How to tempt a Harlequin Shrimp out?

[cr500_af]

Other than starfish, of course... I have had a Harlequin for several months, and my asterina population is rising a little. It seemed to go down at first.

I never see the guy (OK, not "never", but very rarely and only in the middle of the night), but I'd like to verify that he is still with us on this Earth.

Any ideas short of staying up all night for a week or pulling the rock out?

 

[weaglereefer]

I would go days without seeing mine, but come out for a glass of water at 3am and hit the tank with a flashlight and he'd be on the back wall walking around with starfish in his hands.

 

[gnashty]

Mine comes out about once per week during the day or Ill see him early AM. my star population is decimated since I got him. I imagine once his food source is gone out he will come out to look....

 

[cr500_af]

gnashty;576145 wrote: Mine comes out about once per week during the day or Ill see him early AM. my star population is decimated since I got him. I imagine once his food source is gone out he will come out to look....

Yeah, but his food source is slightly increasing, making me doubt he's in there. I will probably go ahead and look for another one, since either a: he is gone or b: he can't eat fast enough (which I doubt, since I don't have asterinas at any huge level or anything).

 

[gnashty]

cr500_af;576147 wrote: Yeah, but his food source is slightly increasing, making me doubt he's in there. I will probably go ahead and look for another one, since either a: he is gone or b: he can't eat fast enough (which I doubt, since I don't have asterinas at any huge level or anything).

oop, sorry - forgot to comment on that, I tend to agree with you - he may be "gone"

 

[dvara78]

I need to get one of these guys to control the starfish in my tank, but I know it may be tough to get it out of the tank once he's eaten what is currently available. I'd hate to see it die of starvation.

Would be cool to have a community harlequin shrimp that we just pass around from member to member. One that would never die in a perfect world!