Breeding the Golden Coral Banded Shrimp (Stenopus scutellatus)

Stenopus scutellatus is a small western Atlantic boxer shrimp kept as bonded pairs; like other Stenopus it releases planktonic larvae that are impractical to rear at home.

Overview

Stenopus scutellatus is a small boxer shrimp of the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, distinguished by a yellow carapace and abdomen, white antennae, red-and-white arms and paired red spots on the rear abdomen. It is uncommon in the aquarium trade.

Sexing

Belonging to Stenopodidae, it has separate sexes rather than hermaphroditism. As in related boxer shrimp, the larger, egg-carrying individual is the female; the species is territorial toward other Stenopus.

Conditioning

It is best kept singly or as a bonded pair, since it will not tolerate other Stenopus in the same space. Stable reef conditions (about 24–26 °C, pH 8.1–8.4) with regular feeding maintain a settled pair.

Spawning & Berried Females

Following the family pattern, a bonded pair spawns within its territory and the female broods the egg mass beneath her abdomen on the pleopods until the larvae hatch and enter the plankton.

Larval Care

The larvae are planktonic, mirroring the well-studied S. hispidus, whose larval phase extends over many months. Carrying such larvae to settlement would require continuous live-food cultures and stable water over a long period.

Common Challenges

As with other boxer shrimp, the decisive barrier is the extended planktonic larval phase rather than pairing. Successful home rearing of this species is therefore very rarely reported.