Self-development 

Aquarium shrimp. Freshwater shrimp in an aquarium Aquarium shrimp care

IN home aquarium not only a variety of fish can live, but also crustaceans, such as shrimp. This is quite unusual and the owner of such an aquarium will definitely surprise others. Do not think that this type of shrimp is similar to sea shrimp, this is not true at all. Aquarium crustaceans look much more presentable; they have an unusual body color and also shape. In addition, aquarium crustaceans incredibly resilient inhabitants underwater world. They do not require special attention or special care. IN Lately Beginners and experienced aquarists buy these creatures to diversify the underwater life of their home aquarium.

Habitat and description

In its natural environment, this underwater inhabitant is found in all the world's waters, both salty and fresh. But these crustaceans have species that come from different parts of the world. For example, the red nose lives in the rivers of Venezuela, the fan lives in Panama, the Amano only in Cora and Japan. Typically, all representatives of this species were bred in Asia.

The aquarium shrimp belongs to the phylum arthropod and the species crustacean. The aquarium crustacean differs from the sea one in that the former has jaws. With the help of them, the individual moves, and also grabs and holds food. In addition, these individuals have ten legs and a large, powerful tail, which helps them jump away in case of danger.

Thanks to its mustache, the crustacean has an excellent sense of smell and touch. The individual’s eyes rotate in any direction, which helps to see everything around him and when when danger arises have time to run away to a secluded place, and this also helps in searching for food.

The structure of the mouth is quite complex. This crustacean has three jaws, which it uses to grind food. also in oral apparatus includes maxilla which allows you to hold food tightly. To move around the territory, as well as grab food, they have other limbs.

The size of one adult individual directly depends on the sex and variety. On average, the body length ranges from 3 to 8 centimeters.

Living in a home aquarium

This is such a trouble-free creature that the owner of the aquarium will not notice the replenishment. She doesn’t need anything special, everything is the same as for ordinary aquarium fish. But in order for an aquarium pet to always be brightly colored and pleasing to the eye, it is still necessary to fulfill a couple of conditions. There are also decorative species of aquarium crustaceans that are more capricious in terms of care.

The volume of the aquarium does not play a special role for shrimp. They do well in both small and large tanks. To have an approximate idea of ​​the amount of water per individual, we will still provide a unique formula: one liter of water per shrimp. But here need to be taken into account and the size of the individual. If it is large, then up to 4 liters of water per individual will be required.

The ideal water temperature for keeping shrimp is from 17 to 30 degrees. In principle, most aquarium fish live at this temperature. You can keep the temperature lower, but in this case the shrimp will not be active. At the same time, it has been proven that temperature jumps reduce the life expectancy of aquarium pets.

A prerequisite for caring for an aquarium shrimp is to regularly change some of the water. She must be defended chlorine-free and its temperature should be room temperature.

An even more important criterion for water quality is the absence of copper, which will destroy underwater inhabitants. The hardness should be quite high, as this will help pets take the substances they need from the water during molting.

Aeration and filtration of water is of secondary importance. You can do without this altogether, but if it is possible to purify the water and saturate it with oxygen, then that’s great.

If the shrimp are not alone in the aquarium and they have neighbors, for example, fish, then such an underwater world must be equipped with places where the pet can hide. For example, these could be living plants or other shelters.

Nutrition and food for aquarium shrimp

The shrimp is an omnivore that loves to eat fish's food and also eat specialized dry food. If this does not happen, then they will find food for themselves. It’s not for nothing that shrimp are called cleaners. They will collect leftover food from the bottom or feast on live plants or algae deposits on the rocks of the aquarium.

If the shrimp have no neighbors, then they need to be given special shrimp food, which can be bought at absolutely any zoological store. But regular fish food is also perfect for them. Many owners of such pets feed them boiled pasta and vegetables.

You should be careful with food, as an overfed shrimp becomes lazy and stops moving, and it also stops cleaning the aquarium. In general, it is recommended to feed them only once a week and this is enough for them to feel and live normally, because specialized dry food contains all the necessary substances for the normal development of the shrimp’s body.

Neighborhood and keeping with other pets

Shrimp are wonderful neighbors! They are very calm, friendly and... most of their lives they hide in a shelter, unfortunately, big fish can eat them. Simply put, a shrimp cannot bother anyone in an aquarium, but it has plenty of enemies. Therefore, you need to carefully select neighbors for them.

Ideal neighbors would be:

  • guppy;
  • neons;
  • zebrafish

In principle, any small fish that are not able to swallow a shrimp will do. Snails also get along well with small crustaceans. As for cichlids, swordtails and barbs, such neighborly keeping is dangerous!

According to experienced aquarists, in a properly equipped aquarium, in which there are many secluded places, you can keep crustaceans and barbs without fear of consequences.

