Red Coral Banded Shrimp

The coral banded shrimp, scientifically known as Stenopus hispidus, is a striking decapod crustacean found in tropical oceans worldwide, including the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean. Reaching an average size of 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) in length excluding its unusually long, bright white antennae that can double its visual size it is easily recognized by the bold, alternating red and white vertical bands covering its body and large, elongated pincers. Although commonly called a shrimp, it belongs to the family Stenopodidae, making it a boxer shrimp rather than a true caridean shrimp. In nature, it acts as an opportunistic cleaner, setting up stations on rocky overhangs to pick parasites and dead tissue off passing fish. It is also an active nocturnal scavenger that uses its long claws to pick up uneaten meaty foods, bristle worms, and organic detritus from rockwork and sand beds.

In a home aquarium, the coral banded shrimp is a hardy inhabitant, but its territorial nature requires careful planning. It is fiercely aggressive toward other shrimp species including members of its own kind unless kept as a mated pair and may occasionally pick at small, slow-moving ornamental fish or beneficial worms. It thrives in tanks with plenty of cave structures, stable iodine levels for proper molting, and a steady supply of meaty foods.