For your convenience as a beginner, we will discuss everything related to the tank setup that you need to know about. Given the small size of these shrimps, you will often find that they fit right in the smaller tanks and with the bare minimum in them.
So, when setting up a tank for them, mimicking a similar backdrop and set-up is crucial to adapt to the surroundings easily. Ghost Shrimp Care and Tank Set-upĬontrary to what many think, ghost shrimps are extremely vulnerable in their natural habitat, especially in the rivers and lakes containing many larger fish species. So, they are a significant part of aquaculture. However, they are an active species and are often categorized as aquarium cleaners because of the algae they feed on. If you are wondering about their nature, ghost shrimps are timid about their surroundings. They are rarely kept as an addition to the community tanks and are mostly used as a live feed. However, they were first officially classified in the early 1800s, which is a few centuries ago.Īlthough they were fascinating to look at during the initial days of their discovery, their existence became very common as the days passed. Although aquarists know that they hail from freshwater regions, their origin is not that clear. Ghost shrimps are popular freshwater crustaceans that are found in several lakes in North America. These shrimps’ smaller and intangible size is also why they are often offered as a live feed to the larger fish species. However, despite their length, they aren’t very wide in appearance, which is why they appear sleek and thinner than some of the other shrimp species, especially the peppermint shrimp. The male ones are comparatively shorter than the adult female shrimps. The typical size of a mature ghost shrimp is not more than 1.5 inches. Generally, they molt when they become larger than their shell. The molting frequency depends on the quantity of food the shrimps are eating and how quickly they switch from their standard size. In such cases, their care isn’t the aquarist’s priority, and they are thus kept in poor living conditions, leading to premature death in the tank.Īnother part of their lifecycle worth mentioning is the regular molting process that they undergo. However, this isn’t a standard time frame because some of them can live less or more, depending on the environments they are kept in and their feeding in the tank.īesides being kept as a part of the tank, some aquarists even add a bunch of ghost shrimp as feeder fish for the other larger fish. The typical lifespan of a ghost shrimp is between 8 months to a year. They also have a tail fan embodying the exterior of the uropod, giving them their characteristic look and appearance. Just behind the carapace is where you will find the infamous swimming limps, otherwise known as pleopods, that connect directly to the tail. The primary function of the carapace is to provide a protective outer covering to the shrimp while they are swimming around.
Information ChartĪnother unique sight in their appearance is the rostrum, a beak-like extension situated just between the eyes and the shrimp’s carapace. In this care guide, we’ll focus primarily on the freshwater Ghost Shrimp and how it can be an ideal addition to your home tank. However, when we are talking about Ghost Shrimp, there are a few popular varieties of it. Ghost shrimp will also contribute to the tank’s bioload, which will decrease the water quality and cause an unhealthy environment.ĭue to their translucency, ghost shrimp look good in aquariums with black substrate/background or many live green plants. This is why the tank they are kept in should not be the cleanest.Īlthough they are very small creatures, be careful not to overcrowd smaller tanks with fish and shrimp. Ghost shrimp are great aquarium cleaners, as they are scavengers and search the gravel for food or leftovers from other tank inhabitants. It can be kept as a feeder for larger and more aggressive fish, such as cichlids for example, which would hunt shrimp all day long. The ghost shrimp, or glass shrimp as it is otherwise known, is a very inexpensive and easy to keep crustacean.