How related are they?
Same genus, Lysmata (Cleaner shrimps): very close cousins
They split at the species level: the Peppermint Shrimp belongs to Lysmata wurdemanni (Peppermint Shrimp), the Blood Red Fire Shrimp to Lysmata debelius (Blood Red Fire Shrimp).
Find the Peppermint Shrimp on the tree · Find the Blood Red Fire Shrimp on the tree
Family lines, side by side
Highlighted rows are groups both animals belong to. The marked row is where their lines go separate ways.
| Rank | Peppermint Shrimp | Blood Red Fire Shrimp |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia Animals | |
| Phylum | Arthropoda Arthropods | |
| Subphylum | Crustacea Crustaceans | |
| Superclass | Multicrustacea | |
| Class | Malacostraca Malacostracans | |
| Subclass | Eumalacostraca | |
| Superorder | Eucarida | |
| Order | Decapoda Decapods | |
| Suborder | Pleocyemata Egg-carrying decapods | |
| Infraorder | Caridea caridean shrimps | |
| Superfamily | Alpheoidea Snapping, cleaner and anemone shrimps | |
| Family | Lysmatidae Cleaner and peppermint shrimps | |
| Genus | Lysmata Cleaner shrimps | |
| Species split | Lysmata wurdemanni Peppermint Shrimp | Lysmata debelius Blood Red Fire Shrimp |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Peppermint Shrimp | Blood Red Fire Shrimp |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Invertebrate · Shrimp | Invertebrate · Shrimp |
| Care level | Easy | Moderate |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Diet | Omnivore | Carnivore |
| Favorite foods | Aiptasia (glass anemones), for many individuals, Mysis shrimp, Frozen brine shrimp | Mysis shrimp, Frozen brine shrimp, Sinking pellets |
| Max size | 2 in (5 cm) | 2.5 in (6.3 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 gal | 30 gal |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 74–80 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.023–1.026 | 1.023–1.026 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | 0–20 ppm | 0–20 ppm |
| Lifespan | Not well documented; aquarium keepers generally report a few years for well-kept animals, but no published longevity data were found. | Not well documented; healthy pairs commonly live for several years in aquariums, but no published longevity data were found. |
| Breeding | Moderate | Very hard |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |