Compatibility question

[Polkster13]

Does anyone know if you can keep Lysmata amboinensis with Stenopus hispididus? I currently have a 135 gallon tank set up as a biotype of a Red Sea fringing reef. I currently have 2 L. amboinensis and was thinking about adding a S. hispididus as well.

Has anyone had any difficulty keeping these two species of shrimp in the same tank? Any comments on personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[Richard]

I keep them together without any problems.

In my tank I have 1 Lysmata debelius, 2 Lysmata amboinensis, and 1 Stenopus hispidus.

[Polkster13]

Cool. What size tank do you have? Did you add them all at the same time or over a period of time. If multiple times, in what order were they added?

[matt]

I currently have a 135 gallon tank set up as a biotype of a Red Sea fringing reef.

This is really interesting to me; I'd love to see a photo and hear some discussion of how you researched this particular theme, and what animals are in there. Maybe this would be a great submission for TOTM?

Regarding the shrimp, I think lots of people keep common cleaner shrimp and coral banded shrimp together, if those are the species you're talking about. (Sorry, I'm not as up on scientific names as I should be) There are usually problems with more than one coral banded, but I bet you knew that. I would add, though, that I've had problems in the past with sand bed fauna populations in my tank while I had the coral banded shrimp; they're pretty fierce predators on whatever they can catch. Once I removed the coral banded shrimp, my worm population really improved.

[Richard]

I have a 215. I added them over a period of time. I don't think it would matter though. I plan on adding a couple more debelius and a couple more amboinensis. If you want more than one CB then you should purchase a mated pair right off the bat.

At the store I have kept a coral banded and cleaners together in 15 gallon tanks without problems. I have lost cleaners when housing them with debelius in such small quarters but I'm not sure if the debelius were to blame. Could have been that I rushed the acclimation time, cleaners (and shrimp in general) usually need a lengthy acclimation. Now I don't put L. debelius and L. amboinensis together in small tanks just in case.

[Polkster13]

Richard,

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it. I have kept Stenopus hispididus before but only a single specium and not with any other shrimps. It is good to know I can add one without it bothering the other previous occupants.

Matt,

I have an extensive library on corals and fish as well as many books and articles on the Red Sea in particular. My father worked in Saudi Arabia for several years and brought back some amazing shells (over 500) to add to my sea shell collection (numbers over a thousand). That and some of the unique fish that are only found in the Red Sea and it had me hooked. I have a 29 gallon that I put other Indo-Pacific species that are not native to the Red Sea but that I like anyway.

Once I have it stocked and running like I want, I will submit it to TOTM. If anyone else is interested in this type of biotype setup, please feel free to PM me and I will give you any information that I have.