Camelback Shrimp

I think the only reason you should add a Camelback shrimp to your reef tank is for their red stripes and unique humpback shape.

However, they are often mistaken for peppermint shrimp and won’t help with pest management as you’d hope. Keeping them has some challenges, so read on to find out more.

What Camelback Shrimp Look Like

Camelback shrimp have an overall red-looking body that is covered in stripes and a few white dots. That hump on their back is where they get their name from. They’re pretty small, usually only growing to about 1-2″ long.

Pin

You might mistake them for a couple of other shrimp:

Rhynchocinetes Uritai

• Main difference: More white/translucent coloration
• Looks very similar, often sold under the same name
• Care needs are pretty much identical

Peppermint shrimp (Lysmata Wurdemanni)

• Also has red and white stripes
• No back hump, no upturned “beak” (rostrum)
• More see-through body
• Better at eating Aiptasia anemones
• Generally reef-safe (unlike camelback shrimp)

Pin

Diet and Feeding

Camelback shrimp are scavengers that’ll eat just about anything! They’re not picky eaters at all.

You might be thinking, “Great! They’ll keep my tank spotless!” Well, not exactly. While they help keep things tidy, they’re not as specialized as other invertebrates.

Pin

Their main food staples include:

• Organic waste and leftover food particles
• Algae growing on rocks and surfaces (but not effective for controlling it)
• Small invertebrates they encounter

To keep them healthy, you can supplement their diet with:

• Frozen or freeze-dried mysis shrimp and brine shrimp
• Sinking pellets or flakes formulated for marine invertebrates
• Tiny pieces of fresh or frozen seafood like shrimp, fish, or mussels

Are camelback shrimp good at eliminating pests like Aiptasia anemones? Unfortunately, they’re not designed for that job. They might pick at a small Aiptasia here and there, but they won’t systematically clear them out like some other shrimp species.

To get the most out of your camelback shrimp’s scavenging abilities:

• Give them plenty of live rock to explore
• Let a little bit of detritus build up for them to snack on
• Feed them at least once a day to keep them healthy
• Keep a few of them together – they work better in groups!

Camelback shrimp are not reef-safe. Camelback shrimp may nip at and damage certain species, particularly colonial anemones (like Zoas), disc anemones (like mushrooms), and soft leather corals. They generally leave stinging anemones and bubble coral alone, but monitoring their interactions with corals is important.

So why keep them? Well, I find they’re fantastic for adding movement and interest to your tank. Plus, they do contribute to overall cleanliness, even if they’re not solving specific problems.

Tank Setup

Let’s talk about creating the perfect home for your camelback shrimp!

The good news is that they aren’t fussy about what’s on the bottom of your tank. Sand or coral rubble all work just fine. I like using a mix of fine sand and some larger pieces because it gives all creatures more interesting textures to explore.

Camelback shrimp love to hide during the day because they’re nocturnal. So, you want to give them plenty of nooks and crannies to tuck themselves into. I always make sure to include lots of live rock with caves and crevices.

Pin

When it comes to lighting, you don’t need anything too fancy. Low to moderate lighting is perfectly fine. Remember, they’re most active at night.

How many shrimp can you keep? They’re social creatures, so you don’t want to keep just one lonely shrimp. Here’s what I recommend:

• Minimum: 2 shrimp
• Ideal: 6 or more

But remember, you need to have enough space for them. A good rule of thumb is:

• Start with a 10-gallon tank for 2-3 shrimp
• Add about 2-3 gallons for each additional shrimp

Keeping them in larger groups is great because it reduces aggression (especially during breeding time) and lets you see more of their natural behaviors.

Again, while camelback shrimp are pretty easy to care for, they’re not considered reef-safe. They might nibble on some corals or anemones. I’d recommend a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) setup or a dedicated invertebrate tank if you’re set on keeping them.

