Cleaner Shrimp - Lysmata amboinensis

Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)

The Cleaner Shrimp is one of the most popular marine invertebrates in the hobby, valued for its striking red, white and yellow colouration, peaceful nature and fascinating cleaning behaviour. In established aquaria it will often set up a “cleaning station”, where fish visit to have dead tissue and external parasites picked away. Native to the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific coral reefs, it is a highly attractive and useful addition to many reef systems, and is generally considered one of the better invertebrates for newer marine keepers as long as water quality is stable.

Common Name:
Cleaner Shrimp, also commonly sold as Skunk Cleaner Shrimp or Pacific Cleaner Shrimp.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Lysmata amboinensis

Maximum Size:
Up to 6 cm.

Water Type:
Marine.

Origin / Natural Habitat:
Found across the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific, typically on tropical coral reefs where it lives in caves, under ledges and around reef structure, often in association with cleaning stations.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–28°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Salinity: 1.020–1.025 SG

Temperament:
Peaceful. It is generally compatible with other reef-safe livestock, though large predatory or aggressive fish should be avoided as they may harass or eat it in captivity.

Diet:
Omnivorous scavenger. It will pick at leftover food and organic matter in the aquarium, but should still be fed a varied diet including quality meaty marine foods. Its natural cleaning behaviour also involves feeding on parasites and dead tissue from fish.

Minimum Tank Size:
50 litres minimum is a sensible baseline for long-term care in a stable marine setup. Some retailers list slightly smaller volumes, but around 50 litres gives a safer margin for water stability.

Behaviour & Activity:
An active and visible shrimp that spends much of its time perched on rockwork, waving its long white antennae and interacting with fish. It is best known for its cleaning behaviour and may even clean the hands of aquarists in calm systems.

Reef Safe:
Reef Safe
This species is widely regarded as safe with corals and most reef invertebrates, making it a very popular choice for reef aquaria.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature, stable marine aquarium with plenty of rockwork and hiding places. Like many shrimps, it can be sensitive to poor water quality and sudden parameter swings, so stable salinity and good acclimation are important. It is also wise to avoid housing it with predatory wrasses, hawkfish, triggers or large aggressive species.

Suitable for:
Beginner to Intermediate marine keepers, provided the aquarium is established and stable. This is supported by retailer care guidance describing it as easy to care for and suitable for most aquaria.

Availability:
Regular in trade.