciated.:thumbup:
 
well personally ive read and believe that the reccomended minimum of a hippo tang is 180 gallon or 680l with open swimming space.

a yellow tang manages well in a significantly smaller tank around the 100 gallon or 350l mark. again needing significant swimming and grazing space.

thats a LOT bigger than 130l.

Sorry to be picky on a different topic, but ui do feel that those tangs are housed in an innapropriate tank (too small) and could significantly be leading to poor water quality.

You may find that there is detritus build up in the bio balls which will lead to Nitrate problems, but a 100% water change is not the answer, it will stress the live stock badly, two 25 % water changes spaced a few days apart is far healthier for the tank.

If as you say that tanks always battled and you dont think it cycled properly i would be inclined to lower the biological load (ie remove the tangs) and dose witha bacterial sollution whilst doing water changes on a regular basis. But thats just the way id go about it
 
well personally ive read and believe that the reccomended minimum of a hippo tang is 180 gallon or 680l with open swimming space.

a yellow tang manages well in a significantly smaller tank around the 100 gallon or 350l mark. again needing significant swimming and grazing space.

thats a LOT bigger than 130l.

Sorry to be picky on a different topic, but ui do feel that those tangs are housed in an innapropriate tank (too small) and could significantly be leading to poor water quality.

You may find that there is detritus build up in the bio balls which will lead to Nitrate problems, but a 100% water change is not the answer, it will stress the live stock badly, two 25 % water changes spaced a few days apart is far healthier for the tank.

If as you say that tanks always battled and you dont think it cycled properly i would be inclined to lower the biological load (ie remove the tangs) and dose witha bacterial sollution whilst doing water changes on a regular basis. But thats just the way id go about it

When i bought the tang it was too small and was perfectly fine in the tank, and it still is very happy and healthy, I knew i will have to let the tang go some day, but wasn't sure when, i never thought that a tang living in a small tang can cause problem for the water,
regarding the detritus , while doing the monthly 20% water change, i always rinse the bio balls and ceramic and always clean the filter chamber to make sure nothing is left there, so i don't think it can be the problem , unless cleaning it once a month is not enough,

I really waited long for these harlequins, almost 4month! But i can ask the LFS to keep for me for a week or 2 until i do the water changes.

Do you have any suggestion for raising the alkinity except the seachem alkinity buffer? its around 6 currently.
 
my point around the tangs is two fold. Yes in a tank thats too small for them, and personally i dont add tangs to tanks that they cant grow out and old in, but thats me and I have the luxury of having multiple tanks and some biggish tanks so i can afford the luxury, but i am firmly of the belief that small tangs shouldn't be added to small tanks as they soon out grow them and then its difficult to let them go or find someone to take them on.

the other point is that having big fish (the tangs and the big clowns) in a small space means that the increased waste which they produce plays havoc with the ability of the tank to process the waste, leading to a downward spiral in the water quality and thus difficulties in many ways to manage the tank. Smaller nano fish in a nano relay is your best bet.

I hear you when you say you've waited a long time for the harlequins, but i promise you 4 months isn't that long, especially when you are working with natural populations of things. I love harlequins, always have and particularly i like photographing them as its particularly difficult. I have a good population of asteria stars growing in my tank, but Ive waited just over 2 years for the population to develop and i am still not sure its big enough for me to add harlequins and thus i haven't. It may well be my fault as my water quality has dipped and then been righted again too often in the tanks history. I want that population to be big and sustainable before i add the shrimp and then when I do i will work hard to get them to take defrosted fish (like hake etc) while they predate on the starfish population. I know its not easy to hear but its best for the tank and for the live stock to only add them when the tanks ready for it.
 
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Regarding alk.

What you could try for the alk is doing more regular water changes with a salt mix - red sea coral pro ,as it has a nice high alk to start with.( and is made for use with R.O.

The water changes dont have to be big - about 15 % a week with same tempriture water until your alk and nitrate is under control.
personaly i think 20% is not enough though on a heavily stocked 130 liter tank.. , i would suggest a 40% a month , but in two 20% changes a month to lesson the stress .( always warmed to the tanks temp.)

Then cut down on the water changes a bit , but try control your nitrate.

P.S when topping up with r.o water , try get the alk higher first or you can actualy drop your tanks alk by adding R.O water wich will be so pure it will thin out the alk that is in the water by osmosis.

Good luck
 
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hello hadiosbourne, best way to sort out your kh problem is to get a calsuim reactor best thing i ever did for my kh hassels, no i sit with a hole kilogram of tripplle buffer,want to give it away let me know if you want it its worth about 750 rand;)
 
i always rinse the bio balls and ceramic and always clean the filter chamber to make sure nothing is left there, so i don't think it can be the problem , unless cleaning it once a month is not enough,

The problem with bio-balls and ceramic rings is they only convert ammonia to nitrites to nitrates. Their function stops there, so unless you have another means of removing nitrates, it's never gonna come down. Instead of bi-monthly water changes, I would increase to a 10-20% per week. Have you tried a bacteria like Seachem Stability to assist?
 
my point around the tangs is two fold. Yes in a tank thats too small for them, and personally i dont add tangs to tanks that they cant grow out and old in, but thats me and I have the luxury of having multiple tanks and some biggish tanks so i can afford the luxury, but i am firmly of the belief that small tangs shouldn't be added to small tanks as they soon out grow them and then its difficult to let them go or find someone to take them on.
.

Thanks bud, it was very helpful. :)
 
Regarding alk.

What you could try for the alk is doing more regular water changes with a salt mix - red sea coral pro ,as it has a nice high alk to start with.( and is made for use with R.O.

The water changes dont have to be big - about 15 % a week with same tempriture water until your alk and nitrate is under control.
personaly i think 20% is not enough though on a heavily stocked 130 liter tank.. , i would suggest a 40% a month , but in two 20% changes a month to lesson the stress .( always warmed to the tanks temp.)

Then cut down on the water changes a bit , but try control your nitrate.

Good luck
Thanks david, What you think about 2oceans water? Is it better to use my own red sea salt mix or the sea water?

And what do you suggest to control the nitrate in a permanent way, except the red sea NO3?
 
hello hadiosbourne, best way to sort out your kh problem is to get a calsuim reactor best thing i ever did for my kh hassels, no i sit with a hole kilogram of tripplle buffer,want to give it away let me know if you want it its worth about 750 rand;)

Hi Leon, thanks for the advise, what is tripplle buffer exactly? would love to have it if it helps with my situation.:)
 
The problem with bio-balls and ceramic rings is they only convert ammonia to nitrites to nitrates. Their function stops there, so unless you have another means of removing nitrates, it's never gonna come down. Instead of bi-monthly water changes, I would increase to a 10-20% per week. Have you tried a bacteria like Seachem Stability to assist?
I tried stability for a short period, i wasn't sure if it could help me, I thought its helpful for the new tanks where they need bacterias, but mine is nearly running for a year, wasn't sure if i need that, do you think it helps? How would you measure if there is enough bacteria in a tank?
 
Thanks david, What you think about 2oceans water? Is it better to use my own red sea salt mix or the sea water?

And what do you suggest to control the nitrate in a permanent way, except the red sea NO3?

Nothing wrong with NSW - I use it , but we have bigger systems which are more stable by nature and we dose - allot !, as it has a low alk to start with .

Go the red sea route for reasons given...

I would increase the water changes per month until you get a handle on the nitrate , and of coarse - the more and bigger the fish are - the more you have to feed them and the more you are pushing up your tanks nitrate...

Cheers
 
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