Camel Shrimp

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 2"
• Diet: Omnivore   • Aquarium Level: Substrate & Rocks   • Minimum Tank Size: 12 gallons
 • Reef Compatible: Yes   • Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
• Supplements: None   • Coloration: Red, White, Pink
• Origin: Caribbean • Family: Hippolytidae   • Species: Shrimp

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The Camel Shrimp is also commonly referred to as the Hinge-beak Shrimp, Dancing Shrimp, or Candy Shrimp within the aquarium trade. It is distinguished by a movable rostrum (beak) that is usually angled upwards. The Camel Shrimp has a varied pattern of red and white stripes on its body, with claws located directly in front of its body. The males of its species tend to have larger chelipeds (claws) than the females.

Camel Shrimp prefer to congregate with others of their own kind in rock crevasses, under overhangs, or in the coral rubble. Plentiful caves and crevices for hiding in are necessary to properly house the Camel Shrimp, especially when it is molting as its protective shell is compromised. It is ideal to keep a small group of Camel Shrimp in the aquarium environment as they prefer to live in small groups.

The Camel Shrimp is usually found living in caves and crevices of the reef, usually in small groups of four to six individuals. The Camel Shrimp is very sociable and will live peacefully with almost all reef inhabitants; however, it may nip at colonial anemones, disc anemones, and soft leather corals but will generally leaves bubble coral and stinging anemones alone.

The Camel Shrimp will generally spend its time savaging the reef for any meaty foods that it can find. While it is in the cleaner shrimp family, the Camel Shrimp is more of a scavenger than a parasite cleaner, and is not known for cleaning parasites off of fish. They will live with others of their own kind or pretty much any species of invertebrate, coral or fish as they are an extremely peaceful species. Camel Shrimp will not tolerate copper or high levels of nitrates in the aquarium, and will also require iodine for proper molting of its carapace.

In addition to what it obtains from scavenging, the diet of the Camel Shrimp should consist of any type of meaty prepared foods, such as, flake, frozen, freeze-dried or fresh chopped fish or mussels. Supplemental feedings will only be necessary if there is not enough leftover foods for the Camel Shrimp to scavenge for within the aquarium.