Boggess's peppermint shrimp (Lysmata boggessi) care guide

Group
Shrimp
Other names
Boggess's peppermint shrimp, True peppermint shrimp, Lysmata wurdemanni (misapplied), Aiptasia shrimp, Candy cane shrimp, Peppermint shrimp
Family
Lysmatidae (formerly Hippolytidae)
Origin
Western Atlantic shallow coastal waters, including Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
5 cm
Temperature
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
dKH 8–12, SG 1.020–1.025
Minimum tank
75 litres
Care level
beginner
Temperament
peaceful
Reef safe
yes
Lifespan
2–3 years

Care

Lysmata boggessi is the peppermint shrimp most hobbyists want: a small, clear to creamy shrimp with thin red bands, reaching about 5 cm. It was described in 2006 after being split from Lysmata wurdemanni on body features and genetics, so older books and many shops still sell it under that name or simply as a peppermint shrimp. LiveAquaria sells peppermints as the Lysmata wurdemanni complex, from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, which may include L. wurdemanni, L. ankeri, L. boggessi and L. rafa. They look very alike, so buy from a seller who can name the species if you want one for Aiptasia control. Do not confuse them with the Pacific camel shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis), which has a pointed nose and white stripes between the red bands and can nip corals. Set-up: an established tank of 75 litres or more with live rock, caves and open areas to forage. They are social and can be kept singly, in pairs or small groups. They hide by day at first and become bolder with time. Water: LiveAquaria gives 22–26 °C, pH 8.1–8.4, dKH 8–12 and SG 1.020–1.025. They do not tolerate high nitrate, and need adequate iodine to moult properly. Acclimatise slowly, as for all shrimp. Role in the tank: mainly a scavenger, eating detritus, leftover food and decaying matter. Wikipedia describes L. boggessi as the most reliable natural predator of Aiptasia (glass anemones), confirmed by research and hobby reports, though individual shrimp vary in how keen they are. Eating Aiptasia works best if the shrimp is not overfed, and a small group clears a tank faster than one shrimp. Copper: copper-based medicines and some plant fertilisers are toxic to shrimp, snails and most other invertebrates. Never treat a tank holding them with copper, check the label of any fertiliser or medicine, and keep nets and buckets used for copper-treated tanks separate. Peppermint shrimp do not tolerate copper-based medicines at all. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/peppermint-shrimp); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysmataboggessi). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A carnivorous scavenger. It eats Aiptasia anemones, detritus, uneaten food and decaying matter. Feed most marine prepared foods: frozen mysis and brine shrimp, pellets and flakes, with occasional pieces of fresh fish or seafood. If you want it to target Aiptasia, keep extra feeding light so it stays hungry enough to hunt them.

Breeding

Lysmata shrimp are protandric simultaneous hermaphrodites: each shrimp starts life as a male and later can act as both sexes, so any two adults can breed. Berried shrimp carry green eggs under the tail, and pairs often spawn after a moult. The larvae are planktonic and take weeks of specialist rearing in a separate tank with live rotifers and similar foods; LiveAquaria notes commercial farms breed them and it can be done at home, but larvae released in a display tank are usually eaten by fish and filters.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful and reef safe. It lives well with most reef fish and invertebrates, including other peppermints and cleaner shrimp. Hungry individuals occasionally pick at zoanthids, soft corals or clam mantles, so keep them fed in mixed reefs. Avoid predators of shrimp: hawkfish, lionfish, larger wrasses, groupers, triggers, dottybacks and large eels, and mantis shrimp.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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