Care
This shy, nocturnal species is best suited to mature reef aquaria. Like many marine shrimp, they are very interesting creatures to observe in their own right, but this species has an added benefit in that it will consume the pest anemone Aiptasia. Do bear in mind that they will also feed on certain small polyps and may take food from corals and slower organisms, so observe carefully. These shrimp may stay hidden amongst the live rock for most of the day, but can usually be observed scavenging under blue moon lighting in the evening. Peppermint Shrimp are a sociable species, and can be kept in groups in spacious aquaria. Choose tankmates with care, avoiding large, predatory, and aggressive species. Acclimatise slowly and carefully, preferably using the drip method or a Maidenhead Aquatics Fintro. As with other invertebrates, do not use copper-based medications if you have Peppermint Shrimp in the tank. As these shrimp grow, they will moult every now and again, and you may find their exoskeletons in the tank. They are quite vulnerable for a few days once they have shed their exoskeleton, and may hide away until the new shell hardens. Will not tolerate a high nitrate level. It should be noted that there are several shrimp species that are traded under the Peppermint Shrimp common name, which are not always the "true" species and can be very tricky to tell apart. The most frequently mis-sold is the coolwater species Lysmata californica which is known from the subtropical Eastern Pacific. Needless to say, this species will not fare well in a tropical set up (nor will it consume Aiptasia). Another "impostor" is the Camelback Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes spp.) which has a taste for zoanthids and star polyps, and can have a deleterious effect on them in very short time.
Feeding
Will eat most aquarium foods.
Breeding
Peppermint Shrimp regularly fill with eggs in the home aquarium, but raising the larvae is extremely challenging - mainly due to predation by tankmates, strong currents sucking them into the filtration system, and difficulty in feeding them with appropriately sized foodstuffs such as phytoplankton.
