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Crustaceans have been used in the trade for a long time, especially Cleaner, janitor when it comes to popular live feeds such as brine (Artemia), mysids and, more recently, copepods for the larviculture of certain . The and reef-safe growing popularity of keeping has also allowed us to admire the splendour of organisms that previously could only be seen by … those visiting reefs. Ricardo Calado, make up one of the most successful parts and conspicuous white antennae are also highly zoological groups, both in the number of recorded living prized. CESAM/Departamento de Biologia, species (67,829) and in the diversity of habitats they Univ. Aveiro, Portugal, and Nuno Simoes, colonise, from shallow coastal waters to the deepest Concerning morphology, ornamental shrimps usually PIECEMO, UMDI-Sisal, FC, UNAM, ocean basins. No other group of plants or presents display unique characters that give them a distinct look. Mexico a morphological diversity as wide as living crustaceans. Modified claws are highly appealing features displayed by ornamental shrimps, with certain species exhibiting Crustaceans belong to the subphylum of - a enlarged, paddle-shaped or snapping chelae (‘pincer’ word that means ‘jointed appendages’ - and are distributed claws). Sexually dimorphic morphological features primarily in marine aquatic environments. They range (features which differ between the sexes), namely enlarged from the tiny brine shrimp (Artemia) and barnacles, to mouthparts (e.g. third pair of maxillipeds) and unusually the most well known lobsters, shrimp and . The slender or robust bodies may also be used to promote dimensions vary from a few millimetres, as in some a shrimp species to ‘ornamental’ status. copepods, to over 4 m in length, such as in the king or spider . The reproductive behaviour of several shrimp species has also granted them a place in the marine aquarium The recent increase in popularity of reef is trade and hobby, with hobbyists usually having a desire slowly changing the interest of hobbyists, who have to stock paired specimens in their reef displays. Although moved from keeping a fish-dominated aquarium into a the majority of ornamental shrimp species display separate debelius, the blood or scarlet shrimp more -dominated aquarium. Nevertheless, sexes, hermaphroditism is not an unusual feature. Certain – seen here feeding in a laboratory aquarium reef fishes and are still the most heavily collected species, for example, may begin their life as males and – is one of the most popular shrimps currently and traded group of organisms in the marine aquarium later change to females, with some being able to retain in trade. Picture: Fernando Simoes industry, representing its major income source (concerning their male mating ability while in female phase, thus live organism transactions). However, an increasing becoming true euhermaphrodites. number of other groups of marine are also

targeted by professional collectors and enter the marine Shrimps displaying symbiotic behaviour are also highly 27 ornamental species trade. Decapod (ten-legged) prized by marine aquarium hobbyists. The puzzling crustaceans form one of those invertebrate groups currently associations between marine shrimps and numerous

experiencing an increase in demand from the hobby. Out other invertebrates, namely cnidarians (e.g. sea anemones, of all decapod crustaceans available in the marine soft and hard corals), as well as some fish species (e.g. aquarium industry, ornamental shrimps have always been gobies and moray ) are long time favourites in coral the most popular ones. reef displays. Owing to hobbyists’ preferences for symbiotic species, it is common that both members of What are marine ornamental shrimps? the symbiosis reach higher market values when sold Shrimp species are commonly designated as ornamental together than separately. if they display one or more of the following features: • dazzling coloration; Cleaners and janitors • delicate and/or bizarre external morphology; Species exhibiting fish-cleaning behaviour are also highly • unusual reproductive traits; demanded in the hobby. The popularity of these shrimps • symbiotic behaviour; has been based on the erroneous belief of several • fish-cleaning behaviour; inexperienced hobbyists that these organisms will keep • control of nuisance organisms in the marine aquarium; their reef fishes disease-free. However, the truth is that, • ‘reef-safe’ characteristics. if the life support system of the reef display is not properly dimensioned, stocked fishes will always be more Coloration is probably the most common feature used to vulnerable to the deleterious action of pathogens. In these recruit shrimp species to this industry. Bright colours situations, cleaner shrimps will certainly not help to are usually preferred over faded ones, with red, orange prevent the proliferation of fish diseases. AQUARAMA MAGAZINE INCORPORATING PETS TODAY 2009 PETS TODAY AQUARAMA MAGAZINE INCORPORATING or yellow shrimps being favoured by the industry. Unusual colour patterns (e.g. spots and stripes), iridescent body Nonetheless, it is not uncommon to observe fishes seeking BUSINESS UNUSUAL ...... BU ......

