Cleaner Shrimp

Cleaner Shrimp are found in the tropical waters of the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean where they live in coral reefs and rocky coves. These shrimps play an important part in the diverse eco-system of the reef, where they help to preserve and protect the corals and reef fish.

These shrimps can be easily spotted by their bright colours. Their body is a stunning red with a distinct white stripe that runs down their back, an amber underside and ten pairs of legs. They have four long white antennae, however the front pair is split which makes it look as if they have six.

Cleaner shrimp will often pair together but not create big groups. As well as tending to corals by removing bacteria and dirt, they will also help to clean the fish who live within the reef. The cleaner shrimps will do a dance where they sway from side to side to let fish know that they are ready to perform a cleaning service to them. These shrimp gain nutrients from this process as well as helping the animals stay healthy. They have even been observed collaborating with other cleaning animals such as cleaning wrasse.