Pederson Cleaner Shrimp

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the Caribbean Sea and western tropical Atlantic, living in symbiosis with sea anemones on shallow reefs.

Taxonomy: Classified under the Palaemonidae family. It features an almost completely transparent body with purple and white spots.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and symbiotic. It establishes cleaning stations on host anemones and sways its body to attract fish for parasite removal.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Glass-like transparency with purple spots on the legs and tail. Females are larger than males when mature.

Tank Setup: Needs a reef aquarium of at least 10 gallons with a healthy host anemone (like *Condylactis gigantea*) and stable rockwork.

Diet and Feeding: Primarily feeds on fish parasites and mucus. Also accepts fine frozen foods, dissolved organic particles, and micro-pellets.

Water Quality: Requires stable marine water: pH 8.1-8.4, temperature 22-27°C, salinity 1.023-1.025, and zero copper concentration.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Safe with corals. Avoid predatory tankmates like wrasses, hawkfish, and large crabs that can easily prey on them.

Aquarium Breeding: Spawns in captivity, with females carrying egg masses under their tails. Raising the larval stage is extremely difficult.

Risks and Diseases: Prone to predation if forced to leave the host anemone. Highly sensitive to osmotic shock during water changes.