How related are they?
Same genus, Lysmata (Cleaner shrimps): very close cousins
They split at the species level: the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp belongs to Lysmata amboinensis (Skunk Cleaner Shrimp), the Peppermint Shrimp to Lysmata wurdemanni (Peppermint Shrimp).
Find the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp on the tree · Find the Peppermint 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 | Skunk Cleaner Shrimp | Peppermint 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 amboinensis Skunk Cleaner Shrimp | Lysmata wurdemanni Peppermint Shrimp |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Skunk Cleaner Shrimp | Peppermint Shrimp |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Invertebrate · Shrimp | Invertebrate · Shrimp |
| Care level | Easy | Easy |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Diet | Omnivore | Omnivore |
| Favorite foods | Mysis shrimp, Frozen brine shrimp, Flake and pellet foods | Aiptasia (glass anemones), for many individuals, Mysis shrimp, Frozen brine shrimp |
| Max size | 3 in (7.6 cm) | 2 in (5 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 30 gal | 20 gal |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 72–78 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.023–1.025 | 1.023–1.026 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | 0–20 ppm | 0–20 ppm |
| Lifespan | Several years in a stable aquarium; Reef Builders notes they can live for many years, but there are no rigorous longevity data. | Not well documented; aquarium keepers generally report a few years for well-kept animals, but no published longevity data were found. |
| Breeding | Very hard | Moderate |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |