Holthuis cleaner shrimp

About

The Holthuis cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes holthuisi) is a small, transparent commensal shrimp from the Indo-West Pacific, with documented populations from the Tweed-Moreton region and the coastal waters of southeast Papua New Guinea. Like other members of the Periclimenes genus, it tends to associate closely with anemones or other invertebrate hosts, using them as a home base while advertising its cleaning services to passing fish. Its body is largely see-through with decorative color markings that help signal its role as a cleaner to potential clients. A clever bit of natural advertising that makes these shrimp genuinely useful in a reef system. Despite the freshwater classification in some records, this species is almost certainly a marine animal given its Indo-Pacific reef origins, so it belongs in a well-maintained saltwater setup with stable water quality. Care is rated intermediate, which is fair. These shrimp are not the most forgiving of sudden swings in salinity or temperature, and they need iodine-rich water to molt successfully. They are peaceful and pose no threat to fish or coral, but should be kept away from larger predatory crustaceans. A reef tank with a resident anemone gives them the best chance to behave naturally and thrive long-term.