Camel / Dancing Shrimp

Care at a glance

Overview

Reef safe with caution. It's cheap, hardy, and a decent scavenger, but it will pick at soft corals, zoanthids, and colonial anemone polyps when there isn't enough uneaten food around, and it's easily confused with peppermint shrimp on a store shelf, so a close look before buying matters. Peaceful toward fish and other shrimp, and does best in a small group of four to six rather than as a single specimen. Mostly nocturnal, hiding by day and coming out to scavenge after the lights go off.

In the wild

Native to the Indo-West Pacific from South Africa and the Red Sea through India and Southeast Asia to Japan and the Philippines. Found in shallow, rocky reef habitat from about 5–35 m, tucked into caves, overhangs, and crevices in loose groups. The aquarium setup should match that: plenty of rockwork with shaded hiding spots and other camel shrimp for company.

Good to know

Named for the humped, camel like curve of its back and the long, hinged rostrum that angles up from its face, which is where the hinge-beak shrimp name comes from. Red and white banding and large red eyes make it easy to identify. It's a true omnivore and opportunistic scavenger, unlike the more predatory banded shrimp species it sometimes gets mistaken for.

Did you know

Its eyes are made of thousands of individual facets that give it strong low light vision, which is why most of its jerky, rocking 'dancing' walk happens well after dark.

Related species

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  Harlequin Shrimp

  Hymenocera picta

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Marble Shrimp

  Saron marmoratus

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Peppermint Shrimp

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• 

  Tiger Pistol Shrimp

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• 

  Fire Shrimp

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• 

  Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

  Lysmata amboinensis

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)