Reproduction and breeding

It is very possible to breed aquarium shrimp, but only in an aquarium isolated from fish. Otherwise, future offspring will simply become dinner for the fish. It is also recommended to use for breeding, shrimp without larval phase. Because only this type of shrimp has newborn offspring that look like adults and are capable of feeding on dry food. This is incredibly convenient, as it relieves the breeder of many care hassles.

Crustacean diseases, prevention and treatment

Even if all conditions are met, clean water and ideal parameters are created, no one is immune from the fact that pets will get fungal diseases. This may seem like a harmless disease, but it can lead to the death of individuals. The fungus simply sucks nutrients from the body and poisons it.

Aquarium shrimp are also susceptible to viral diseases that are practically untreatable.

Be that as it may, the sick individual always need to isolate from others. And at the same time, the water in the aquarium must be completely replaced. You can consult a specialist.

Shrimp facts and features

These small inhabitants complement the overall ensemble of the aquarium with their dynamism and unusualness. Owners of such pets need to know a few facts that need to be taken into account.

Whomever you see in the aquarium of friends and acquaintances. But it’s already difficult to surprise with exotic fish and snails, but a shrimp in an aquarium is already interesting. Many will say that there is nothing like that, we feed the fish with thawed shrimp every day, but we're talking about about the most living crustaceans.

Common shrimp

Variety of shrimp

Using shrimp, you can build a real tropical water corner in your apartment. A stunning variety of colors and types, ease of care, easy reproduction, and just unusualness is a good reason to think about it.

Shrimp characteristics:

  • Size – from 2 to 5 cm, there are rare species up to 15 cm;
  • Life expectancy is up to 2 years, but more often no more than a year;
  • Color – cherry, blue, yellow, green, transparent.

Cardinal

There are also cardinal, red crystal, and harlequin shrimp.

Aquarium

An aquarium that contains shrimp is called a shrimp tank. It is no different from the usual one, inhabited by fish; it was named that way simply to stand out.

The volume of the shrimp tank should be within 80 liters (minimum 40). If it is less, then it is difficult to maintain biobalance, since sudden changes in parameters will negatively affect the health of the shrimp, and in larger quantities they will simply get lost in the thickets, as in the photo below.


Shrimp are good at hiding

It is not recommended to keep shrimp together in an aquarium with fish, as they can easily become food, but this only applies to large and aggressive fish, like or. They get along well with small guppies and harmless shrimps; moreover, at night they can even bite the veiled tails on their huge fins, but this is more of a game than a threat.

Required water parameters:

  • Temperature is 18-27 degrees, but the warmer the water, the less oxygen it contains;
  • Hardness – 1.5-2;
  • pH – 6 -7;
  • The water is fresh.

Shrimp are very sensitive to sudden changes and changes; keep the microclimate constant, or changes no more than 30% per day. A temperature jump of just 7 degrees will kill them.

The aquarium must be equipped with a fine bubble aerator and a safe filter, since baby shrimp are very small in size and can simply be sucked into the filter system.


Small shrimp in a spoon

The aerator should work around the clock, especially at night, when aquatic plants do not produce oxygen. Their body consumes more oxygen than any other aquarium inhabitants.

The bottom must be covered with a thin layer of gravel, as in streams, and there must also be shelters - decorative elements, floating and ground plants, driftwood and the like. This gives both a certain charm to the aquarium and hiding places for shrimp, especially if they are adjacent to other fish. But don’t allow there to be narrow cracks; shrimp have a habit of getting stuck, from where they then cannot get out, and die there.

Once a week, change the water to fresh water, but not more than 40%, and at room temperature, as in the aquarium itself.

Buying shrimp

Buying crustaceans is not as easy as it seems. In ordinary pet stores this is a rare product, you will have to place an order and wait, or you can turn to advertisements. Large pet stores usually have them in stock.


Shrimp in a pet store

The price for one individual starts from 100 rubles, and given their extreme fertility, it is rational to buy several pieces and simply wait until they multiply to the required quantity. The price does not differ much depending on the type and color.

When transporting them home, it is better to place them in a container with warm water and a plant placed in it so that the babies can attach to it. Carry the vessel carefully, do not shake it, otherwise you may injure the animals.

After bringing them home, place them in a separate aquarium for observation for a week. There is no guarantee that these shrimp are not from the wild and are free from deadly diseases.

Reproduction

Shrimp breeding in an aquarium occurs all year round, the main condition being clean water.

It is not difficult to determine the maturity of a female - she releases special pheromones into the water, from which the males begin to frantically rush around the aquarium from corner to corner.

The gestation period is about a month, after which tiny, but completely ready for independent life, shrimp are born, about 30 pieces. Their parents do not pose a danger, but if there are other fish, the crustaceans will become excellent food for them, so some will have to be removed.


Pregnant shrimp

Be sure to check the filter again; if necessary, change the sponge to a more finely porous one.

