Purple reef lobster

Care at a glance

The purple reef lobster is deep purple with white spots and stays far smaller than the lobsters you know from the kitchen. By day it hides in a crevice; only when the lights go out does it come out to search the bottom.

It is a scavenger that eats leftover food and dead animals, but sleeping small fish and shrimp are not safe at night. Keep one per tank, give it a cave of its own and feed sinking meaty or frozen food regularly so it does not have to hunt for itself.

Good to know

• Active at night
• Territorial
• Preys on shrimp and snails

Best not combined with

• Cleaner shrimpLysmata amboinensis
• Sexy shrimpThor amboinensis

Related species

• Blue leg hermit crabClibanarius tricolor
• Peacock mantis shrimpOdontodactylus scyllarus
• Scarlet reef hermit crabPaguristes cadenati
• Squamosa clam (scaly clam)Tridacna squamosa
• Derasa clamTridacna derasa
• Electric blue hermit crabCalcinus elegans