The coral banded shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) is the bold showman of reef shrimp — striped red-and-white, with long white antennae and oversized "boxing" claws it waves at passers-by. It's hardy, long-lived and a part-time cleaner. The catch is temperament: it's territorial and will fight other shrimp (including fire and cleaner shrimp) to the death, so it's a keep-one (or a bonded pair) animal.
Care at a glance
| Adult size | Body ~2–3 in; much larger counting the claws and antennae. |
|---|---|
| Minimum tank | 20+ gallons; one, or a proven bonded male–female pair. |
| 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 | Scavenger/omnivore — detritus, leftover food and meaty foods; a part-time cleaner of fish. |
| Temperament | Hardy and bold, but SEMI-AGGRESSIVE — territorial toward other shrimp, and a large one may harass very small fish or steal food from corals and anemones. |
| Reef-safe | With caution — it won't eat corals, but it fights other shrimp and a big one can bother tiny fish; keep one (or a pair) and keep it fed. |
| Natural range | Circumtropical (Indo-Pacific and Atlantic). |
The fish store gets these wrong
Common myths, kindly corrected — no shame for having believed them.
- "You can keep several shrimp together." Not with a coral banded — it's territorial and will kill other shrimp, including fire and cleaner shrimp. One per tank, or a bonded pair.
- "It's a reliable cleaner like a skunk shrimp." It's a part-time, less enthusiastic cleaner — buy it for its looks and hardiness, not as your cleaning crew.
Before you buy
- A plan to keep just one (or a proven bonded pair) — never with other shrimp.
- To keep it fed so a big one doesn't harass small fish or steal coral food.
- A cycled tank; drip-acclimate; never any copper.
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:
- A dead or maimed tankmate shrimp — the coral banded did it; keep it solo.
- Harassing small fish or raiding corals — usually a large, underfed one; feed it.
- On its side and not a moult — check salinity and for copper.
Work through the Coral Banded Shrimp trouble card — the water, light, flow and pest checks that fix almost every struggling invert.
Never
- Never keep it with other shrimp — it kills them.
- Never dose copper with shrimp in the tank.
- Never drop it straight in — drip-acclimate; never bin a moult.
Common coral banded shrimp questions
Is the coral banded shrimp reef-safe?
With caution. It won't eat your corals, but it's territorial toward other shrimp (it'll kill fire and cleaner shrimp) and a large, hungry one can harass very small fish or steal food from corals and anemones. Keep just one and keep it fed.
Can I keep coral banded shrimp with other shrimp?
No — it's the one shrimp you don't mix. It's aggressive toward other shrimp, including cleaner and fire shrimp, and will fight them to the death. Keep a single specimen, or a proven bonded male–female pair.
Do coral banded shrimp clean fish?
Part-time — they'll set up near a station and clean occasionally, but they're far less dedicated than skunk cleaner or fire shrimp. Keep one for its striking looks and hardiness rather than as your cleaner.
How do I tell a coral banded shrimp pair?
A true pair is a male and female that tolerate each other (the female is usually larger, often carrying green eggs). Two random coral banded shrimp will usually fight, so buy an established pair if you want two.
Is my coral banded shrimp dead — it's next to an empty shell?
Probably a moult — like all shrimp they shed a complete exoskeleton regularly, which looks just like a body. The live shrimp is hiding while its new shell hardens.
🐚 Did you know? — Coral Banded Shrimp fun facts
Little true delights about the coral banded shrimp — each one checked against a named source, no reef-store folklore.
- The coral banded shrimp is a cleaner that advertises its services to passing fish by slowly waving its long white antennae like a signal flag. Wikipedia
- Unusually for an invertebrate, the coral banded shrimp can recognise individual members of its own species, most likely by reading chemical signals. Wikipedia
- Coral banded shrimp are monogamous, a pair holding a shared territory on the reef roughly one to two metres across. Wikipedia
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:
- Fishlore — Coral Banded Shrimp Care — size, aggression, care
- Saltwater Aquarium Blog — Best Reef Safe Shrimp — shrimp aggression, reef caution
- Petco — Marine Shrimp Care Sheet — tank, diet, compatibility
Written and fact-checked by The Coralkin Team against marine-aquarist sources — if your coral banded 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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