There are some types of shrimp that cannot be kept in an aquarium because they have a larval stage that requires salt water. But most species are still viviparous, which is very pleasing.

Feeding

Crustaceans eat absolutely everything. These are the real orderlies of the aquarium, as they spend all their time looking for food, searching the bottom and plants. They eat leftover food after fish, plaque on leaves and stones, even their own shed shell after molting. Pet stores sell food special for shrimp, but to be honest, there is no need to buy it; you can feed it with any fish food of any size. The main thing is that he drowns sooner or later.

You can also feed it with boiled vegetables.

Special food

Both for newborns and for adults, the food is the same, this makes care and maintenance very easy.

You need to feed crustaceans once a week, sometimes having a fasting day. They easily endure a hunger strike, switching to detritus, that is, eating dead parts of plants, deposits on the ground, and simply eating dirt from the filter sponge, thereby easily surviving your vacation or long business trip. The main thing is to leave the aerator and filter on.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

Shrimp in aquariums They began to contain it relatively recently. But the fashion for this area of ​​aquarium keeping is gradually increasing and this is understandable, because shrimps are very unusual. An aquarium with them invariably attracts attention and brings a touch of exotic brightness to our lives.

What kind of shrimp should I get?

There are a huge variety of types of aquarium shrimp! There are freshwater and marine ones, for example, small and large, simple and extremely unusual in appearance. Some shrimp are not at all difficult to keep, they require virtually no special care, others are more finicky and require special conditions. Nowadays, freshwater shrimp are the most common. If you look at the habitat, these unusual animals brought from Japan, China and India are most in demand among aquarists.
Amano, Macrobrachium, Neocaridina, Atiopsis, Bumblebee are some of the most actively purchased shrimp for aquarium keeping.

How to care for shrimp in an aquarium.

Of course, different types of shrimp will have their own characteristics when kept in an aquarium. But, in general, there are several points that should be observed after purchasing shrimp of any kind.
Temperature.
The best water temperature that suits most species is 20-27 degrees. In general, the temperature range is quite wide: from 15-16 to 29-30 C. Shrimp are most active at their optimal temperature, but if the water temperature drops below 19-20 degrees, then they become lethargic and slow. Some species die when temperatures drop.
Aeration.
Good aeration is vital for any type of shrimp. They can't stand it oxygen starvation, therefore, water aeration devices must be turned on in the aquarium at all times.
Carbonate hardness.
Shrimps need carbonate to form a hard shell, so its content in the water should always be sufficient. In order to increase carbonate hardness, pieces of marble and limestone are lowered to the bottom. Or you can use a special shrimp substrate that also contains limestone.
Volume of water and type of aquarium.
The smallest shrimp can be placed in an aquarium with a volume of 3-5 liters. But the most suitable would be a rectangular aquarium with a volume of 15 liters or more. On average, it is noted that a couple of individuals need 6 liters of water. In addition, do not forget about the size of the shrimp; even a large flock of small animals in a large aquarium will be lost. Therefore, when selecting, it is necessary to take into account the size of adult individuals.

What to feed shrimp in an aquarium?

All shrimp are excellent orderlies who clean the bottom of the aquarium from remnants of fish food, excrement or dead fish. They are unpretentious in food. They enjoy eating algae, insects, snails, and from plants - pieces of spinach, carrots, and peas. It is great to use bloodworms, daphnia, and tubifex as food. Specialized food, fish food, frozen and fresh are also excellent for shrimp diets.
Feeding is carried out once a day; if necessary, shrimp can tolerate prolonged fasting.

Individual characteristics of shrimp.

Shrimp are beautiful and exotic, they move, move their long whiskers and thereby create a unique atmosphere of dynamism in the aquarium, interesting life. But when keeping shrimp, you must take into account some factors.
1. Shrimp are not only capable, but also love to “jump” out of the aquarium. But, unlike crabs, they will not be able to live for a long time in the open air, a few minutes at most. Therefore, an aquarium with shrimp must be covered with a lid on top.
2. Periodically, shrimp molt, shedding their old shell. During the growth of a new animal, the animals remain defenseless; during these days they hide in the thickets of greenery. There is no need to remove the discarded shell from the bottom; the shrimp can eat it, replenishing its carbonate reserves. Another one interesting feature is that when molting, a shrimp can regenerate damaged limbs.
3. Keeping fish in the same aquarium also has its own nuances. Dwarf and other small shrimp can be kept together with non-aggressive fish. You just need to remember that shrimp fry are well eaten even by peaceful fish. In turn, larger specimens of shrimp easily damage the fins of fish, especially veil-tailed ones, and small guppies can easily be eaten. Shrimps 14-16 cm long can also dig up aquarium plants.

