Banded Coral Shrimp
(Stenopus hispidus)
Facts
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IUCN NOT EVALUATED (NE)
Facts about this animal
The Banded Coral Shrimp is up to 7-10 cm long, the male being smaller and more slender. The female can also be recognized by the presence of greenish ovaries visible through the transparent carapace. The body colour is pink with white and red bands across the body and first legs. At the head there are four, white antennae of which two are forked. The antennae are twice as long as the body. The body surface is covered with short spines, which are used in defence. The first three pairs of legs have forceps, the third pair being significantly larger but the others are mainly used for cleaning fishes.
The Banded Coral Shrimp is a non-obligate cleaner shrimp of larger fishes and therefore waits - upside down - for customers swimming by. To signal is willing to clean it performs a dance shaking its white antennae and banded body. It may also feed on small fishes, other crustaceans, snails and worms. Sometimes food is sheared among mated partners. It rests by day and becomes active at dusk. Strong flips of its tail will help the Banded Coral Shrimp to escape in case of danger although no natural predatory enemies are known.
The species lives in monogamy and occupies territories of 1-2 m in diameter. Other crustaceans are not accepted within the territory. During mating the male will first display a courtship dance in front of the female. The male then transfers a sperm sack to the freshly moulted female which soon will inseminate the eggs and stick them to the abdominal legs. The young hatch after 16 days. Hatchlings will be attached to their mother for about six weeks before becoming part of the plankton. After some weeks and several moults the young settle down. The Banded Coral Shrimp may live 2-3 years, sometimes longer.
Lost limbs are regenerated quite easily during the next mould.
Did you know?
that the Banded Coral Shrimp is a common aquarium pet, because of its cleaning activities? It removes dead tissue, algae and parasites from larger fish, and may even clean the fingernails of hands that are carefully reached towards it. that the female of the Banded Coral Shrimp will become infertile if parasitized by the bopyrid isopod Argeiopsis inhacae (a marine woodlouse)?
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | MALACOSTRACA |
| Order | DECAPODA |
| Suborder | PLEOCYEMATA |
| Family | STENOPODIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Stenopus hispidus |
| Name (English) | Banded Coral Shrimp |
| Name (French) | Crevette netoyeuse |
| Name (German) | Gebänderte Scherengarnele |
| Name (Spanish) | Camaron bandeado, Camarón elegante |
| Local names | German (add.): Rotweiss-Gebänderte Scherengarnele Italian: Gambero pulitore a bande Norwegian: Boksarreka, korallreka Spanish (add.): Camarón payaso |
| CITES Status | Not listed |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
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Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and South Africa to the Hawaiian and Tuamotu Islands. Not found in the eastern Atlantic but in the tropical waters in the western Atlantic from Bermuda and off the coast of North Carolina to the gulf of Mexico and southern Florida. |
| Habitat | In coral reefs or anchialine pools of tropical reefs in caves on rocks, sponges and shells in shallow waters down to about 30 m deep. |
| Wild population | Of commercial importance as ornamental species, but since the Banded Coral Shrimp can successfully be bred from captured planktonic larvae the pressure on adults in the reefs has decreased. |
| Zoo population | 105 reported to ISIS (2008) |
In the Zoo
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Why do zoos keep this animal
The Banded Coral Shrimp is a popular ornamental species used in education to demonstrate interspecific relationships in a tropical coral reef. It will clean larger fishes at fixed places so called cleaning stations. Its comparably long life and large size - the largest of all cleaner shrimps - will make it ideal as exhibit. It can be used in touch pools where it may clean the visitors’ hands.
How this animal should be kept
To keep the Banded Coral Shrimp is rather easy and the species is little sensitive if acclimated slowly enough to avoid a pH shock. A tank size of 334 l is recommended for a mated pair, do not insert more individuals unless the tank is large enough for several separated territories.
The temperature should be 24-27 °C. pH is preferably at 8.0-8.4, water density at 1.022-1.025, carbonate hardness (dKH) at 8-12 ° and low nutrients Iodine supplements may need to be added to the tank water. Check any medication for tank mates on its effects for invertebrates.
The following food can be provided: Artemia, flakes, frosted food (large sorts), small polychaete worms, carrion. Unfortunately it sometimes eats small fishes or steals food from corals and anemones. Since it is nocturnal, feeding time should concern this and the food should directly be put in front of it - with the aid of a stick - so it can grab it.
The Banded Coral Shrimp will also clean larger fishes if these have parasites or necrotic tissue. Triggerfish, lionfish, snappers, groupers and many eels will feed on the Banded Coral Shrimp in captivity when given the opportunity, therefore, do not bring them together. Breeding is rather difficult since larvae are eaten or sucked into the filtration system if not removed in time.