White band cleaner shrimp - Lysmata amboinensis / grabhami

With white-banded cleaner shrimp, Lysmata amboiensis, the name says it all: devotedly it cleans its fellow fish from annoying parasites or infested skin and even cleans the large fish mouths it crawls into without getting hurt. Thus, it represents an important position in the marine aquarium, as it effectively contributes to the maintenance of health of the maintained and valuable marine fish. Originating from the Infopacific, the white-banded cleaner shrimp belongs to the genus Lysmata within the cleaner and marble shrimp family. In their habitat they inhabit caves and crevices from a depth of ten meters in groups but also in pairs, sometimes they form regular "cleaning columns", which are visited by fish for personal hygiene. Due to their snow-white antennae, with which they examine everything and everyone, even the hand of the keeper, for food, they are easy to spot in the aquarium and take over a large part of the aquarium care.

Lymata amboiensis can be confused at first glance with the Atlantic cleaner shrimp Lysmata grabhami: White-banded cleaner shrimp exhibit a long and narrow white dorsal stri pe on a broader red band, extending from the head to the caudal fan, where it ends with a T-shaped transverse stripe. The tail fan shows two white and two red spots on either side and a short white median line. The base of the tail is also red. All pairs of antennae are snow white, only at the beginning the first pair is red. The pair of claws is also white, the remaining legs are orange-transparent. The white banded cleaner shrimp grows up to 6 cm (not counting the antennae).
In L. grabhami the white dorsal line is continuous, the tail fan is flat red and white fringed on both sides.

White-banded cleaner shrimp are hermaphroditic and have both ovaries and testes. However, they cannot self-fertilize and require a mate. Breeding in captivity has been successful, but there are currently not enough reports available.

In an aquarium of 50 liters or more, two white banded cleaner shrimp can be maintained without any problems. It should be acclimated very carefully, best with the droplet method, because it reacts sensitively to density fluctuations. Especially suitable for this purpose is our Acclimation set. As in their habitat, the aquarium should have sufficient hiding places, because especially at the beginning, but also for moulting, the white banded cleaner shrimp will retreat. The empty exuvia can be left in the aquarium, this will be eaten. Thanks to its long and narrow claws, the shrimp even cleans the reef, from whose crevices, corners and edges it carries out food remains.
With these water values the white banded cleaner shrimp can be kept well: Salinity: 35 g/l, Density: 1.023, KH 7-9 °dKH, pH 7.8-8.3, Calcium: 400-430 mg/l, Magnesium: 1,250-1,350 mg/l, Temperature 24-26 °C. Since these crustaceans also require minerals for shell formation, the calcium content in the water should be checked regularly. A Test-Set is an excellent tool for regular control of the water values.

Whiteband cleaner shrimp are, like most marine animals, strong and dominant characters, especially when it comes to food, but they can be socialized well and should be available to the fish in the aquarium if possible. In smaller aquariums shrimp should be socialized in pairs at most, as they can become quite possessive. They usually get along with other invertebrates such as crayfish and snails, but as clean-up police in the aquarium, snails may occasionally get the short end of the stick.

In the aquarium these omnivores feed not only on what they "clean off" fish, but also on carrion, food remains, fish eggs and chase Live food after them. Therefore, they can be fed optimally with a food granulate or food flakes for omnivorous marine fish, but also with bottom tablets. Live or frozen food such as artemia, copepods, krill, lobster eggs, mysis or cladocera are readily accepted by them.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.

Special feature: cleaner shrimp