Blood Red Fire Shrimp

Lysmata debelius

The Blood Red Fire Shrimp (Lysmata debelius), also known as Blood Shrimp, Fire Shrimp, or Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, is one of the most popular ornamental shrimp in the marine aquarium hobby. The Blood Red Fire Shrimp boasts striking blood-red coloration with brilliant white spots and long white antennae. Depending on which region of the Indo-Pacific from which it originates, the Blood Red Fire Shrimp may have the white dots just on its carapace or covering its entire body.

The Blood Red Fire Shrimp is most active at night and prefers a habitat aquascaped with caves and overhangs where the lighting is not too intense during the "day". While the Blood Red Fire Shrimp will tolerate its mate, others of its own kind will be chased away or harassed unless kep in a very spacious aquarium setup. It is generally peaceful with most other organisms in the reef system unless they impinge on its territory. As a "cleaner shrimp," the Blood Red Fire Shrimp will set up cleaning stations and remove dead tissue and parasites from fish that present themselves. The Blood Red Fire Shrimp will also scavenge for meaty bits along the substrate bottom. Often, only its antennae will be visible. Similar to all invertebrates, the Blood Red Fire Shrimp will not tolerate copper or high levels of nitrates in the aquarium. The Blood Red Fire Shrimp will require correct levels of iodine in the water to promote proper molting.

The diet of the Blood Red Fire Shrimp should include freeze-dried, live and frozen foods.