Sargassum Shrimp

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Circumtropical global distribution. Inhabits floating pelagic Sargassum seaweed in open ocean waters, but is also commonly found in seagrass beds and sheltered coastal lagoons.

Taxonomy: Member of the family Palaemonidae. Features a slender body with an exceptionally long, flattened, and highly serrated rostrum. Develops small skin-like appendages for camouflage. Grows to 4-5 cm.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and very active. Swims actively among algae fronds or marine vegetation. Forages constantly throughout the foliage for organic matter and small prey.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Mottled brown, olive, or yellowish color with dark brown and white patches mimicking the air bladders and leaves of Sargassum seaweed. Females are larger with a broader rostrum than males.

Tank Setup: Suitable for tanks of 10-12 gallons or larger. Providing a heavy growth of macroalgae (such as Caulerpa or Sargassum) or floating artificial plants is key to mimic its natural climbing habitat.

Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous scavenger. Readily accepts a wide variety of foods including flake or pellet fish foods, frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and grazes on algae biofilm on vegetation.

Water Quality: Tolerant of moderate salinity fluctuations (can survive in brackish environments). Requires temperature of 20-28°C and stable pH of 8.1-8.4. Sensitive to copper.

Compatibility and Tankmates: 100% reef-safe. Compatible with peaceful community reef fish. Do not house with large predatory fish or aggressive crabs that will treat it as a food source.

Aquarium Breeding: Females carry a large cluster of small eggs under their abdomen. Larvae hatch into open water and pass through planktonic zoeal stages which are difficult to rear in community tanks.

Risks and Diseases: Low iodine levels leading to bad molts. Highly sensitive to sudden salinity drops during water changes and to any copper-based medications.