Sexy Shrimp (Thor amboinensis)

The Sexy Shrimp (Thor amboinensis) is one of the most charming animals you can put in a nano reef. Barely three quarters of an inch long, it holds its tail curled high and constantly waggles its abdomen in the "dance" that earned it its name. In nature these little shrimp live in and around anemones and corals, and in the aquarium they settle onto bubble tip anemones, mushrooms, and large-polyp corals and rarely wander far. Peaceful, reef safe, and happiest in a group of three or more, they are a perfect pick for a pico or nano tank. Care level: Beginner. Temperament: Peaceful. Browse the rest of our saltwater livestock and supplies to build them a home.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 5 gallons and up. A small tank is fine, and even preferred, because it is easier for the shrimp to find food.
• Water parameters: 72 to 78 F, salinity 1.023 to 1.025, pH 8.1 to 8.4, dKH 8 to 12. Keep parameters stable; small shrimp are sensitive to swings.
• Acclimation: Drip acclimate slowly over 45 to 60 minutes. Never expose them to copper-based medications.
• Diet: Omnivore. They graze on what the corals and anemones catch, and appreciate small meaty foods a few times a week, like finely chopped mysis, brine shrimp, or coral food. A well-fed sexy shrimp leaves coral polyps alone.
• Molting: They shed their shell regularly as they grow. An empty shell on the sand is normal, not a loss. Leave it a day so they can reclaim the minerals, and steady iodine and calcium levels support clean molts.
• Groups: Keep three or more. They are far more active and visible in a group and will share a host anemone or coral.

Specifications

Compatibility

Good tank mates: other sexy shrimp, peaceful nano fish such as clown gobies, firefish, and small gobies, snails, and small hermits. They coexist happily with corals and anemones and will adopt a bubble tip anemone or mini carpet anemone as home.

Avoid: anything that eats small shrimp: wrasses, hawkfish, dottybacks, large angels and triggers, and aggressive shrimp like coral banded shrimp. Large-mouthed fish will treat a sexy shrimp as a snack.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• PolypLab Reef Roids for a fine coral and shrimp food they can pick from the water
• Green Bubble Tip Anemone as a natural host they will live in
• Peppermint Shrimp as a peaceful shrimp companion
• Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, a larger, equally peaceful shrimp for bigger tanks
• Nassarius Snails to round out a nano cleanup crew
• Browse all corals

FAQ

Are they really reef safe? Yes. They live among corals and anemones. A hungry shrimp may pick at large fleshy polyps, so offer small meaty foods a few times a week.

Why is it dancing? The tail-up abdomen waggle is normal behavior, and a healthy, settled shrimp does it constantly. That is the whole appeal.

How many should I get? Three or more. Singles hide; groups stay out and active.

Will my anemone eat it? No. Sexy shrimp naturally live inside anemones and are not harmed by them.

I found a dead one on the sand. Check carefully. It is almost always a molted shell. Count your shrimp before assuming a loss.