Ghost Shrimp, also called Glass Shrimp are one of the easiest species of freshwater shrimp to keep. They are primarily translucent, small and highly active. Ghost shrimp are extremely popular due to their low price. Ghost shrimp can often be purchased en mass for as little as 20-50 cents each. This price makes them attractive to prospective owners but also as a live feeder for larger carnivorous fish. Ghost Shrimp are scavengers and do an excellent job of cleaning the aquarium of rotting debris and algae. They are effective at actively reducing nitrates within the aquarium and having a very low biomass footprint.
When compared to other types of shrimp, like Crystal Red Shrimp and Red Cherry Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp are very tough and can handle a lot. For this reason they are the best beginner shrimp to trial before moving on to more expensive varieties. They are easy to breed and maintain. Ghost Shrimp will consume almost any type of food. They are also effective scavengers. Ghost shrimp are tolerant but are still sensitive to water fluctuations. Water chemistry should be kept stable when housing Ghost Shrimp. If they begin to look unwell in the aquarium immediately check the water temperature and recent additives.
Grass shrimp also known as glass shrimp or ghost shrimp are a popular freshwater aquarium species valued for their peaceful nature,Bottom-feeding behaviors, and ability to thrive in community tanks. As an aspiring aquarist looking to add these fascinating critters to your tank, knowing how to properly care for grass shrimp is key to their health and longevity. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about successfully raising grass shrimp.
An Overview of Grass Shrimp
Belonging to the genus Palaemonetes, grass shrimp are small, transparent crustaceans that inhabit fresh and brackish waters across North America They have slender, slightly compressed bodies with long, whisker-like antennae and legs adapted for crawling and swimming Their translucent bodies provide camouflage by blending into aquatic plants and substrate.
Despite their name, grass shrimp are not closely related to edible shrimp. They earn their moniker from their ability to thrive among aquatic grasses and vegetation. Their max size is around 2 inches, though most measure under 1.5 inches in length when fully grown.
Some of the most popular grass shrimp species kept in home aquariums include:
- Ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus)
- Grass shrimp (Palaemonetes kadiakensis)
- Green grass shrimp (Palaemonetes antrorum)
Hardy and undemanding, grass shrimp make excellent starter invertebrates for novice aquarists. Let’s look at how to set up the ideal grass shrimp tank.
Setting Up the Grass Shrimp Habitat
When setting up a home for your grass shrimp, focus on replicating their natural freshwater environment. Here are some key habitat considerations:
Choosing an Appropriate Aquarium
A 10 gallon tank is sufficient for 5-10 grass shrimp. For larger colonies, aim for at least 20 gallons. Remember that overcrowding causes stress, aggression, and poor water conditions.
Picking Substrate and Decor
Grass shrimp sift through substrate for food, so fine gravel or sand is ideal. Natural décor like driftwood, rocks, and aquatic plants provide shelter and surfaces for grazing algae. Java moss, hornwort, and anarchis are great plant choices.
Maintaining Water Parameters
- Temperature: 65-80°F. Use an aquarium heater and thermometer.
- pH: 7.0-8.5
- Hardness: 5-20 dGH
- Filtration: Gentle current from a hang-on-back or sponge filter. Avoid strong currents.
Perform regular testing and partial water changes to maintain clean, pristine water.
Providing Ample Hiding Spots
Shy by nature, grass shrimp need ample hiding spots like plants, rocks or PVC pipes to retreat and feel secure.
Now that we’ve covered habitat setup, let’s look at the grass shrimp diet and feeding.
Feeding Your Grass Shrimp
Grass shrimp are omnivorous scavengers and will eat anything from algae to fish food. For proper nutrition, provide:
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Algae-based foods: Algae wafers, spirulina pellets or flakes
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Protein sources: Brine shrimp, blood worms, mysis shrimp
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Veggies: Bits of blanched zucchini, cucumber, spinach or shelled peas
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Supplemental foods: Crushed shrimp pellets, fish flakes, shrimp granules
Feed just enough that your shrimp can consume within a few minutes 1-2 times daily. Remove any uneaten food to avoid fouling the water.
