Breeding the Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)

Lysmata wurdemanni is a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite that breeds readily in captivity, releasing weekly batches of planktonic zoea that still require dedicated larval rearing.

Overview

Lysmata wurdemanni is a western Atlantic shrimp ranging from Long Island and Florida along the Gulf of Mexico to Texas, reaching about 7 cm. It reproduces readily in aquaria and is among the species most accessible to determined hobbyist breeders, though larvae are still planktonic and demanding.

Sexing

The species is a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite. Individuals pass through about four moults functioning as males before changing to euhermaphrodites; thereafter they act as males between moults and as females immediately after moulting. Any two mature animals can therefore pair and reciprocally fertilise, so external sexing is unnecessary.

Conditioning

Stable reef parameters (about 24–26 °C, pH 8.1–8.4) and steady feeding keep adults productive. Under favourable conditions the species spawns continuously, producing weekly batches of larvae from each mature animal.

Spawning & Berried Females

Mating is mediated by chemistry: the egg-bearing partner releases pheromones 2–8 hours before moulting, the mate detects them via chemoreceptors, verifies compatibility through contact pheromones, and copulation occurs immediately post-moult while the new cuticle is soft. Fertilised eggs are then carried on the pleopods until they hatch.

Larval Care

Hatched zoea are planktonic and need a gently circulated larval vessel. As with other Lysmata, early larvae take rotifers (Brachionus) and newly hatched Artemia with co-cultured phytoplankton; later stages move to enriched Artemia. Continuous live-food supply across the larval period is essential for survival to settlement.

Common Challenges

Although spawning is frequent and reliable, the planktonic larval phase still drives high mortality, and a single display tank cannot support the larvae. Note also that the name covers a cryptic complex of several near-identical species, so trade animals labelled wurdemanni may differ biologically.