Encyclopaedia
Banded Snapping Shrimp
Alpheus armillatus
An Atlantic snapping shrimp, famous for light and dark transverse bands across its body.
- Family
- Alpheidae
- Origin
- Oceano Atlantico occidentale: da Bermuda e Florida fino al Brasile meridionale.
- Origin
- Tropical oceans and reefsExtra-Amazon South AmericaNorth America
- Tank use
- Used in 0 tanks
Share
22 °C - 26 °C
8.1 - 8.4
Marine
Spazzino
Alta
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Western Atlantic Ocean: Bermuda and Florida to southern Brazil.
Taxonomy: Belongs to the Alpheidae family. It exhibits a morphology typical of reef-dwelling scavenger invertebrates, growing to a size of 4.5 cm.
Social Behavior: Very peaceful and secretive. It leads a benthic lifestyle, spending much of its time sheltered within crevices or sandy burrows.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: The coloration consists of cryptic or distinct markings helpful for camouflage. Sexual dimorphism is not externally prominent.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Tank Setup: Requires a reef aquarium of at least 80.0 liters with stable rockwork. Provide shaded areas and caves to shelter during molting.
Diet and Feeding: Omnivore. Acts as a scavenger, eating leftover foods, micro-crustaceans, organic debris, and sinking pellets.
Water Quality: Reef parameters with pH 8.1-8.4, gravity 1.023-1.025, and low nitrates are critical.
Compatibility and Tankmates: Peaceful. Reef-safe. Do not house with large, aggressive fish species that might consider it prey.
Aquarium Breeding: Simultaneous hermaphrodite. Breeding is complex due to a prolonged planktonic larval phase which rarely survives.
Risks and Diseases: High sensitivity to copper-based medications. Risk of osmotic shock; requires slow drip acclimation.
Invertebrate profile
- Type
- Gambero marino
- Diet
- Onnivoro. Consuma avanzi di cibo, detrito organico fine e mangime secco affondante.
- Ecological role
- Spazzino
- Minimum group
- 1
- Adult size
- 4.5 cm
- GH
- n/a
- KH
- n/a
- TDS
- n/a
- Copper
- Alta
- Shock sensitivity
- Alta
- Calcium and minerals
- Gli elementi minerali disciolti devono essere mantenuti entro standard di barriera stabili.
- Molting
- Esegue la muta all'interno della sua complessa rete di tane sabbiose.
- Reproduction
- Oviparo. Le larve subiscono svariati stadi planctonici difficili da gestire in vasca.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- Reef-safe. Evitare coinquilini aggressivi di fondo come granchi o pesci predatori.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Other recommended species with similar care requirements and water parameters.
