Cleaner Shrimp Guide   by Indy

A very regular offering in the trade, the scarlet cleaner shrimp is found in many pet stores almost all of the time. They are heavily collected from the Indo-Pacific plus are a mainstay in the marine tank trade. Its scientific name is Lysmata Amboinensis.

Extremely well-liked with hobbyists, most have had them in the past as well as probably at present as well. They are reasonably priced primarily because they are easily collected in numbers. They are a tough shrimp that acclimate well to life in an aquarium.

The cleaner shrimp gets its name from the service it performs in their natural habitats. Just like their shy cousins, the fire shrimp, they aggressively inspect the bodies of fishes for parasites to eat. Because of this, most bigger predators do not devour these shrimp.

However, this doesn’t occur all the time. Lionfish, Triggerfish plus smaller cat sharks will all devour the cleaner shrimp if given a chance. Fortunately, many fish understand the job of this shrimp in addition to would rather approach them with a clean up instead. This behavior is replicated in the saltwater tank, making them an exceptional addition.

Besides parasites, they also eat a broad mixture of meaty foods. Pellets, frozen foods, flake foods are all readily eaten. Should it chance upon an amphipod or munnid isopod, those are fair game as well.

Pellets produced by New Life Spectrum are good a great option for a sinking pellet. However, if a cheaper brand of pellet food is given, they will live just fine. Ensure it is fed a good blend of food for diversity.

Many have successfully bred the scarlet cleaner shrimp in captivity. Pairing them yourself is a basic task. All that is needed is to put two shrimp in the same tank. They are hermaphrodites that are able to change sex depending on to the situation. That means any two have the potential to pair up plus mate.

When a pair has been established, they will routinely spawn in the aquarium. To the familiar hobbyist, raising the larvae would prove daunting as the food as well as water quality essential for such an endeavor is difficult to obtain.

About the Author

The author has covered both the Cleaner Shrimp as well as the Fire Shrimp in his hubpage. Please click on the links for a photo and video guide on both these marine shrimp.
Moorish Idol eating New Life Spectrum Marine pellets in Quarantine