There's More to Marine Shrimp Than You Think
Most reefers know about cleaner shrimp and peppermints, but marine shrimp go way deeper. Here's a species rundown for UK tanks.
The Standards
Pacific Cleaner Shrimp — Sets up cleaning stations, picks parasites off fish, eats anything. Hardy, beautiful, fascinating behaviour. Every tank benefits from at least one.
Peppermint Shrimp — The aiptasia assassins. Three or four will clear a bad infestation. Make sure to get the right species, not a camel shrimp lookalike.
Fire/Blood Shrimp — Deep red with white antennae. One of the most stunning invertebrates available. Shy, cave-dwelling, reef-safe. Pricier than cleaners but gorgeous.
The Small and Fascinating
Sexy Shrimp — Tiny (2cm) with a distinctive dancing motion. They live in anemones and work best in small groups of 3–5. Perfect for nanos.
Harlequin Shrimp — Stunning white with purple/blue spots. The catch: they eat starfish exclusively. A genuine ongoing cost that puts some people off. Not a casual purchase.
Anemone Shrimp — Transparent with coloured spots, living on anemones and large LPS. Best in peaceful tanks as they're easily eaten by fish.
The Ones to Research Carefully
Coral Banded Shrimp — Impressive but aggressive. They'll kill other shrimp species and are known to catch small, slow fish. Keep only one (or a mated pair).
Marble Shrimp — Nocturnal with a reputation for nipping at soft corals. Not truly reef-safe.
Shrimp Care Basics
- Drip acclimate over 45–60 minutes minimum — shrimp are extremely sensitive to salinity and pH changes
- Avoid copper — copper-based medications kill shrimp
- Moulting — discarded moults look exactly like dead shrimp. Don't panic
Compatibility
Known shrimp predators include hawkfish, larger wrasses, some dottybacks, triggers, puffers, and lionfish. Always check compatibility before buying.
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