Peppermint shrimp care

Quick reference

What are peppermint shrimp?

"Peppermint shrimp" is not one species. In 2006, Rhyne and Lin split the western Atlantic peppermint shrimp into a complex of six: L. wurdemanni, the deep-water L. rathbunae, and four new species, L. ankeri, L. boggessi, L. pederseni and L. bahia.^[3] They found many trade and field-guide identifications were wrong, and that the shrimp is mostly traded as L. wurdemanni;^[3] Reefs.com says what's sold is most often L. boggessi.^[2] Telling them apart takes live animals and a close look at colour pattern and leg segments.^[3]

Feeding

They scavenge leftover food and will eat Aiptasia. How much depends on hunger. In 48-hour trials with the related Monaco shrimp (L. seticaudata), starved shrimp ate 86–89 % of small anemones, fed ones about 70–74 %, and shrimp offered mussel at the same time only 27–36 %; larger anemones (9–10 mm across the disc) were eaten far less than small ones.^[1] The authors suggest starving shrimp, for example during quarantine, before adding them.^[1] Reefs.com puts it plainly: some peppermint shrimp manage Aiptasia well, others aren't interested at all.^[2] In a separate trial they also ate both adult Acropora-eating flatworms and their egg capsules.^[4]

Aggression and spacing

Peaceful toward most reef inhabitants, and social with its own kind.^[2]

Tankmates

Reef safe according to Reefs.com.^[2] The risk runs the other way: LiveAquaria warns that hawkfish, lionfish and predatory shrimp or crabs eat the related skunk cleaner shrimp,^[6] and peppermints are smaller. Reefs.com says they cannot tolerate copper-based medications or high nitrate,^[2] so medicate fish in a separate tank.

Disease and quarantine

Reefs.com says they need supplemental iodine to moult properly,^[2] but reef chemist Randy Holmes-Farley has written that there's no evidence supplemental iodine is necessary or useful for shrimp,^[8] and we found no study showing it. Copper kills them.^[2]

Breeding

They breed readily in the lab: in work on L. boggessi, females laid eggs about three hours after mating.^[7] We found no reliable report of commercial captive breeding at scale.

Troubleshooting

Common mistakes

• •Expecting every peppermint shrimp to eat Aiptasia.^[2]
• •Adding them to a heavily fed tank and expecting pest control.^[1]
• •Treating the display with copper.^[2]
• •Adding them to a tank with hawkfish or lionfish.^[6]
• •Buying a camel shrimp sold as a peppermint.^[5]

Equipment & food for this species

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Inverts need stable salinity — use a refractometer, not a hydrometer.

Peppermint shrimp FAQ

Do peppermint shrimp really eat Aiptasia?

Often, but not reliably: Reefs.com says some individuals ignore it.^[2] In feeding trials with a related shrimp, starved shrimp ate about 86–89 % of small anemones in 48 hours, but only 27–36 % when other food was available.^[1]

How many peppermint shrimp do I need for Aiptasia?

We found no study giving shrimp per gallon. The trials suggest hunger matters more than numbers: starve them before adding and feed the tank lightly.^[1]

Are peppermint shrimp reef safe?

Yes, Reefs.com lists them as reef safe.^[2]

Will peppermint shrimp eat large Aiptasia?

Less often: in trials, anemones 9–10 mm across were eaten far less than 5–6 mm ones.^[1]

Do peppermint shrimp need iodine?

Reefs.com says so, but Randy Holmes-Farley has written there's no evidence it's needed, and we found no study showing it.^{[2, 8]}

Which peppermint shrimp species am I buying?

Probably L. boggessi or another member of the L. wurdemanni complex; the trade mislabels them often.^{[2, 3]}