Shrimp are, without a doubt, a bright addition to any aquarium. It is a rare aquarist who, having seen this aquatic organism, will not want to have it in his collection. And then the question of the great variety of species of these arthropods arises before him. After all, there are a huge variety of shrimp species for aquarium keeping, although their diversity is often underestimated. All, without exception, types of aquarium shrimp are equally similar to each other in structure, but differ greatly; there are small shrimp (1.8 cm) and truly large specimens (up to 35 cm) from each other in size. Of course, the coloring of the shrimp deserves special attention.

Classification issues

Classification of domestic shrimp is a complex and ambiguous issue because... There is no strict certainty on this issue. Of course, you can divide these aquarium inhabitants by size, color, origin, but this will entail even greater confusion and gossip. Strictly speaking, aquarium shrimp can definitely be divided in only two ways. By belonging to one or another family: Caridina, Neocaridina, Macrobrachium, Palaemonidae. Or by habitat - marine or freshwater, the latter, by the way, will be discussed later.

Within the crystal shrimp variety there is own classification by color.

All types of aquarium shrimp

As they say, it’s better to see once than to hear many times, in our case read, so let’s get to the heart of the matter, so what types of shrimp are there and what conditions do they require?

Amano

Caridina multidentata, Caridina japonica, Amano Shrimp.

Peace-loving inhabitant freshwater aquariums. The appearance is quite primitive - translucent coloring of gray-blue shades with dots (for males) and strokes (for females) randomly located on the sides. An excellent cleaner and simply an irreplaceable fighter against thread.

They live in both small and large groups, but because... The Amano shrimp is quite difficult to breed; it is recommended to keep a flock of at least 10 individuals.

  • Natural habitat: Korea, Taiwan, Yamato River in Japan.
  • The size of the female is 5-6 cm, the male is 3-4 cm.
  • Water parameters - temperature 23-27C, pH 7.2 - 7.5, hardness dH 2 - 20°.

Harlequin

Harlequin Shrimp.

This shrimp is truly miniature and partly for this reason it is very shy. Leads a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle. The complexity of the character is more than compensated by its outstanding appearance - the white and red coloration, outlined in black, is reminiscent of the harlequin from DC Comics, which is what the arthropod owes its name to.

  • In nature, it lives in Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi.
  • Size 0.6 – 1.3 cm.
  • Lives in an aquarium from a year to a year and a half.
  • Suitable parameters are temperature 26-29°C, acidity pH 7.2-8.4, hardness dH 15-25°.

White Pearl

Snowball, Snowflake, Neocaridina cf. zhangjiajiensis var. White, White Pearl Shrimp, Snowball Shrimp.

This artificially bred beauty is unpretentious in maintenance and is suitable even for beginners. Its quiet and even gentle disposition makes it an excellent pet, provided that there are no predatory, very active or aggressive fish among its neighbors. Any aquarium will be decorated with a greyish-white arthropod, transparent as glass, so much so that distinguishing a female from a male is not at all difficult. In female representatives, the ovaries are visible in the light, and the caviar is completely white, reminiscent of snow, for which the shrimp received the nickname Snowflake.

They feel best in a group of 10 to 20 individuals.

  • Not found in nature. Artificially bred by German breeder Ulf Gottschalk.
  • Length 2 – 2.5 cm.
  • Longevity of life is no more than 2 years.
  • Conditions in the aquarium: temperature – 20-28°C, hardness – 6-20°, pH no more than 7.5.

Blue Pearl

Blue neocaridina, Blue shrimp, Blue Pearl Shrimp, Crystal Blue shrimp, Ice Blue, Ice blue, Blue ice.

It was bred by crossing blue neocardina with white individuals.

The color can change depending on the mood and well-being, and the more the color fades, the worse the arthropod feels.

  • It is best to observe a pearl in a flock of 10 or more individuals in a spacious aquarium, at least 60 - 80 liters.
  • Standard size 2.5cm.
  • 18-29°C, 6.8-7.5 Ph, dGH 2-25.
  • Life cycle 2 years.

Atyidae is the common name for aquarium freshwater shrimp.

Blue neocardine

Blue neocardine, blue dream.

Brightly colored peaceful shrimp. There are difficulties regarding the reproduction of this species; the offspring often turn out to be greenish, gray-brown, or even completely transparent; the “blue” gene must be constantly fixed. Like most Atyidae, they feel best in a group of 10-20 individuals.

  • The result of the work of German and Japanese breeders. First introduced to the public in the United States in 2006.
  • The size of females is up to 3 cm, males up to 2.
  • Lifespan is about 2 years.
  • T° 18-28 degrees Celsius, pH 6.5 - 7.5, average hardness 2-25.

Blue brindle

Blue Tiger.

The brightest distinctive feature These tigers have orange eyes, which have not been seen in other aquarium arthropods. Despite the exotic appearance and high price, they are not whimsical in maintenance.

They require frequent infusions of fresh “blood” because due to inbreeding during the selection process they are prone to degeneration.

