Blood Red Fire Shrimp

Looks how to spot one

Thin exoskeleton that is moulted as the shrimp grows

A compact shrimp in deep blood red, sprinkled with white dots on the head shield and legs, with long bright white antennae. Its rear walking legs have white tips. Depending on where it was collected, the white dots may cover only the head area or the whole body.13

Personality what they are like

Peaceful with fish and corals. It is fairly shy and likes dim caves, but may squabble with others of its own kind in a small tank.3

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Mostly nocturnal. It spends the day sheltering in caves and comes out more after dark to scavenge and clean fish.3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Rated easy to keep. It needs stable, copper-free water and adequate iodine for healthy moulting, and should be acclimated slowly.3

Home where they are happiest

A marine reef aquarium with live rock, caves and shaded overhangs. LiveAquaria gives 72-78 °F (about 22-26 °C), pH 8.1-8.4, dKH 8-12 and specific gravity 1.023-1.025. In the wild it is recorded at around 20-30 m depth. No minimum tank size was given by the sources.32

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Carnivorous scavenger. In aquariums it accepts frozen, freeze-dried, live and flake foods, and in the wild it also picks parasites and dead tissue off fish.31

Company who they like around

Can live alone or in a pair. Because every individual can act as both sexes, any two can breed, but several in a small tank may bicker.13

The story where it all began

The fire shrimp was formally described by A. J. Bruce in 1983 and named after Helmut Debelius, who collected the first specimens. It quickly became one of the most popular cleaner shrimps in the reef aquarium hobby.1

Recognised by the official bits

Taxonomy (via SeaLifeBase)

Described by A. J. Bruce in 1983. Order Decapoda, genus Lysmata.2

SeaLifeBase

Not evaluated by the IUCN.2