Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)

Peppermint Shrimp Lysmata wurdemanni
Name	Peppermint Shrimp
Name Lat.	Lysmata wurdemanni
Family	Broken-back Shrimps
Family lat.	Hippolytidae
Order	Decapoda
Order lat.	Decapoda
Origin	Western Atlantic
Diet	Carnivore
pH	8.1-8.4
Hardness	6-10 °KH
Lighting	Medium
Current	Moderate
Behavior	Peaceful
Keeping	Individual, pair
Care Level	Moderate
Life Span	3-5 years
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	5 cm
Temperature	22-26 °C
Salinity	33-36 ‰
Aquarium	100 l
US Units
Size	2"
Temperature	72-79 °F
Salinity	1.020-1.025 sg
Aquarium	25 gal

Distribution and habitat

The distribution area of Lysmata wurdemanni is the western Atlantic, from Florida and the Bahamas through the Caribbean to Brazil. They live on shallow coral reefs covered with tube sponges, where they stay near crevices and caves.

Maintenance

They need a well structured aquarium with a reef structure (crevices, caves, shelters, overhangs), with live rocks that they can graze on (small crustaceans) and that act like a biological filter.

Only substrates rich in lime and free of heavy metals may be used as substrate. Filters, skimmers and heaters are necessary to ensure water quality, as well as pumps to simulate tides, swells and bottom currents. The lighting must correspond to the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals.

Salinity: 33-36 ‰	pH value: 8.1-8.4
Carbonate hardness: 6-10 °KH	Nitrate content: 2-8 mg/l
calcium content: 400-450 mg/l	Nitrite content: 0.0-0.05 mg/l
Magnesium content: 1.250-1.350 mg/l	phosphate content: 0.01-0.1 mg/l

Regular addition of trace elements, especially iodine, is recommended. For salinity, an average value should be aimed for, which may only vary slightly by +/- 0.5 ‰. Ammonia and ammonium must not be measurable. Special attention shall be paid to consistently good water quality and water values.

Diet

In nature they feed on plankton, growth and small crustaceans as well as skin particles and parasites, which they remove from the host fish. In a community tank, special feeding is not essential as they will partake of the fish food (small mysis, krill, artemia, bosmids, fish eggs, granular food, food tablets, etc.). Once or twice a week, phyto- and zooplankton, available as ready-made food in specialized shops, should be offered.

Regular and varied feeding promotes health and increases resistance.

Behaviour and compatibility

They live individually or in pairs and defend their territory. A socialization with fish and invertebrates, which they do not consider as food, is very well possible.

Reproduction and breeding

Younger animals are initially males, then become simultaneous hermaphrodites, producing male and female gametes simultaneously, and thereafter act exclusively as females. External sexual characteristics are not known.

The female carries the eggs on her pleopods (webbed feet) for about 14 days and supplies them with oxygen by fanning movement. The free-swimming larvae feed on plankton such as brachionus (rotifers) and copepods (copepods).

Important

In nature, fish swim "cleaning stations" and challenge shrimp to clean by slanting and spreading their fins. In the aquarium, however, this behavior occurs very rarely.

If the water values are not appropriate (e.g. iodine content), moulting problems may occur.

Special care is required when placing them in the aquarium. They are very sensitive to different water conditions. Newly introduced animals must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium.

If different species are kept together, care must be taken to ensure that fish and invertebrates match each other in terms of water quality and temperature requirements, as well as their social behavior, and that the setup meets the ecological needs of all species kept together

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: Werner Winter; Image: petdata

Source: KNOP (2013): Lexikon der Meeresaquaristik, Natur und Tier Verlag; ENGELMANN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Verlag Harri Deutsch