  • Not found in nature. Bred from ordinary tiger shrimp.
  • They live up to a maximum of 2 years.
  • The average size is 2-2.5 cm.
  • Acceptable water parameters: temperature from 15 to 30, acidity 6.5 -7.5 (they reproduce better in more acidic water), hardness from 1 to 15.

Blue aura

Aura Blue Dwarf Shrimp.

The Blue Aura shrimp is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the genus Atyidae, perhaps even the most beautiful of all blue shrimp and at the same time, as it often happens, quite mysterious. Information about the aura can be found at a minimum, this is due to the fact that it has settled in aquariums (especially Russian ones) quite recently; below is the most important information, in our opinion.

They reproduce easily and willingly; an experienced female carries up to 30 larvae under her tail. Despite the rarity, the conditions of detention are very prosaic; for a small flock, a 10-liter aquarium with high-quality water is enough, which will be changed frequently. The aura also has an unusual feature that cannot be ignored! After molting, this aquatic organism becomes almost transparent, but don’t worry, within a week the color will be restored and will delight you again.

  • Origin: Thailand.
  • Life expectancy is maximum 2 years.
  • Size 2-3cm.
  • Aquarium water parameters 23-25°, pH 7-7.5, medium hardness.

Blue-footed bee

Blue Leg shrimp, Blue Poso shrimp, Caridina ensifera Blue, Caridina Blue Tail, Peacock.

The appearance of the blue-legged bee is more than remarkable and is unlikely to leave any aquarist indifferent. The body is gray, there are blue spots on the tail (for which the crustacean was nicknamed Peacock), blue legs and bright red antennae.

Bees have a peaceful disposition and easily get along with both non-aggressive species of arthropods and peace-loving fish.

  • Natural habitat: Lake Poso, Indonesia, Sulawesi Islands.
  • Maximum size 3cm.
  • Life expectancy is two to three years.
  • Water parameters - temperature 28-30°C, pH 7.5 – 8.5, hardness dH 7-15°, effective aeration is required.

Yellow shrimp

Lemon, Yellow Pearl, Canary.

The canary's calling card is, of course, its bright yellow color. This is the only representative of aquarium arthropods with this color, however, with age, the pet acquires an orange tint, which does not make it any less cute.

If they are undernourished, they can eat all the vegetation around them.

  • Not found in nature.
  • The size of the yellow shrimp is 2.5 - 3 cm.
  • Maximum age 2, rarely 3 years
  • Optimal conditions: water 15 - 28°C, acidity 6.8-8.0 Ph.

Green shrimp

Babaulti, caridina babaulti, Green Midget shrimp.

The bright and active green babaulti shrimp was discovered in India during an expedition and described in 1918. This species has often been subjected to selection; currently 5 color variations are known - blue, white red-nosed, brown, orange. The most common color found in aquariums is green, most of which were brought from India, and only a small part was born in aquariums.

  • Homeland India (small rivers and streams)
  • Size up to 3.5cm
  • Water: Temperature from 20 to 28, hardness – 5-20, acidity – 6.5-8. Aeration and frequent water changes of about 20% of the volume are required.

Cardinal

Cardinal Shrimp and Caridina sp. "Cardinal", Denerli, Caridina dennerli.

Many atyidae have a bizarre, memorable appearance, but even among them, the Cardinal, which recently appeared in aquariums, stands out very clearly. The color ranges from red to cherry, and the always-on-trend white polka dots on the sides. Thin and long legs and sharp nose only add Cardinal Shrimp aristocracy. Despite the apparent simplicity, keeping these arthropods has a lot of pitfalls and therefore this species is not suitable for beginners!

  • Natural habitat: Indonesia, rocky areas of Lake Matano on the island of Sulawesi.
  • Size 1 – 2cm.
  • Water parameters - temperature 26 - 29C, pH 7 - 9, hardness dH 9-15.

Macrobrachnums, Macrobrachium assamense.

The ring-armed shrimp is a relatively large species for an aquarium arthropod. Females reach a size of 5 cm, males are even larger and grow up to 7. The marbled color, like many other species, depends on nutrition and soil. One claw is larger than the other, but this is clearly visible only in large male individuals.

Macrobrahnums are aggressive towards each other and towards other neighbors. Although they are predominantly nocturnal, they are ready to actively stalk prey at any time. Therefore, forget about the idea of ​​keeping ringed fish with other arthropods or small fish. For these tireless hunters, large fish of at least 5 cm, living in the middle and upper layers of a home reservoir, can become good neighbors.

  • They live in nature in the Eastern Himalayas, in local mountain lakes and rivers.
  • The length reaches 7cm.
  • Longevity is 1.5 - 3 years.
  • Conditions in the aquarium: temperature - 21-25°C, hardness - 10-20°, pH 7 - 7.5. Enhanced filtration and aeration are required, as well as weekly water changes; if it is cold, this will have a positive effect on life expectancy.

A minimum of 10-15 liters is required per individual. Requires school keeping - 1 male and several females.

