nitrates

[marinemike]

I for those great minds out there,i got a pair of harlequin shrimps from maccas last week end,now feeding them star fish as that's all they eat,so there's the question,if they kill the star fish then surely this would produce nitrates as thats what you get from dead fish,yet harleqiuns cant survive in high nitrates.

[cl0wn]

all uneaten food in the tank will add to nitrates. we just have to remember not to overfeed, or to remove uneaten food. we also have very expensive live rock and skimmers etc to reduce nitrates. just make sure any dead and uneaten starfish are removed. are they feeding on asternias? do you have a culture of them going?

[marinemike]

not a moment,they are feeding on a blue star macca gave them day i got them,and got some sand sifters i larger tank or them.

[cl0wn]

do you have a sump or refugium to get some asternias going? i'm sure someone in your area would be able to donate some?

[marinemike]

no sump or ref,as my main tank is running Berlin method,and my shrimps are in 24g nano tank,will ask my local guy if any of the have asternia's.

[Macca]

Ammonia / nitrite would be a major issue also. If the starfish looks if it is decompossing then chuck it bud.

Some folk remove only a leg at a time as a healthy star will regenerate and a leg from a starfish is a good meal.

They are not like fish needing fed 2 times a day. A good meal once / twice a month should be ok.

Since they are an expert species I suggest looking on the web for a forum dedicated for them mike. I am sure with a few hours reading you will know more about them than most on the forum. You can share your results with oakwell who also has the same species.

[marinemike]

have been reading on net,only problem is that most sites found say the same thing and that only about 20 sentences long,will keep looking,1 of them shreaded it skni today,also the male mandarin is miles better now,loving it to bits in larger tank,with 2 women.