Lysmata wurdemanni (Peppermint Shrimp)

Source: liveaquaria.com

QUICK STATS

• Care Level: Easy
  
• Temperament: Peaceful
  
• Reef Compatible: Yes
  
• Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
  
• Max. Size: 2"
  
• Color Form: Red, White, Yellow
  
• Diet: Carnivore
  
• Origin: Caribbean
  
• Family: Hippolytidae
  
• Insert Date: 1 October 2010

The Peppermint Shrimp is best known for its natural ability to manage nuisance Aiptasia, or glass anemones. Keep in mind that some individual Peppermint Shrimp are better at managing aiptasia while others may not be interested in aiptasia at all. Though considered part of the "cleaner" grouping of shrimp, Lysmata wurdemanni is more of a scavenger. The Peppermint Shrimp picks its way around your aquarium and live rock to consume detritus, uneaten food, and decomposing organic material. This ornamental member of the Hippolytidae family is brightly colored with a creamy white body striped with several thin and distinct longitudinal red bands.
Also known as the Veined or Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp, the Peppermint Shrimp is sometimes confused with its Pacific cousin, Rhynchocinetes durbanensis. However, that shrimp has a pointed nose and inter-spaced white stripes over its body. In the wild, the Peppermint Shrimp is usually found in the vertical shafts of the reef. Some even take up residence in the core of pipe sponges. The Peppermint Shrimp does best in home aquariums with live rock, ample places to hide, as well as open areas to scavenge.

The Peppermint Shrimp is very social and peaceful towards most reef inhabitants. Like other invertebrates, the Peppermint Shrimp cannot tolerate copper-based medications or high nitrate levels. It also requires supplemental iodine to encourage proper molting of its carapace. In addition to what it obtains from scavenging, the diet of the Peppermint Shrimp should consist of most types of prepared foods and the occasional pieces of fresh fish.

The Peppermint Shrimp species has been successfully bred by commercial fish farms, but it will rarely breed in the average home aquarium.

Other links:
http://www.reeflex.net/tiere/855_Lysmata_wurdemanni.htm
http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/peppermint_shrimp.htm

Past Friday we bought 2 new peppermint shrimps. One was carrying eggs, curious how that will evolve. We hope they are able to take care of the sea anemones that are still present in the aquarium. We tried to inject them and killed a couple, but still not all of them.

Hardly seen but doing their job very well. I haven’t seen any Sea Anemones since we got them, except for one huge one still alive. Sometimes at night or early morning I see one move around, so I don’t know if there are still two of them or that there is only one left.