Halocaridina rubra.

The owner of a non-trivial appearance, the red Hawaiian shrimp, in a stressful situation, ceases to be red! The color fades and the animal disguises itself as environment. The character is peaceful and accommodating, but the shrimp itself can become the subject of hunting for other inhabitants of the aquarium.

There are companies that sell Hawaiian red shrimp in sealed "ecospheres". The shrimp in them slowly dies before your eyes, and this process can last up to 3 years. All this time, the shrimp feeds only on its shell from molt to molt. Halocaridina rubra is a very tenacious and immensely patient creature.

  • In good conditions, the maximum recorded lifespan of this baby is 20 years.
  • As the name implies, it lives in Hawaii.
  • The standard size does not exceed 1.2 cm.
  • The life cycle is on average 8 - 10 years.
  • Surprisingly, both salt and fresh water are suitable for life. With a temperature of 20 - 23 degrees, although it can tolerate a range of 15-30 ° C, pH 8.2 - 8.4.

Red shrimp

Neocardina heteropoda, Cherry, Cherry.

Most popular and widely known species aquarium arthropods. Bright, unpretentious, readily breeding Cherries have long and happily inhabited the home ponds of aquarists around the world. Read more about Cherry shrimp on our website.

  • Neocardina, the species from which cherries were bred, lives in Taiwan.
  • Size up to 4 cm.
  • Lifespan is about 3 years.
  • T° 20 – 29 degrees Celsius, pH 6-8, hardness up to 15°dH. Be sure to have plants and mosses in which the cherries can hide.

The species obtained as a result of selection of the red shrimp is not much different from it, with the exception of a much brighter and more saturated color ranging from red to cherry.

Also bred in Taiwan from the species Neocardina heteropoda, it differs from its ancestor in that this shrimp is orange from head to toe. Orange fire fry are born lighter in color for their own protection, but as they live, the color becomes more saturated and bright.

Red crystal

Red Bee, Crystal Red Shrimp, Red Bee.

Aquarium crystals are peaceful and have a very memorable appearance, for which they have gained great popularity all over the world. Within this species, as well as among its predecessor the Bee shrimp, there is a whole hierarchy of colors of its own.

  • Thus, some types of red bees, for example, Snow White, which will be mentioned below, are very expensive, and some have a very affordable price.
  • The result of selection work. The first Crystal Red Shrimp was created by Japanese breeder Hisayasu Suzuki in 1993 while breeding classic black-striped bees.
  • Lifespan is about 2 years.
  • The size of females is up to 2.5 cm, males up to 2 cm.

T° 20 -27 degrees Celsius, pH 5.5 - 7, average hardness 4-6. They are very sensitive to dirty water - do not forget about filtration and weekly replacement of at least a third of the volume of the aqua.

Caridina cf. cantonensis "Snow White".

Snow White is a Red Crystal species.

  • Snow white shrimp is one of the types of red bee shrimp. Snow Whites are found in varying degrees of whiteness and, of course, the most valuable are completely white specimens, and the least valuable, in turn, are arthropods with a predominant area of ​​​​transparent body segments. The conditions for its maintenance are somewhat different from traditional crystals:
  • The adult size is up to 3 cm.
  • The average life length is 2-4 years.

Required temperature - 25–30°C, hardness - 1–10, acidity - 6.0–7.5 pH.

Red ruby

Caridina cf. cantonensis "Red Ruby".

  • Size up to 3.5 cm, other parameters do not differ from the ancestor described above - the Red Bee.

As a rule, the higher the class of shrimp, the more difficult it is to care for.

Ruby Red shrimp set a record for high price in 2009 - it was bought at auction for 4,800 euros.

Caridina cantonensis sp. Red Tiger.

Red tiger shrimp in its natural environment habitat is perfectly camouflaged - the light beige body of the arthropod is surrounded by thin red stripes, and the bottom of its native reservoirs is covered with red stones - there the shrimp is invisible, and in an aquarium it is impossible not to pay attention to it! It goes well with peaceful small fish and contrasts beautifully with plants.

  • In nature, it lives in the reservoirs of southern China.
  • They live on average up to 2 years.
  • The size reaches 3.5 cm.
  • Acceptable water parameters: temperature from 25 to 30, acidity 6.5 -7.8, hardness from 1 to 15 dGH.

Red Noice Shrimp, Pinocchio, Rudolph, Rhino, Rhino.

I would compare the red-nosed shrimp to an arrow - thin, sharp, graceful, this ten-legged beauty will not leave you indifferent! The body of the shrimp is almost transparent, but the shade can change depending on the mood of the shrimp. Thus, a milky tint indicates illness in living creatures.

In its natural environment, this shrimp is a vegetarian, so if there is a lack of vegetation in its diet, it will happily consume aquarium plants.

