Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Lysmata amboinensis

A hardworking reef-safe shrimp that "cleans" your fish — endlessly entertaining.

Difficulty: BeginnerOrnamental shrimpReef-safe

The skunk cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) is one of the most useful — and entertaining — animals in a reef tank: it sets up a “cleaning station” and picks parasites and dead skin off fish that queue up for the service. It's reef-safe, hardy once settled, and the main things to respect are that it's an invertebrate (no copper, slow drip-acclimation) and that it does best as a single shrimp or a bonded pair, not a crowd.

Good to know: Slow drip-acclimate; sensitive to salinity swings and copper.

📊 What keepers actually ask: The recurring worries are “is my cleaner shrimp dead? I found its body!” (almost always just a moult) and “can I keep more than one?” (a bonded pair is fine; a crowd in a small tank fights).

Care at a glance

Adult size	≈2–2.4 in (5–6 cm).
Lifespan	Up to ≈3 years.
Minimum tank	20 gallons for one; 30+ for a pair or small group.
Temperature	75–82°F (24–28°C).
pH	8.1–8.4.
Specific gravity	1.023–1.026 (reef-standard ≈35 ppt).
Other targets	Standard reef calcium and alkalinity support healthy moulting; like all inverts it has zero tolerance for copper.
Diet	Omnivore — “cleans” parasites and dead skin off willing fish, scavenges detritus, and takes almost any meaty food (mysis, frozen, pellets).
Temperament	Peaceful toward fish and corals; best kept singly or as a bonded pair — crowding several into a small tank causes aggression, especially around moulting.
Reef-safe	Yes — reef-safe as long as it's fed.
Natural range	Indo-Pacific.

Beginner-friendly, done right. Hardy and long-lived once settled — the care is really about two invert basics. First, it's sensitive to copper and to salinity swings, so never dose copper meds in its tank, keep parameters stable, and drip-acclimate it slowly over an hour or more. Second, it moults (sheds a whole clear exoskeleton) roughly every 2–3 weeks — finding the empty “ghost shrimp” is normal, not a death. Keep it fed and it will clean your fish for years.

The fish store gets these wrong

Common myths, kindly corrected — no shame for having believed them.

“The shrimp died — there's its body.” That clear, empty shell is almost always a moult (they shed every 2–3 weeks). Look for the live shrimp hiding nearby while its new shell hardens.
“More cleaner shrimp = more cleaning.” In a small tank, several adults turn aggressive, especially after moulting — one shrimp or a bonded pair is the reliable setup.
“It's a fish, so normal medications are fine.” It's an invertebrate — copper-based medications that treat fish will kill it. Never medicate its display tank with copper.

Before you buy

A stable, cycled tank — inverts don't tolerate swings; drip-acclimate over an hour+.
Never any copper in the tank now or later (it's lethal to inverts).
Plan for one shrimp or a bonded pair, not a crowd.
Expect regular moults — the empty shell is normal.

Signs something's wrong

A struggling invert is usually telling you about water quality, acclimation, or (for shrimp and crabs) a fresh moult — here's what to watch for:

Lying on its side / not moving and NOT a shed shell — check salinity, and whether copper or another med reached the tank.
Failed moult (stuck exoskeleton, missing limbs) — usually a chemistry problem or poor nutrition; stabilise parameters and feed well.
Hiding constantly and not cleaning — often too-aggressive tankmates or an unstable/newly-set-up tank.

Never

Never dose copper-based medications in a tank with shrimp — it's lethal.
Never drop it straight in — drip-acclimate slowly (salinity shock kills inverts).
Never panic and remove a “body” that's actually a moult — the live shrimp is nearby.
Never crowd several into a small tank — they'll fight.

Common skunk cleaner shrimp questions

Is my cleaner shrimp dead — I found its body?

Almost certainly not. Skunk cleaner shrimp moult (shed a complete, clear exoskeleton) roughly every 2–3 weeks, and the empty shell looks exactly like a dead shrimp. Look for the live one hiding nearby while its new shell hardens.

Are cleaner shrimp reef-safe?

Yes — Lysmata amboinensis is reef-safe and won't harm corals, as long as it's kept fed. It scavenges detritus and cleans fish rather than picking at corals.

Can I keep more than one cleaner shrimp?

A single shrimp or a bonded pair is the safe bet. Several adults crowded into a small tank can turn aggressive toward each other, especially just after moulting — give them space (30+ gallons) if you want a group.

How do I acclimate a cleaner shrimp?

Slowly. Like all inverts, they're very sensitive to salinity and chemistry swings, so drip-acclimate over an hour or more before adding them, and make sure no copper medications are (or ever will be) in the tank.

Do cleaner shrimp really clean fish?

Yes — they set up a “cleaning station” and pick parasites and dead skin off fish that come to be cleaned. It's genuinely useful and one of the most entertaining behaviours in a reef tank.

Sources & further reading

This guide was written and fact-checked against these authorities. It's honest, general guidance — not a diagnosis, and not a substitute for an aquatic vet or your own test kit:

Shrimp and Snail Breeder — Lysmata amboinensis Detailed Guide — size, lifespan, tank, temp/pH/SG, diet, grouping, moulting interval
Quality Marine — The Kind of Skunk You Want — cleaning behaviour, reef care, copper/acclimation sensitivity
Aquarium Specialty — Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) — reef-safe, care overview

Written and fact-checked by The Coralkin Team against marine-aquarist sources — if your skunk cleaner shrimp is struggling, it's almost always water quality, acclimation or a moult — check those first and ask an experienced reefer. We never guess a care number.

🔬 Review status: team-written and fact-checked against cited sources · not yet reviewed by a marine vet. How we research & fact-check →

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