Harlequin Shrimp

Hymenocera picta

Cream with candy-pink spots and huge petal-shaped claws. It pairs for life and, oddly, eats nothing but starfish.

A peaceful saltwater shrimp that grows to 5 cm, lives near the bottom in groups of 2 or more and needs 24–27 °C, pH 8.0–8.4 and an aquarium of at least 40 L.

Care at a glance

Water

Saltwater

Temperature

24–27 °C (75–81 °F)

pH

8.0–8.4

Adult size

5 cm (2.0 in)

Aquarium

40 L or bigger (11 US gal)

Temperament

Peaceful

Group size

2 or more

Swims

Bottom

Diet

Carnivore

Wild home

Indo-Pacific reefs, always in pairs

Good to know

• Delicate. Sensitive to poor water quality.
• Bottom crawler. Walks along the substrate.
• Shy. Stressed without plants, rocks or caves to hide in.

Tank mates

Good company: Banggai Cardinalfish, Blue-Leg Hermit Crab, Coral Beauty, Firefish Goby, Green Chromis, Ocellaris Clownfish, Peppermint Angelfish, Royal Gramma, Seahorse, Yellowtail Damselfish.

Eaten by: Clown Triggerfish, Flame Hawkfish, Golden Dwarf Moray, Lantern Anglerfish, Lionfish, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Porcupine Puffer, Psychedelic Frogfish, Six-Line Wrasse, Snowflake Moray.

Its fry are eaten by: Banggai Cardinalfish, Clarion Angelfish, Copperband Butterflyfish, Emperor Angelfish, Firefish Goby, Green Chromis, Leafy Seadragon, Moorish Idol, Neon Goby, Ocellaris Clownfish, Regal Angelfish, Royal Gramma and 4 more.

It gets along with every other species that doesn't eat it.

Colours and breeding

• Classic epic
• Indian Ocean epic

In Aquarius a grown male and female breed in a healthy tank. Their young are born about 0.3 cm long and take after one of the parents.

The care values are the ones Aquarius uses, based on how these animals live. Tank mates follow the game's rules: water type, temperature and pH, who can swallow whom, fin nipping, temperament and territory.