What Are the Living Conditons for Shrimp?

Tank

• The size of an aquarium dictates how many shrimp can live happily within it. It is best to have one shrimp per gallon of water in the tank or less. The size of the shrimp also impacts this number. For larger shrimp, reduce the overall quantity in the tank. Tanks smaller than 10 gallons should also have fewer than one shrimp per gallon.

Tankmates

• Some species of large fish feed on shrimp. It is important to research any fish already in the tank before adding shrimp, as well as any new fish added after the shrimp are introduced. It is best to make sure the fish and other aquatic creatures in the tank do not feed on shrimp in any stage of life since there is a possibility the shrimp could reproduce in the tank.

Cycled Tank

• Shrimp are extremely sensitive to nitrates and ammonia, as well as to many of the antibiotics and other medications often added to aquariums. It is important to cycle the aquarium and ensure all harmful additives are removed before introducing shrimp. Once the shrimp have been introduced and are thriving, carefully monitor the nitrate and ammonia levels and be cautious when introducing new organisms.

Habitat Requirements

• In addition to a properly cycled, mature tank free of species that feed on them, shrimp have several other habitat requirements, including hiding places. Shrimp molt their exoskeletons as they grow and are extremely vulnerable to predation until they generate a new exoskeleton. They require hiding places that fish and other animals cannot reach to survive these growth periods. Filter intakes also pose a problem for shrimp. With a standard filter intake, baby shrimp are often sucked into the filter and get stuck or die. Purchasing a safer filter intake or making a few simple modifications to an existing intake can prevent this problem.

Food

• Some species of shrimp feed on algae, which occurs naturally in aquariums due to the other animals living in the tank. Algae eating shrimp usually do not require additional food; however, if the fish and other creatures in the tank do not generate enough algae, supplementing might be required. An advantage of using algae-eating shrimp in a tank is that they eliminate the need to clean the tank.