Shrimp
Skunk cleaner shrimp
Lysmata amboinensis
Also sold as Scarlet cleaner

- Group
- Shrimp
- Care level
- Beginner
- With corals
- Reef safe
What does the skunk cleaner shrimp do in a reef tank?
Scavenges; picks parasites and dead tissue from fish typical, check
With corals: Yes
How many should you keep?
No ratio in sources; often kept singly or in pairs
One US gallon is 3.785 litres and one UK gallon is 4.546 litres, so a "per gallon" rule depends on whose gallon it means.
What can go wrong?
Copper medication kills it even at low levels; eaten by hawkfish, lionfish, some wrasses and triggers; moults every 3 to 6 weeks and is vulnerable for 1 to 2 days typical, check
Which tankmates are risky?
Fish
Fish that may eat or harass it.
Avoid together (7)
- Royal dottybackRoyal dottyback eats ornamental shrimp such as the skunk cleaner shrimp.
- Neon dottybackNeon dottyback eats ornamental shrimp such as the skunk cleaner shrimp.
- Yellow coris wrasseYellow coris wrasse eats ornamental shrimp such as the skunk cleaner shrimp.
- Melanurus wrasseMelanurus wrasse eats ornamental shrimp such as the skunk cleaner shrimp.
- Flame hawkfishFlame hawkfish eats ornamental shrimp such as the skunk cleaner shrimp.
- Longnose hawkfishLongnose hawkfish eats ornamental shrimp such as the skunk cleaner shrimp.
- Falco hawkfishFalco hawkfish eats ornamental shrimp such as the skunk cleaner shrimp.
Take care (8)
- Yellow watchman gobyYellow watchman goby may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
- Orange spotted gobyOrange spotted goby may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
- Orchid dottybackOrchid dottyback may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
- Magenta dottybackMagenta dottyback may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
- Pyjama cardinalfishPyjama cardinalfish may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
- Six line wrasseSix line wrasse may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
- Leopard wrasseLeopard wrasse may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
- Yellow assessorYellow assessor may eat very small shrimp; adult skunk cleaner shrimps are usually safe.
Other invertebrates
Invertebrates it may harm, or that may harm it.
None known.
These checks follow the reasons fish and invertebrates clash: same species or genus, similar shape, mouth size, temperament, food, burrows, tank size and the order they are added. Individual animals differ; every source agrees on that.
Sources
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