Tank Mates for Grass Shrimp
When choosing tank mates, avoid known shrimp predators like cichlids, goldfish and loaches that may devour your grass shrimp. Suitable community fish include:
- Small tetras
- Rasboras
- Danios
- White cloud mountain minnows
- Endler’s livebearers
- Guppies
- Dwarf cichlids
- Bettas (with caution)
Invertebrates like snails, dwarf shrimp and other docile crustaceans also make good tank mates.
Introduce tankmates slowly and provide ample hiding spots. Observe interactions and remove aggressive species. Maintain groups of 5-6 grass shrimp to reduce aggression.
Caring for Grass Shrimp: Habits and Maintenance
Now that you know how to set up a grass shrimp tank, let’s go over their basic care and maintenance needs:
Observing Natural Behaviors
Peaceful and social, grass shrimp spend hours grazing, interacting and investigating their environment. They are incredibly active and fun to watch!
Provide an enriching habitat with live plants, rocks and wood to encourage natural behaviors. Under-stimulation causes stress and aggression.
Molting
Like other crustaceans, grass shrimp periodically shed their exoskeletons to grow. They are vulnerable during molting, so provide hiding spots. Leave shed exoskeletons in the tank for shrimp to eat and regain lost calcium.
Handling with Care
Never grab or handle grass shrimp. Carefully scoop them up with a net during tank maintenance. Acclimate shrimp slowly when introducing to avoid shock. Minimize disturbances to reduce stress.
Performing Water Changes
Test water parameters weekly and perform 20-30% water changes if ammonia or nitrates are above 0 ppm and 40 ppm respectively. Use a gravel vacuum to remove waste without uprooting plants.
Filter Maintenance
Clean mechanical media monthly to keep water free of debris. Avoid rinsing bio-media to preserve beneficial bacteria.
With the proper setup and care, grass shrimp can live 1-2 years in captivity. Next, let’s go over breeding grass shrimp.
Breeding Grass Shrimp
Grass shrimp will readily breed in freshwater community tanks. To encourage breeding:
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Maintain water in ideal ranges for temperature, pH and hardness. Perform frequent partial water changes.
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Feed a variety of protein-rich live and frozen foods like brine shrimp. Well-fed adults are more likely to breed.
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Provide plenty of hiding spots for mating. Females retreat here to hatch eggs. Java moss works great.
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Keep a larger colony of at least 6-8 shrimp. More females mean increased breeding opportunities.
Identifying a Berried Female
Females carry fertilized bright yellow-orange eggs under their tail until they hatch. This gives them a “berried” saddle-like appearance. Move berried females to a nursery tank if desired.
Caring for Shrimp Fry
Tiny translucent larvae hatch after 3-4 weeks. They take shelter in plants and feed on microorganisms. Gradually introduce powdered foods once shrimp reach 1⁄4 inch size. Survival rates are low but improve with ideal rearing conditions.
Common Grass Shrimp Diseases
Given proper care, grass shrimp are quite hardy. However, be vigilant for signs of disease like:
- Discoloration/darkening
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- White spots on exoskeleton
- Rapid breathing
Such symptoms could indicate parasites, infections or water quality issues. Immediately quarantine and treat sick shrimp. Maintain pristine water quality and varied diet to prevent disease.
Wrapping Up Grass Shrimp Care
From habitat setup to breeding, now you know everything needed to successfully keep grass shrimp! Key points to remember are:
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Replicate their natural freshwater environment with fine substrate, plants and gentle filtration.
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Feed a varied diet with algae-based foods, veggies and protein sources.
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Choose peaceful community tank mates. Observe interactions and remove aggressive fish.
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Perform regular maintenance and water testing to meet their needs.
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Allow natural behaviors like grazing, molting and breeding.
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Quarantine and treat any sick shrimp promptly.
With their hardy nature and low-maintenance care, grass shrimp make excellent starter invertebrates. Their grazing activities and social behaviors also make them endlessly interesting to observe. By following this guide, both novice and experienced aquarists can enjoy keeping thriving colonies of grass shrimp.
