Since the early 2000, dwarf shrimp have become increasingly popular in aquariums because of their unusual colors, unique behaviors, and usefulness as cleanup crew. Adding a cool invertebrate with long antennae and multiple legs can bring a new and interesting facet to any hobby. Learn about five of the most common shrimp that you can find at your local fish store and see which one is right for you.
1. Ghost Shrimp
Beginners often start by buying ghost shrimp because they are readily available, inexpensive and popular as live feeders for predator fish at large pet store chains. The common term "Ghost Shrimps" can be used to labels for many different type of shrimps such as grass shrimp, whisker shrimp, long arm shrimp, and even prawns because of their transparent bodies. Therefore, it is hard to determine the exact species so that you can provided proper care requirements for them. Some species are better suited to being kept in freshwater, while others live in brackish water and can get quite large. Some species stay about 1.5 inches (4 cm) long, while others grow to 5 inches (13 cm) and may try to eat their tank mates.
Although ghost shrimp come from a variety of different environments, most species can live in tropical temperatures from 70-80°F (21-27°C). They tend to prefer pH above 7.0 and higher GH (or water hardness) to help build strong exoskeletons. If you have soft water, provide extra minerals like Wonder Shell and Seachem Equilibrium, and include calcium-rich foods in their diet. Many ghost shrimp are carnivorous and will eat any kind of fish food that gets dropped in the tank Although ghost shrimp come from a variety of different environments, most species can live in tropical temperatures from 70-80°F (21-27°C). They tend to prefer pH above 7.0 and higher GH (or water hardness) to help build strong exoskeletons. If you have soft water, provide extra minerals like Wonder Shell and Seachem Equilibrium, and include calcium-rich foods in their diet. Many ghost shrimp are carnivorous and will eat any kind of fish food that gets dropped in the
2. Amano Shrimp - Caridina multidentata
Caridina multidentata, commonly know as Amano shrimp are one of the most popular aquarium shrimp. They get their name from Takashi Amano, who was the first to use them as an algae-eating species in an aquarium. Amano shrimp are translucent and reach up to 2 inches (5 cm) long. They have lines or dots running down their sides, but they are not very colorful. Despite their ordinary appearance, amano shrimp have a lot of fans because of their amazing ability to eat brown diatoms, hair algae, and even black beard algae. They will often steal food from a smaller speices in the tank. This species does well in a wide range of temperatures from 65-80°F (18-27°C), pH from 6.5-8.0, and hardness above 4° (70 ppm). Just keep a tight lid on the aquarium because they love to escape if given the chance!
3. Neocaridina Shrimp - Neocaridina davidi
The next shrimp that many people buy is the Neocaridina davidi. This 1.5-inch (4 cm) shrimp comes in many colors besides red, such as yellow, orange, green jade and blue dream. People keep them because of their look and their functionality in the aquarium they act as cleanup crew members. They act as clean up crew by scavenging for left over food and picking off soft algae. They prefer a varied diet of small fish foods sinking to the bottom of the tank, as well as shrimp foods that contain calcium and Catappa leaves that grow biofilm for babies to graze on. As long as you provide them both clear water at the right water parameter and nutritious food, they will rapidly reproduce in your tanks.
For more info on how set up breeding tank for Neocaridia Shrimps, see our detail breeding post.
4. Bamboo Shrimp - Atyopsis moluccensis
Bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis), also known as Singapore flower shrimp or wood shrimp, are an oddball invertebrate that will add a peaceful flair to your aquarium. They grow to be about 2-3.5 inches (5-9 cm) long with feathery fans on their front legs for catching and eating tiny particles floating in the water. Bamboo shrimp are easy to care for and enjoyable to watch. They need a gentle sponge filter (rather than a powerful hang-on-back or canister filter), finely powdered foods like Hikari First Bites and baby brine shrimp, and tall decorations for them to perch on while they catch food. If your fan shrimp is foraging on the ground, it could be a sign that it is not getting enough nutrients, so consider increasing its daily portion size, target feeding with a pipette, and adding tall decorations for it to perch on while catching food. If your shrimp is foraging on the ground, it may be a sign that it is not getting enough nutrients. Consider increasing its daily portion size by feeding it with a pipette or target feeding, then add tall decorations for it to perch on while catching food. Like the Amano shrimp, bamboo shrimp larvae require salt water to survive, so they will not reproduce in your freshwater aquarium
5. Caridina Shrimp - Caridina cantonensis
Though similar to Neocaridina shrimp, Caridina shrimp are usually more expensive and difficult to care for. If you are willing to put in the time, effort and resources they are worth a try because there are countless varieties of Taiwan bee, tiger, pinto, and crystal shrimps with very striking colors and patternsFor maximum chance of success, we recommend that you set them up in a 10-gallon (or larger) aquarium that has been running for many months and has become mature—meaning that the tank has grown a healthy ecosystem of algae, biofilm, live plants, and microfauna. In general, bee shrimp do best in cooler water between 68-75°F (20-27°C), pH below 7.0, low KH, and 4-7° (70-130 ppm) GH. Most hobbyists prefer to use active buffering substrate to lower the pH as well as RODI (reverse osmosis deionized) water with mineral additives specific to bee shrimp.
For more info on how set up breeding tank for Caridina Shrimps, see our detail breeding post.