Water Parameters and Acclimation

Let’s talk about keeping your camelback shrimp happy and healthy with the right water conditions! These little guys aren’t too demanding, but getting things just right will help them thrive.

Here’s what I’ve found works best for camelback shrimp:

Parameter	Range / Target	Notes
Temperature	73-80°F (22-27°C)	Most active around 76°F
Salinity	1.023-1.025 specific gravity	Use refractometer for accuracy
pH	8.0-8.5	Sluggish if pH drops too low
Alkalinity (KH)	8-16 dKH	Helps keep pH stable
Nitrate	< 20 ppm	Lower is better, but don’t stress if it’s slightly off
Ammonia	0 ppm	Harmful if any detected
Nitrite	0 ppm	Harmful if any detected

Note: Supplements like calcium and iodine are beneficial, especially for their molting process. Shrimp are super sensitive to copper. Make sure you haven’t used any copper-based medications in your tank recently. Even trace amounts can kill them.

When introducing camelback shrimp to your tank, a slow acclimation process helps them adjust.

Start by floating the sealed bag in your aquarium for about 15 minutes to match the temperature.

Then, over the next 30 minutes, add small amounts of your tank water to the bag every five minutes. This gradual mixing lets them get used to your water’s chemistry.

When moving them, use a net or scoop them into the tank without adding the bag’s water.

Behavior and Tank Mates

Camelback shrimp are mostly nocturnal and tend to be shy during the day. You’ll often find them hiding among rocks or inside caves, coming out when the lights are low.

Pin

They prefer to be in groups, so keeping several together helps them feel more at ease. Their peaceful nature means they usually get along with other non-aggressive tank mates.

As for tank mates, here are some good options:

• Most peaceful fish that won’t try to eat them
• Other non-aggressive invertebrates like snails or hermit crabs
• Larger, peaceful shrimp species

Avoid keeping them with:

• Aggressive or predatory fish (like some wrasses or lionfish)
• Mantis shrimp or other predatory crustaceans

How often do camelback shrimp molt? Well, it depends on their age and how fast they’re growing, but generally, you can expect to see molts every few weeks to a couple of months. They might hide more than usual when they’re getting ready to molt.

Breeding and Reproduction

You’re not likely to see successful breeding in your display tank.

In the wild, camelback shrimp have some interesting mating behaviors. The males get pretty competitive when there’s a female ready to mate. You might see them showing off their big claws, trying to impress the ladies.

Here’s what typically happens:

1. A female molts, which signals she’s ready to mate.
2. Males start competing for her attention.
3. The winning male transfers sperm to the female.
4. The female carries the fertilized eggs under her body until they hatch.

In your reef tank, you might occasionally see some of these behaviors. You could spot males guarding females that are close to molting or see pairs touching and grasping each other. It’s pretty interesting to watch!

But even if they mate successfully, raising the larvae is incredibly difficult. The baby shrimp (larvae) need very specific conditions and food to survive. Most hobbyists, even experienced ones, struggle to keep them alive.

Some of the challenges include:

• Providing the right kind of microscopic food for the larvae
• Maintaining perfect water conditions
• Preventing the tiny larvae from getting sucked into filters or eaten

Because of these difficulties, most camelback shrimp in the aquarium trade are wild-caught rather than captive-bred.

Can You Keep Camelback Shrimp in a Reef Jar?

I wouldn’t recommend keeping camelback shrimp in a reef jar or pico reef under 2 gallons.

These shrimp grow up to 2 inches and need ample space to move and explore. They also prefer living in groups of at least two, which isn’t practical in such a small environment.

In a tiny tank, maintaining stable water conditions becomes challenging, especially for sensitive invertebrates like shrimp.

They require plenty of hiding spots among rocks and caves to feel secure, and a reef jar simply can’t provide the complexity they need. And in a confined space, their behavior becomes more problematic since corals and shrimp are close.

For their well-being and to meet their environmental needs, a larger tank of at least 10 gallons is a better choice.