  • Homeland India and Southeast Asia. Reservoirs with standing water or very weak currents.
  • Females reach a size of 4 cm, males 2.5.
  • Necessary conditions: temperature 20-28°C, acidity pH 6.4-7.5, hardness dH 8-15°, water must be brackish 8-10 grams of table salt per liter of water, do not forget about this when choosing neighbors for the red-nosed beauty and plants for decorating the aquarium.

Macrobrachium sp. "Inle-See."

Inle Lake is located in Myanmar (Southeast Asia), it is a truly large body of water, its size is 22 km by 10 km, and the mysterious Inle Lake shrimp lives here. This arthropod belongs to the Palaemonidae species of shrimp and is a carnivore. The appearance is modest - a transparent body with reddish stripes and strokes of various types.

  • In nature they live, as the name suggests, in Inle Lake.
  • The length reaches 3cm.
  • Conditions in the aquarium: temperature – 25-29°C, hardness – 5-9°, pH 6-7.5.

Mandarin duck

Orange Sunkist Shrimp, Tangerine Shrimp, Caridina sp. Orange Borneo, Caridina thambipillai, Fanta Shrimp, Orange Soda Shrimp.

Peaceful and funny, just like its name, the Mandarin shrimp is a typical representative of the genus Caridina. The transparent body is orange, sometimes with reddish dots and streaks on the sides. They can only be kept in a flock, preferably at least 8 individuals.

  • They live naturally on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
  • Life expectancy is no more than 2 years.
  • Length. Females reach 3 cm, males do not grow larger than 2.5.
  • Conditions in the aquarium: temperature - 20-28 ° C, hardness -6-15 °, pH 6.5-8.

Nigerian shrimp

Nigerian shrimp, Atiya, Cameroon filter feeder.

A more than unusual aquarium shrimp Atiya. It is very large for an aquarium, its color is more than modest from grayish blue to bleached blue, but what The most interesting thing is that she has no claws! The thing is that the Nigerian shrimp lives in reservoirs with strong currents and obtains its food by filtration. A peaceful and interesting arthropod, it will never offend your fish.

  • Live in western Africa
  • The size of an adult female reaches 18 cm, males are smaller - a maximum of 14.
  • Water parameters: T 23-28°C, pH 6.5 - 7.5.

Desmocaris trispinosa.

You can confuse the Nigerian swimming shrimp and Atia (which was mentioned above) only by name, because outwardly these arthropods are complete antipodes of each other. The NPK is small and transparent in appearance, generally inconspicuous and interesting mainly for its unusual method of movement for shrimps; it seems to hover and float above the surface.

  • Homeland - Africa.
  • Temperature - 25–29°C, pH - 6.0–7.5, hardness - 6–9 dGH.

Another serious difference between the NPK and the Nigerian shrimp is that the latter requires a strong current, while the former prefers completely stagnant water.

Ninja

Caridina – serratirostris, Ninja Shrimp, honey or Christmas shrimp.

Ninja shrimp have their mysterious name for a reason, and among their many nicknames, “chameleon” is missing. We have already written that some shrimp are capable of changing color during stress, fright, or, conversely, courting a female; a ninja is a completely different matter; it is an unrivaled master of camouflage. Watching a shrimp change color depending on what pebble it sits on is a real pleasure! In addition, there are no difficulties in keeping this arthropod, but the excellent resume of caridina – serratirostris is overshadowed, only by the fact that reproduction in an aquarium requires titanic efforts and, as a result, is almost impossible.

  • Region of origin - Asia, more precisely Japan, Philippine, Polynesian islands, Fiji island, Madagascar island.
  • Life expectancy is on average 2-3 years.
  • The size of the male is up to 2.5 cm, females are 1 cm larger.
  • Water parameters: temperature 22-27°C, acidity 6.4-7.3, hardness dH 6-20°.

Macrobrachium carcinus.

This article has already written about shrimp of the genus Macrobrachium, and the main thing you should remember about them is that almost all representatives of this predator species, so you should choose their neighbors very carefully; the long-clawed shrimp is no exception.

Males perform a very entertaining mating dance for females, but due to natural shyness, the arthropod dances only in the dark.

At home in the countries of Central and South America, Macrobrachium carcinus itself is hunted, local residents eat them.

  • Natural habitat is fast large streams of Central and South America.
  • Average size 30 -35cm.
  • Maintenance requirements are as simple as possible - warm, clean water from 22 to 27°C, and a strong current.

Bee

Caridina cantonensis sp. “Bee” – Black Bee Shrimp.

Bees include many other shrimp-bearing different names, but the history of appearance and living conditions of these arthropod relatives are the same. Therefore, when reading about the bee shrimp, keep in mind that it talks about: striped bee, black bee, princess bee, King Kong shrimp, Panda shrimp, Bumblebee shrimp, Black Diamond (aka black tiger) and some others.