Adding the Ghost Shrimp
- Ghost Shrimp can live in aquariums that are bigger than 5 gallons. It is best to keep them in an aquarium with only their own kind of fish. Larger fish can easily bother and eat ghost shrimp because they are small and can’t defend themselves. Before you put the shrimp in the aquarium, make sure it has been chemically tested and meets the above requirements.
- Put the Ghost Shrimp in a bowl after taking them out of the bag. Make a siphon from the aquarium with air-line tubing and a rubber band. Wrap the rubber band around a bent part of the tube to kink it. Change the bend so that one drop of water can drip out of the tube slowly every second. For the next 20 to 30 minutes, let this drip into the bowl and keep a close eye on it.
- Use a soft mesh net to move the Ghost Shrimp into the aquarium after 20 to 30 minutes. When moving the shrimp, cover the net with one hand so they can jump out and get away.
- Even though ghost shrimp are tough, bad water can hurt them. If a situation does arise check the water immediately. Perform a water change and try to identify the problem. You should move the Ghost Shrimp to a good temporary home if you have more than one aquarium. Even if the conditions aren’t ideal, is usually much better than leaving them in an aquarium full of poison.
- Here is a link to a full article on how to set up a shrimp tank. More detailed instructions on how to set up, cycle, and choose the right hardscape
- Ghost shrimp eat anything they can find, so they will eat a lot of different things. They eat everything, so brush algae and food that falls to the ground are natural foods for them.
- Ghost Shrimp can eat processed foods like flakes. They are typically unfussy eaters. If you look closely, you can see that the food in a ghost shrimp’s body is very clear. Ghost Shrimp will also eat boiled zucchini and soft vegetables. The shrimp need nutrients, and vegetables are a cheap way to give them those nutrients.
Ghost Shrimp as live feeders
- It is possible to breed ghost shrimp to feed aquarium fish. Oscars, Arowanas, Cichlids, Angelfish, Discus, and Trigger Fish, as well as other larger freshwater species, will benefit. Ghost shrimp have a lot of natural fats and oils that help them color and grow.
- Ghost Shrimp are much less likely to spread disease than other species that eat live food. Parasites can be found in feeder fish and blood worms, but not in ghost shrimp because they are invertebrates.
- A separate tank should be set up so the Ghost Shrimp can breed. Ghost Shrimp are easy to breed and can be raised to provide a steady supply of food for the display tank every week. Further reading regarding breeding can be found below.
RAISING GRASS SHRIMP #fishing
FAQ
Can grass shrimp live in fresh water?
What can you feed grass shrimp?
Will ghost shrimp reproduce in my tank?
Are shrimp easy to raise?
How do grass shrimp grow?
In the natural habitat, using well-developed sense organs, grass shrimp can easily maneuver and swim in the water, but they are found most frequently crawling along the bottom. Like other crustaceans, grass shrimp can cast off legs and regenerate new ones. They grow by molting, shedding their exoskeletons and forming new, larger coverings.
Can one eat raw shrimps?
While raw shrimp or shrimp sashimi can be consumed safely, raw shrimp is considered a high-risk food because it can harbour harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and various Vibrio bacteria. Although some people consider the seafood used in ceviche raw, it is actually cooked by immersing it in an acid rather than using heat. The acid from the citrus can reduce harmful bacteria but it is not as effective as using heat. The safest approach would be to consume only cooked shrimp from a reliable source. The US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) advises that pregnant women, those with weakened immunity, older adults, and young children are at higher risk of foodborne illness and its consequences and should avoid all raw seafood.
How do I get my shrimp to eat grass?
Moss balls keep the shrimp in the open while long plants like java ferns will let them showcase their color blending bodies. Large rock formations are also common places Grass Shrimp like to spend their time. Choosing flat rocks creates the biggest area without taking up as much water volume as rounded rocks will.
How to catch fresh water grass shrimp?
You can learn how to catch fresh water grass shrimp in a few steps. Know where to look. Grass shrimp are sensitive to heat and changes in temperature and tend to congregate in shady areas. You can find them near aquatic plants and near submerged or sunken objects like docks, fences or pipes.