Cleaner Shrimp

Cleaner Shrimp - Lysmata

Phylum Arthropoda
- Subphylum Crustacea
  - Class Malacostraca
    - Family Hippolytidae

The Species Lysmata (Family Hippolytidae) more commonly known as Cleaner Shrimp, are omnivores which generally scavenge and eat parasites and dead tissue. Many specific species of Lysmata such as Lysmata Amboinesis are safe and beneficial in salt water tanks, since they will (as indicated by their common name) clean both the tank and occasionaly other fish within the tank.

Contents

1 Natural Environment

2 Tank Environment

3 Care and Maintenance

4 Symbiotic Behaviour

5 Species

6 References

Natural Environment

The cleaner shrimp is naturally part of the reef ecosystem, and is commonly collected from the Indian Ocean.

Tank Environment

Subdued lighting
Rock cover and reefs
Keep water quality high
- SG 1.023 - 1.025
- pH 8.1 - 8.4
- Temp. 72 - 78° F

Care and Maintenance

Cleaner Shrimp will molt every 3-8 weeks normally
Most all foods (in addition to the 'food' eaten while cleaning) are good
Sensitive to changes in environment, particularly salinity
New synthetic water should be pre-made, stored for a week and matched to their systems specific gravity
Be careful with copper-based medication and extreme nitrate levels
Requires iodine for proper molting

Symbiotic Behaviour

It has been observed that fish with parasites may come to "cleaner stations" in the reef. Certain species of fish and several types of cleaner shrimp may assist the fish in large numbers and even go inside the mouth (and then to the gill cavity) without being eaten.

Species

Most species of cleaner shrimp are brightly colored in red and white.

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