Identification of True Peppermint Shrimp

A History of Confusion: From Lysmata wurdemanni to Lysmata boggessi

For years, aquarists, retailers, and even wholesalers have used the name “peppermint shrimp” without realising that it refers to a complex of visually similar species within the Lysmata genus. These species can differ significantly in behaviour — especially when it comes to controlling pest anemones like Aiptasia.

Historically, the name Lysmata wurdemanni was broadly applied to peppermint shrimp found across the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic. However, advances in molecular genetics and anatomical studies revealed that this was actually a species complex, and multiple distinct species were being grouped under a single name.

In 2006, Rhyne and Lin formally described several of these newly recognised species, including Lysmata boggessi. Despite this taxonomic clarification, the aquarium trade largely continued to label all peppermint shrimp as L. wurdemanni, resulting in persistent misidentification and inconsistent outcomes for hobbyists.

Even today, many online listings and in-store labels still incorrectly identify all “Peppermint Shrimp” as L. wurdemanni, a legacy of pre-2006 taxonomy. This confusion is one of the main reasons aquarists sometimes report that their shrimp ignore Aiptasia — they may simply have the wrong species.

Why Species Identification Matters

Scientific studies have shown that not all peppermint shrimp eat Aiptasia, and among those that do, there are differences in feeding rates and consistency:

• A 2004 study (Rhyne et al.) compared two peppermint shrimp populations — now known to correspond to L. ankeri and L. boggessi — and found that while both consumed Aiptasia, feeding rates and latency varied by species and individual.
• Larger, mature shrimp generally consumed more anemones than smaller ones.
• Hunger played a major role: starved shrimp consumed significantly more Aiptasia than those offered alternative foods.

Lysmata boggessi is the most extensively studied peppermint shrimp species under controlled aquarium conditions, with multiple peer-reviewed trials confirming its consistent ability to consume Aiptasia anemones.

While other species may show variable feeding rates in isolated studies, L. boggessi has demonstrated reliable and repeatable results across different trials when correctly identified and kept under appropriate tank conditions.

Its well-documented performance makes L. boggessi the most trusted species for biological Aiptasia control based on current scientific evidence.

For reefkeepers, this means one thing: knowing the exact species matters.

Purchasing peppermint shrimp without verified identification often results in mixed outcomes — particularly if you accidentally acquire L. rathbunae, L. pederseni, or even non-Lysmata shrimp like camel shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis), which do not eat Aiptasia and may harm soft corals.