Little Shop of Coral
Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta)
Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta)
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Harlequin shrimp are one of the most striking inverts in the hobby, with a bold pattern and slow, deliberate movement that makes them an instant centrepiece. They are peaceful and coral safe, but they have a very specialised diet: they eat sea stars. Because of that, they are best for experienced reef keepers who have a plan for long-term feeding and understand the impact on starfish and star-like inverts.
Why we love it
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Incredible pattern and a true “showpiece” invert
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Peaceful and safe around corals and fish
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Fascinating hunting behaviour and pair bonding
Suggested parameters
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Temperature: 24–26°C (75–79°F)
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Salinity: 1.024–1.026 SG (stability is critical)
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pH: 8.1–8.4
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Alkalinity: 8–10 dKH
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Ammonia/Nitrite: 0
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Nitrate: Under 10–15 ppm (lower is better)
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Phosphate: Keep low and stable
Care and placement
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Difficulty: Advanced
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Reef safe: Yes (coral safe)
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Placement: Rockwork and sandbed, often under ledges
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Tank maturity: Best in stable, established systems
Feeding
This species is a specialist predator.
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Primary diet: Sea stars (including common pest stars like asterina)
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Most will not accept prepared foods long-term
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If there are no starfish available, they can starve
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Many keepers feed pieces of sea star, or offer whole sea stars over time
Compatibility
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Peaceful with fish and corals
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Not compatible with any decorative starfish (Fromia, Linckia, Chocolate Chip, etc.)
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Can be bullied or eaten by aggressive fish like triggers, puffers, some wrasses, and larger hawkfish
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Best in calm community reefs where it can feed without harassment
Pairing
Harlequin shrimp are often kept as a pair. A male and female pair can be more active and easier to observe, but a single shrimp can also thrive if feeding needs are met.
What you are buying
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You will receive: 1 Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta)
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Colour and pattern can vary slightly between individuals
As with all inverts, slow acclimation is recommended, especially for salinity and temperature.
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LIGHT
LOW: Place coral at the bottom of the tank. Depending on the type, coral may need to be placed off sand and therefore mounted on a ceramic disc of piece of rock.
MEDIUM: Place coral at mid-range of the tank. Best placed/glued on top of a rock scape at mid-range height.
HIGH: Place coral from mid range to just below water level. SPS coral are shallow growing so they require and are able to tolerate intense light.
FLOW
LOW: Most soft coral do well with a small, gentle pulse. There are certain corals that can even be placed in areas of indirect flow, meaning places aside a rock structure or set into a entrance to a cave style space.
MEDIUM: Many LPS types of coral prefer medium pulse current. Most Euphyllia or corals that have more tissue structure connected to their skeleton, don’t like to be in a high flow area like the direct flow of the wave pump.
HIGH: Similar to high light, SPS enjoy being in some heavy current. Most LPS and SPS that branch encrust or plate prefer high flow that simulates the top water waves.
SKILL
ENTRY: While some may say beginner level, "Entry" is a good term to be used when starting out in the world of corals and marine life. Prior to adding livestock, you want to ensure that your reef has the proper parameters including zero levels of ammonia and nitrite. Seeing traces of nitrate in your waters is a good sign - just keep them at a lower level of 2ppm to 10ppm. Maintaining correct temperature and salinity are a huge factor to stable parameters. Starting to monitor your PH, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium is a great habit to get into to keep a successful reef.
While some soft coral don’t require too much light, having a proper reef light that puts out the proper pars is very important. You'll also want to have a good amount of flow and protected rock areas, as placing corals in their happy spot is ideal for success.
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