Peppermint Shrimp
Lysmata wurdemanni
The Peppermint Shrimp also known as the Veined Shrimp or
Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp is one of the most popular shrimps in the hobby. It
has a well-known reputation as an eater of the widely disgusted and quite
common Aiptasia anemone.
Peppermint Shrimp are native to the waters off the Florida in
the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys. These shrimps are small, even adults
rarely grow more than 2” in length and have an off-white body with many crimson
red lines that go from head to tail.
Peppermint Shrimp are scavengers and pick its way around
your aquarium and live rock to consume detritus, uneaten food, and decomposing
organic material. They will also happily take pieces of fresh food and flakes
as well. These shrimps have a reputation for eating Aiptasia in the home
aquarium, they get this reputation because they are exceptionally good at doing
just that. However, once the Aiptasia is consumed it has been documented that in
some cases the shrimp then will attempt to eat soft corals and polyps.
Peppermint Shrimp are nocturnal and will usually hide in
rocky areas of the tank only to come out after the lights are off to scavenge
for food.
It has been possible to breed Peppermint Shrimp in
captivity, however they are very cannibalistic and there have been problems with
this as that is why the price for a “captive bred” Peppermint Shrimp are so far
off from wild caught.
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