come see my harlequin pair!

[dragonette]

Hey all,
Ive wanted a pair of harlequin shrimp for some time, and been quite a lurker when it comes to it. I finally decided to actively search for one (obviously waiting for one to fall into my lap wasnt working for me...)

I called logical reef, they had 3 in stock from the day before's shipment and two were hanging out together! yay! a pair. I consulted maryG about logical reef and everything seemed safe, so I picked up my pair last week!

36.00 ea, over 1", one male, one female... the lfs guy said he could see eggs on the female but I havent confirmed this.

They came with the choc. chip star he had just thrown in there for them to chow on.

Heres there first pics! They dragged thier star into a cave and have been hiding out since then. I saw yesterday that they still have 2.5 legs and a oral disc to go.. but they are surely chomping down.

Two of my larger serpent stars are hanging out right under them and eating all the scraps the shrimps drop... its kind of odd... like a cow eating a burger.. but whatever lol

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u311/jm_willer/My%20reef%20aquarium/_MG_4090CR2.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u311/jm_willer/My%20reef%20aquarium/IMG_4056.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u311/jm_willer/My%20reef%20aquarium/_MG_4075CR2.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u311/jm_willer/My%20reef%20aquarium/_MG_4071CR2.jpg


any comments or stories about your own harlequins are surely welcome.

Im trying to get more information about what people are feeding thiers (like what type of star) and how often.

Also, do you think mine will come out of the cave once they have consumed the star? I hope so... otherwise I might set them up a tank of thier own just so I can see them more often.

They are curently in my 24g AP LPS reef. Im terrible at full tank shots but if by some chance I snap a good one, Ill post it so you can see thier home :)

Jess

[MaryG]

Those guys are beautiful Jess! Good pick. I have never seen one in person. Gotta come check them out.

[ladybug5234]

Jess, you may never see them in that tank. I had mine in a tiny little pico for a while and they were always in plain view since it was such as a small place. But with their meals being eaten alive, you have to do (should do) small water changes at least once a week... although I am horrible at water changes and never did many... lol.

On another topic, can you try to get pics of both their undersides? I am still perplexed about who has what (male vs. female), in these shrimps, of course... lol.

[ladybug5234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14145957#post14145957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MaryG
Those guys are beautiful Jess! Good pick. I have never seen one in person. Gotta come check them out.

What??? Mary, you've been to my house a million times! You saw them in the pico!

[MaryG]

I am not sure if I saw them. I bought that one rock that has corals on it from your Pico. I do not remember if you already got rid of the Harleys at that time or not. You know I am getting old! Lol...

[ladybug5234]

Lol... they were there. I still have them!

[MaryG]

Oh...
Where are you keeping them? In your large tank?

[ladybug5234]

yep

[dragonette]

they are in the cave. I built the rockwork to make one cave in the middle of the tank (mostly for my fire shrimp) and they are munching down still in there, and havent come out yet. ... but the fire shrimp is still in there, so I guess hes not moving out lol

Im kind of bummed that they are being so reclusive, but I guess we will have to see what happens when they finish that star they are working on.

Are the water parameters stable enough in a pico for these guys? what size was the pico? like 3 g or something?

If they ever come out Ill be sure to snap pics but right now its not looking good.
I think the major difference between the male and female is the size, but Ill try to get pics of the 'under carriage'

Jess

[ladybug5234]

I had a single one in a 3.5 gal and then a pair in a 7 gal. I had mine in there for over a year and everything was fine. I am very lazy with water changes, but I would certainly recommend one every week, especially if you go tiny pico (like the 3.5 gal). I have some gallery pics of the 7 gallon here: http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.giraud/HarleyTank?feat=directlink

[dragonette]

what happened to your shrimp? did they die or something?

[ladybug5234]

Nope, I have one left. One met the powerhead & perished and the other one killed the one I tried to pair him/her up with. The one that's left is in my 120. I only see him when I starve him and he comes out looking for food.