the services of cleaner shrimps in reef aquariums. In worldwide during 1998 to 2003. In a single year, the general, these shrimps set up their ‘cleaning stations’ number of peppermint shrimps (Lysmata spp.) collected Cleaner, janitor near small caves or ledges in the aquascape, vigorously and traded solely in the USA is over 0.5 million (A.L. advertising their services through mesmerising body Rhyne, pers. comm.). In this way, the real number of and reef-safe movements and by the waving of their long (usually marine ornamental shrimps being collected from coral white) antennae. The fish ‘customer’ slowly approaches reefs each year worldwide may be up to 10 times higher the , allowing it to climb onto its body than that being currently reported. Owing to the increasing shrimps… and inspect the skin, mouth and/or gills using their global popularity of marine aquarium keeping, it is clawed, multi-articulated second pair of walking legs. expected that an increase in the collection effort made in relation to marine ornamental shrimps, as well as a Even voracious fish species, such as and moray diversification of commonly exported species, will occur eels, are known to seek the services of cleaner shrimps. over the next few years. Despite this, cleaner shrimps are not totally safe from fish , with certain species of wrasses, trigger Apart from the most commonly traded ornamental shrimp and hawk fishes preying on them in reef aquariums. species, there are other crustaceans that are entering the Commonly, this predatory behaviour seems to be more trade rapidly, such as hermit crabs sold in groups as frequent when adding cleaner shrimps to aquariums that cleaning teams. Algae-eating crabs are also gaining already contain those fish species. popularity in the trade, and genera, such as Mithraculus, are now beginning to be traded in large numbers, Recently, the new trends promoting ‘less especially in the USA (A.L. Rhyne pers. comm.), although technology and more biology’ have contributed to the other reef-safe porcelain crabs and Percnon are also use of certain shrimps to control the growth of nuisance traded. The rest of the trade comprises a myriad species, organisms (e.g. glass anemones). The main issue for from the colourful lobsters in the genus, Enoplometopus, such ‘janitor’ species is efficiency. If a shrimp species is to alpheids or snapping shrimp, pom-pom crabs, able to control pest organisms that may damage other harlequin shrimp, etc. organisms present in the aquarium (e.g. corals) or are simply unsightly, it doesn’t even have to display a The major challenge currently being faced by the industry particularly attractive look to enter the aquarium trade is how to increase the number of cultured marine successfully. However, if a species controls pest organisms ornamental decapods available in trade. So far, only a and simultaneously exhibits one the features mentioned handful of species are episodically produced in captivity, cleaning a moray in the wild. above, particularly an attractive colour pattern, it will with the Monaco shrimp (Lysmata seticaudata) being the Picture: Manuel Oseguera certainly reach higher market values. only species which is currently produced on a commercial scale. A species is termed ‘reef-safe’ if it does not damage any other inhabitants commonly present in coral reef displays. In conclusion, although marine ornamental decapods 28 Therefore, even the most colourful shrimp will only have are experiencing an increase in their popularity in reef a slender chance to become a top selling species if it aquarium keeping, it is urgent to promote more efforts damages other aquarium organisms, particularly corals from hobbyists, traders and researchers worldwide to

and tridacnid clams. The fact of an ornamental shrimp develop suitable maturation, larviculture and grow-out being ‘reef-safe’ or not is usually a decisive issue protocols for the most heavily collected species. In the concerning the purchase of that specific species. Since years to come, the sustainability of the trade involving hobbyists have become increasingly aware, some widely marine aquarium organisms collected from the wild will traded ornamental shrimp species have seen their be seriously questioned and present new challenges for popularity and demand decrease as a result of not being all those involved in the industry and the fascinating ‘reef-safe’. hobby which it services.

Present Trade – Future Challenges Marine ornamental shrimps available in the aquarium trade are mainly collected in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as in the Caribbean. Lysmata spp. and Stenopus spp. are among the Top 10 of the most heavily collected marine ornamental invertebrates (excluding corals), with Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka being the main exporting countries.

As an example, data from the Global Marine Aquarium AQUARAMA MAGAZINE INCORPORATING PETS TODAY 2009 PETS TODAY AQUARAMA MAGAZINE INCORPORATING Database (GMAD), claim that a total of about 107,000 The Monaco shrimp (Lysmata seticauda) is currently produced shrimps from several Lysmata species were exported in commercial quantities. Picture: Ricardo Calado