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 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp to Lysmata amboinensis (Skunk Cleaner Shrimp).
Find the Peppermint Shrimp on the tree · Find the Skunk Cleaner 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 | Skunk Cleaner 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 amboinensis Skunk Cleaner Shrimp |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Peppermint Shrimp | Skunk Cleaner Shrimp |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Invertebrate · Shrimp | Invertebrate · Shrimp |
| Care level | Easy | Easy |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Diet | Omnivore | Omnivore |
| Favorite foods | Aiptasia (glass anemones), for many individuals, Mysis shrimp, Frozen brine shrimp | Mysis shrimp, Frozen brine shrimp, Flake and pellet foods |
| Max size | 2 in (5 cm) | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 gal | 30 gal |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 72–78 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.023–1.026 | 1.023–1.025 |
| 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. | Several years in a stable aquarium; Reef Builders notes they can live for many years, but there are no rigorous longevity data. |
| Breeding | Moderate | Very hard |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |