Yellow Banded Coral Shrimp

Quick facts

Handling caution: Large chelae can pinch if handled carelessly

Identity

Also known as

Golden Coral Shrimp; Caribbean Boxing Shrimp; Boxer Shrimp

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Western Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, southern Florida, Brazil

Habitat

Coral reefs, rocky ledges, caves and crevices, and detritus-covered seabed near turtle grass meadows, at depths of roughly 10-113 meters

Sourcing

Wild-caught

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi-Aggressive

Adult size

0.8 – 1.5 in (1.9 – 3.8 cm)

Lifespan

2 – 4 yrs

Min tank

20 gal (76 L)

Placement

Bottom

Water

Temperature

72 – 79 °F (22 – 26 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 12 dKH

Salinity

1.023 – 1.025 SG

Flow

Moderate

Behavior & compatibility

Social

Pair · groups of 2+

Aggression to own kind

High

Active

Night

Reef safe

Yes

Invert safe

With caution

Shrimp safe

With caution

Clean-up role

Detritus, Pest control, Leftover food

Population boom risk

Low

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Carnivore

Foods

Pellets, Frozen, Live, Freeze-dried, Zooplankton

Breeding type

Broadcast spawner

Breeding difficulty

Not bred in captivity

Sexing

Females are generally larger than males and carry green eggs under the abdomen when gravid

Target feeding

Beneficial

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Care guide

Overview

Reaching under two inches, this small boxer shrimp shows a yellow body and legs banded in red, sometimes edged with cream, with oversized chelae held erect while it walks. It hides by day in rockwork crevices, emerging at dusk, and should be kept singly or as a bonded pair rather than alongside other Stenopus.

Care

This small boxer shrimp does best in a mature reef system with abundant rockwork offering caves and tight crevices, since it spends daylight hours hidden and becomes more active at dusk and night. It should be kept alone or as a confirmed mated pair, as it is intolerant of conspecifics and may harass smaller shrimp species. Stable water parameters matter more than chasing exact numbers, and a tight-fitting lid helps prevent it from wandering out of the tank after molting.

Feeding

In the wild this shrimp picks parasites and dead tissue from fish at cleaning stations, but in aquariums it readily takes flaked and frozen foods, small meaty items, and plankton. Target feeding with chopped seafood, mysis, or brine shrimp supplements its natural scavenging and cleaning behavior. It also hunts bristleworms in reef tanks, which helps control that pest population.

Tank mates

Best paired with peaceful to moderate fish that will not pick at it, such as clownfish, gobies, blennies, and cardinals. It can be aggressive toward other Stenopus and smaller ornamental shrimp like cleaner or peppermint shrimp, so extra hiding spots reduce conflict in mixed-shrimp setups. It generally ignores corals and clams, making it reef safe, but very small or sleeping fish are occasionally pinched.

Breeding

Pairs form long-term bonds and display elaborate courtship behavior, with the female carrying green eggs beneath her abdomen when gravid. Successful captive rearing is uncommon, since the free-swimming larvae are typically lost to filtration and protein skimmers before completing their pelagic stage. Most specimens in the trade are wild-caught rather than tank-raised.

Health

Most problems trace back to poor acclimation, copper exposure, or unstable salinity and pH, so slow drip acclimation over 45-90 minutes is recommended. Adequate iodine supports successful molting, while inconsistent trace element levels can lead to failed or fatal molts. After molting the shrimp is soft and vulnerable and will hide, so it should not be disturbed during this period.

Sources

1. Stenopus scutellatus
2. Yellow Banded Coral Shrimp: Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates – LiveAquaria
3. Gold Coral Banded Shrimp Care Guide | Top Shelf Aquatics
4. Golden coral shrimp · Cuidados em aquário | Atlarium