We found these industrious shrimp at 50/50 reef. When we approached slowly and carefully extended our hands, the tiny ½-inch crustaceans would climb aboard and begin “cleaning,” or at least tugging at the hairs on our knuckles.

To signal fish that they are anxious to help rid them of parasites, the shrimp wiggle their long white antennae frantically until the fish approach close enough to hop on.

This is the most common “cleaner” shrimp in the Caribbean. They are normally associated with anemones but we mostly saw them among the coral and rock floor.