Camel shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) care guide

Group

Shrimp

Other names

Hinge-beak shrimp, Hingebeak prawn, Dancing shrimp, Candy shrimp, Rhynchocinetes uritai (often confused)

Family

Rhynchocinetidae

Origin

Indo-Pacific; rock crevices and hollows at 5–35 m

Water

saltwater

Maximum size

5 cm

Temperature

18–25°C

pH

8.1–8.4

Hardness

SG 1.023–1.025, dKH 8–12

Minimum tank

60 litres

Care level

beginner

Temperament

peaceful

Reef safe

with_caution

Care

The camel or hinge-beak shrimp is a small, translucent shrimp marked with red and white lines and white spots, with large black eyes, a Y-shaped white mark on the front of the carapace and a hump in the back that gives the camel name. Its rostrum (beak) is hinged and is usually held angled upwards. It reaches about 4–5 cm. Name note: it is often confused with the very similar Rhynchocinetes uritai and R. brucei, and aquarium animals are not always identified correctly. Set-up and numbers: in the wild it lives in groups of dozens in rock hollows and crevices, so it does best in a group of three or more with caves, overhangs or rubble to hide in, especially when moulting. Dominant males grow noticeably larger front claws. Water: stable marine conditions; it tolerates a fairly wide temperature range from about 18 to 25 °C. Behaviour and role: hardy and active, mostly in dim light, it scavenges leftover food. It is not a coral-safe clean-up shrimp: it may nip colonial anemones, disc anemones (mushrooms), soft leather corals and zoanthids, though it generally leaves bubble coral and stinging anemones alone. Some keepers use it to eat Aiptasia, with mixed results. Copper: copper-based medicines and some plant fertilisers are toxic to shrimp, snails and most invertebrates. Never dose copper in a tank holding this animal, and check fertiliser and medicine labels before use. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/camel-shrimp); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhynchocinetesdurbanensis). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Omnivore. Accepts frozen brine shrimp and mysis, frozen or freeze-dried plankton, flake and pellets. Regular feeding reduces, but does not stop, coral nipping.

Breeding

Males are larger with bigger front claws; females carry between about 270 and 1,760 eggs. Eggs hatch after about 9 days at 29 °C and about 18 days below 22 °C. Females often spawn in aquariums, but the larvae are planktonic and need marine water and fine live foods, so raising them is rarely successful at home.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful with fish and usually tolerates other shrimp. Suits a fish-only or rock tank, or a reef with stony corals and tougher species. Risky with zoanthids, mushrooms, leather corals and colonial polyps. Eaten by hawkfish, large wrasses, triggers and puffers.

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