Peppermint Shrimp
Scientific Name : Lysmata Wurdemanni
Origin : Caribbean
Temperament : Peaceful
Temperature : 72F - 82F
Maximum Size : 3 Inches
Diet : Carnivore
Difficulty : Easy
Reef Safe : Yes
Tank Size : 10 Gallons
The Peppermint Shrimp is commonly confused with the camel shrimp mainly because they look quite similar to the camel shrimp to the casual onlooker. The differences are in the lines that both marine aquarium shrimp species have. Peppermint shrimp have reddish orange lines while camel shrimp have white lines.
They are a commonly imported species that hails from around the waters of the Caribbean. Some of the cheapest shrimp on the market, they also go by the name Caribbean cleaner shrimp.
However, unlike the scarlet cleaner shrimp and the fire shrimp, they are not really cleaner shrimp at all. While they are a hardy addition to the marine aquarium and easy to feed, they are mostly known for an interesting and extremely useful aspect that they bring with them to our aquariums. They are known to eat aiptasia. Aiptasia is a common aquarium anemone pest that can quickly take over the entire aquarium. They can thrive in almost any type of condition and easily multiply. They go on to sting corals in the aquarium and can be a real eyesore. They are also generally very difficult to remove once they have taken hold of the aquarium.
Peppermint shrimp are natural predators of aiptaisa in the wild and will hunt them down in a pack. However, this behavior is generally seen in larger groups. There is also the danger of feeding the peppermint shrimp too well, causing the shrimp to ignore other sources of food. Due to their cheap prices on the market, getting a group together is not too expensive but it is important to feed them once the aiptasia has been consumed in the marine aquarium.
Like most marine aquarium shrimp, they are very easy to feed in captivity. They are primarily carnivores and will consume any meaty foods offered. Anything from frozen foods, freeze dried foods along with flakes and pellets are some good choices to feed them. The most convenient types of food are sinking pellets. Not only are they easy to feed, but they are usually very balanced with regards to nutrition. Some of the best pellet foods are those produced by * New Life Spectrum.
Coral Banded Shrimp are born with different sexes with the females usually being larger than the males. This may be a difficult method to differentiate the sexes. However, picking a female is simplified once the presence of eggs are spotted.
Peppermint Shrimp are Protandric Simultaneous Hermaphrodites, which means they are born with male reproductive organs and obtain female reproductive organs as they age. The difference with other hermaphrodite types is the fact that they still retain male reproductive organs throughout their lives. This enables any two peppermint shrimp to pair and breed in the wild.
Pairing is simple enough. Simply purchase two specimens and put them together. In time, they should pair up and breed in captivity very often. They have been bred in captivity with some success from hobbyists and large scale breeders. However, their low price point makes it quite unfeasible economically.
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