Pederson Cleaner Shrimp care guide
Pederson Cleaner Shrimp (Ancylomenes pedersoni) — minimum tank 40 L, temperature 24-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pederson Cleaner Shrimp (Ancylomenes pedersoni) is a marine partner shrimp of the family Palaemonidae, listed in the Aquairi knowledge base as an intermediate-level species. Small Caribbean cleaner shrimp with translucent body and electric purple-and-white markings. Lives in association with anemones and provides cleaning service to fish.
Taxonomy
- Family: Palaemonidae
- Genus: Ancylomenes
- Scientific name: Ancylomenes pedersoni
- Common synonyms: Pederson's Shrimp, Caribbean Anemone Shrimp
Habitat
Palaemonid partner shrimp are small, often translucent reef shrimp that live in association with anemones, corals and other invertebrates. Several species clean parasites from fish or shelter among the tentacles of host anemones for protection. In the Aquairi knowledge base this species is recorded from Caribbean.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (10.6 US gal)
- Adult size: 2-3 cm
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- GH: 8-12 °dGH
- KH: 8-12 °dKH
- Salinity (specific gravity): 1.024-1.026
- Lifespan: 1-2 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore, taking a wide range of foods including meaty frozen foods, sinking pellets and detritus gathered from the rockwork.
Compatibility
The Aquairi knowledge base lists this species as peaceful. Suitable tank mates include Caribbean anemones, Reef fish. It should be kept away from Hawkfish, Predatory fish. It associates with host anemones or corals for shelter and is generally reef-safe.
Breeding
Breeding requires an extended planktonic larval stage in open water before the young settle, which makes captive reproduction very difficult and rarely accomplished in home aquaria. Most specimens in the hobby are wild-collected.
Pederson's Cleaner Shrimp (Ancylomenes pedersoni) Breeding Guide
Overview
Ancylomenes pedersoni, originally described as Periclimenes pedersoni by Fenner A. Chace Jr. in 1958, is a small transparent shrimp with bluish and violet markings and long white antennae. It inhabits the Caribbean Sea at depths of 1 to 15 metres and is frequently found on reefs near Bermuda, living in association with the anemones Bartholomea annulata or Condylactis gigantea.
Conditioning
The shrimp acclimates to its host anemone by progressively pressing its body and appendages against the tentacles for increasing periods. Up to 26 shrimps have been recorded on a single anemone, though usually only one or two are present, so a healthy host underpins keeping the shrimp in condition.
Breeding Setup
The shrimp operates a cleaning station, attracting fish by lashing its antennae and removing external parasites, even cleaning inside the gill covers and mouth. A stable host anemone with adequate fish traffic recreates the natural setting in which pairs settle.
Spawning & Berried Females
As a palaemonid cleaner shrimp the female carries fertilised eggs beneath her abdomen until they hatch, in line with the general reproductive pattern of the family.
Larval Care
Hatched larvae are planktonic before settlement. No whitelisted source documents a practical home protocol for rearing these larvae through to settlement.