Camel Shrimp (Not Reef Safe)

Camel Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes uritai or Rhynchocinetes durbanensis), also commonly known as the Hinge-beak Shrimp: 1. Appearance & Identification Coloration: Features a translucent or semi-clear body vividly patterned with striking horizontal and vertical red or reddish-brown stripes, highlighted by a distinctive upward-hinging rostrum (nose) from which they get their alternate name. Size: They are relatively small, growing to an adult length of about 1.5 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm). 2. Reef Compatibility: Not Reef Safe Status: Strictly Not Reef Safe Behavior: While they are often mistakenly sold as "peppermint shrimp" due to a passing visual similarity, Camel Shrimp will actively pick at, nip, and consume soft corals, polyp tissue, and LPS/SPS corals. They are also known to bother or damage anemones and other sessile invertebrates. 3. Utility in Sumps, Refugiums, and Specialized Systems Sumps & Refugiums: Because they are unsafe for standard mixed reef displays, they make excellent, active inhabitants for system sumps and refugiums. They act as efficient scavengers, cleaning up leftover foods, detritus, and helping maintain clean internal plumbing zones without risking display corals. Acropora-Only Tank Pest Patrol: They are sometimes utilized in specialized, single-species Acropora-only or quarantine systems for targeted pest control. Hobbyists have noted that they can help manage and feed on unwanted SPS-damaging pests, such as Acropora-eating flatworms (AEFW) and Montipora-eating nudibranchs (along with their eggs). Note: Because they may eventually turn on the coral tissue once pests are gone, supervision or isolation is required. 4. Tank Requirements & Care Minimum Tank Size: Can be kept in nano systems or sumps starting at 10 to 20 gallons. Water Parameters: Stable marine conditions mirroring a standard reef system (Temperature: 72°F–78°F, Specific Gravity: 1.020–1.025, pH: 8.1–8.4). Diet: Omnivorous scavengers. They readily accept a wide variety of aquarium foods, including sinking pellets, flakes, frozen mysis shrimp, and detritus.