The Squat Shrimp, also known as Thor amboinensis or the Sexy Shrimp, is a small type of shrimp. It’s found in different parts of the world.
Squat Shrimp is not big. It grows to about half an inch long. This shrimp has a unique look. It’s olive-brown with white patches. It also has thin blue lines around the white patches.
The Squat Shrimp likes to keep its tail above its head. This makes it look like it’s doing a squat, which is how it got its name.
Where Does the Squat Shrimp Live?
The Squat Shrimp is found in many places around the world. Even though it’s named after an island in Indonesia, it lives in many other places too.
You can find Squat Shrimp in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. It’s also found in Madeira and the Canary Islands.
What Is the Squat Shrimp’s Relationship with Other Sea Creatures?
The Squat Shrimp likes to live with sea anemones and mushroom corals. This is called a commensal relationship.
This means that the Squat Shrimp and the sea anemones or mushroom corals live together and help each other out.
The Squat Shrimp eats food that gets caught on the tentacles of the sea anemones or mushroom corals.
How Does the Squat Shrimp Live with Sea Anemones?
The Squat Shrimp can live with one or many sea anemones at the same time. They live among the tentacles of the sea anemones.
Squat Shrimp eat the tentacle tissue and the food that gets trapped in the sea anemones’ tentacles.
In the Bahamas, the Squat Shrimp lives with other sea creatures like crabs and brittle stars. Each creature has its own spot on the sea anemone.
What Is the Life Cycle of The Squat Shrimp?
The female Squat Shrimp carries the fertilized eggs under her belly until they are ready to hatch.
The babies, called zoea larvae, go through many stages. They are attracted to chemical and visual signs in the water. These signs help them find sea anemones to live with.
The zoea larvae are not picky. They will live with many different types of sea anemones. But, they may prefer the type of sea anemone their parent lived with.
Can Squat Shrimp Be Kept in Aquariums?
Yes, the Squat Shrimp is a popular choice for marine aquariums. They are often kept in groups of three or more. This is because they are small, so they don’t take up a lot of space.
Squat Shrimp are also popular in nano reef tanks.
In an aquarium, the Squat Shrimp will live with any anemones that are there. If there are no anemones, they can live with certain types of coral.
The Squat Shrimp will eat meaty food scraps like shrimp, clam, and other fish foods. If there is a host cnidarian, like an anemone or a coral, they may eat its mucus.
Squat Shrimp Characteristics
| Reef Safe? | Yes |
| Care Level: | Easy |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Family: | Thoridae |
| Genus: | Thor |
| Scientific Name: | Thor amboinensis |
| Also Known As: | Squat Shrimp, Sexy Shrimp |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |