Are solo among their species. snapping shrimps play important roles in coral reef communities—as defenders of corals and sponges, bioeroders, and creators of the ambient soundscape that signals a healthy coral reef. The most unique relationship is with Goby fish. Gobies sleep in burrows in the sediment for safety, but are incapable of digging a burrow as effectively as the shrimp. So in exchange for the benefit of the goby's eyesight, the shrimp digs and shares its burrow with the goby, and they sleep together every night.

While it usually takes between three to five months for the entire breeding process. It usually occurs right after the female shrimp goes through the process of molting. When shrimp molt, they lose their hard shell and will search for a safe space inside the tank to hide until it grows back. As opposed to fish, which usually lay their eggs at the bottom of the tank, female shrimp carry their eggs inside the stomach for a total of 30 days. It usually takes between 25 to 35 days for the eggs to hatch. A female shrimp can carry anywhere from 21 to 51 eggs at once.

After the eggs hatch, it usually takes around two months for the baby shrimp to reach the juvenile stage. Until they reach this stage, it’s impossible to tell the difference between male and female shrimp. Then, it takes another two weeks for them to grow into adults. In all, it takes shrimp from four to six months to reach sexual maturity.