Harlequin Shrimp, Clown Shrimp - Hymenocera elegans

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You are here: Home » Invertebrates » Shrimp » Harlequin Shrimp

Harlequin Shrimp

Scientific Name

Hymenocera elegans

Reef Compatible

With Caution

Care Level

Intermediate

Disposition

Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size

24 gallons

Mature Size

2 inches

Placement in tank

Any

Diet

Carnivore

Range

Indo-Pacific, Hawaii

Size Class

view chart

Other Common Names

Clown Shrimp

Description

Interesting and eerily beautiful, the Harlequin shrimp makes a dazzling display to reef aquariums. The Harlequin Shrimps diet consists of the tube feet of starfish and will quickly rid your aquarium of coralline algae eating asterina stars. It will often dine on the feet of the starfish leaving the center for last in order to keep the starfish alive as long as possible.

Diet

The Harlequin shrimps diet is live Sea Stars which makes keeping them particularly challenging. Take care when using the Protoreaster type of sea star as food since these are NOT reef safe and will eat corals, anemones, slow moving fish, and anything else it can catch. Harlequin shrimp can be taught to eat frozen Sea Star pieces with time.