Coral Banded Shrimp

Coral Banded Shrimp Coral Banded Shrimp, Stenopus hispidus, is a native of several of the reefs located in the Indo-Pacific region. This shrimp is a highly effective scavenger, which helps to keep the aquarium clean of uneaten debris. It is also reported that these shrimp will clean parasites from fish and eat bristleworms; both of these traits make this animal very desirable for the reef aquarium. Shrimp require Live Rock or similar aquarium decoration to use for hiding, especially when molting. This species must molt in order to grow. Molting generally occurs at night, the shrimp will lay on its back and exit its exoskeleton. A new exoskeleton is excreted and will harden over a period of several hours. The animal is vulnerable at this time and should not be disturbed. The shed exoskeleton will often look complete and may fool you into thinking you gained a new shrimp. Proper iodine levels assist with successful molting.