Glass Anemone Shrimp

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Found across the tropical Indo-Pacific, always associated with large sea anemones in shallow coastal waters and reef slopes.

Taxonomy: Belongs to the Palaemonidae family. It features a mostly transparent (glass-like) body with distinct white spots on its joints.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and symbiotic. It lives among the stinging tentacles of host anemones, using them for protection against predators.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Body is clear with white patches on the tail and claws. Females are much larger than males and exhibit more pronounced coloration.

Tank Setup: Best kept in a reef tank of at least 15 gallons containing a healthy host anemone (such as carpet or bubble-tip anemones).

Diet and Feeding: Feeds on anemone mucus, organic detritus, and leftovers. It will readily take small frozen foods like daphnia, cyclops, and fine pellets.

Water Quality: Requires standard marine conditions: pH 8.1-8.4, temperature 22-28°C, specific gravity 1.023-1.025, and complete absence of copper.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Safe with corals. Avoid predatory tankmates like wrasses, triggerfish, or large dottybacks that can pull them out of the anemone.

Aquarium Breeding: Females carry green egg masses under their abdomen. Eggs hatch into planktonic larvae, which are extremely difficult to rear in captivity.

Risks and Diseases: Highly vulnerable during molting. Prone to death from osmotic shock if not acclimated slowly via the drip method.