The bee has almost equal proportions of black and white, the shrimp Black Diamond, King Kong are almost black, the Panda has white areas at the junction of the cephalothorax and rostrum, as well as stripes on the abdomen.

The higher the class of black diamonds (as well as the red ones, which we have already discussed), the more complex their content, and King Kongs, for example, almost never breed in amateur aquariums.

  • Country of origin: Taiwan (man-bred).
  • Average life expectancy is 1.5 years.
  • Size – up to 3.5 cm.
  • Necessary conditions: temperature 20-26°C, acidity pH 6.0-6.8, hardness Gh 2-5 °dH.

Riley

Riley Shrimp.

The light and weightless Riley shrimp was bred from the genus Neocaridina heteropoda by the famous breeder Suzuki Hisuasu among aquarists. The red rili were the first to appear and they were so loved by the aquarium community that soon orange, blue, yellow ones appeared... The value of the Rili Shrimp depends on how large a part of the shrimp's body is transparent. This active little one searches for food all day, swimming around the aquarium.

  • Launched in Taiwan in 1996.
  • Length on average 2 cm.
  • Water: temperature 18-28°C, acidity pH 6.4 - 7.6, hardness dH 4-14°.

Indian, Asian, Thai, Herb shrimp. Ghost, GLASS SHRIMP, Palaemonetes paludosus.

There are 2 types of relatively large glass shrimp, extremely similar in appearance, so we will divide them according to their habitat into Asian and North American. Both are transparent, for which they were nicknamed “glass”; the Asian one has the nickname Grass Shrimp, and the American one is often called the Ghost.

Both of them can build their own shelters if sand or very fine gravel is used as soil. Large individuals can show aggression during the breeding season; to avoid this, stick to the proportion of 1 shrimp: 4 liters of water or more.

  • The average lifespan is 1-2 years, rarely longer.
  • Size up to 5cm females, males maximum 4cm, both in good conditions.
  • Here's a look at good conditions The contents of these shrimp are different:
  • Asians. Water temperature 20-28 degrees, acidity pH 6.5-7.5, hardness does not matter.
  • Americans. Temperature 18-29 degrees, acidity pH – 6.5-7.5, hardness GH – 5-8.
  • For both, it is necessary to have high-quality filtration and aeration, as well as weekly water changes of up to 20% of the aquarium volume.

Filter Anopsis

Atyopsis moluccensis, banana, bamboo, forest shrimp.

The appearance of Anopsis is unlikely to make you fall in love with it. Brown stripes on its yellowish body make it invisible in nature, but this crustacean does not intend to hide in an aquarium. He will definitely occupy some peak and begin to catch food with his paws - fans (which replaced claws). This is a very interesting and even bewitching sight. If the filter feeder begins to spend more time at the bottom in search of food, it means that it is malnourished, because its feeding method is not entirely normal and it is more difficult for it to get enough than others.

  • Homeland - Southeast Asia.
  • Maximum age 2 years.
  • Length 6-10cm.
  • Comfortable parameters: temperature 23-29C, acidity pH: 6.5-7.5, hardness dH: 6-15.

Leander modestus.

This is perhaps the only aquarium shrimp whose native reservoirs are located, including on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The appearance of the Leander is not very expressive - an almost transparent body and very long antennae, sometimes exceeding the length of its owner. But you can watch this shrimp around the clock, because, unlike many of their counterparts, they are active even during the day.

does not present.

Caridina Simoni Simoni. The small, transparent Ceylon shrimp is interesting, first of all, for its active behavior

  • – she actively scurries around the aquarium all day in search of food and does not at all strive to hide anywhere. Color varies from brownish and greenish to blue.
  • Homeland Malaysia, Philippine Islands, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Java.
  • Length 1.8-2.5 cm.

Maintenance requirements: strong aeration and filtration, weekly water changes of at least 1/3. water temperature 20-30°C, acidity pH 5.5-8, hardness dH 3-15°.

Macrobrachium nipponense.

A very elegant Japanese shrimp resembles a glass figurine - a transparent, slightly brownish body with a contrasting black stripe a third of the length, brick-red claws for males and orange for females, and beady eyes complete the picture.

The character is nasty and even aggressive, so the only neighbors of this species can be arthropods of similar size and fish that will not allow themselves to be offended.

  • In the group, maintain a balance of 1 male -2.3 females.
  • They live naturally in Japan, which becomes obvious from the name.
  • Size 6-8cm.

Water temperature 26-30, acidity pH 6.4-6.8, hardness does not matter.

Bottom line

  1. Copper is contraindicated for any type of shrimp. Be careful, because it is contained in many medicines for fish.
  2. Any arthropod (and fish will be grateful) must live in a clean environment, so think about the issue of filtration and water changes in advance.
  3. The presence of plants in the aquarium is mandatory. It is better if these are mosses and small-leaved ones for small species and larger ones for large-sized arthropods.
  4. If you are planning to do breeding, theoretically the crossing is possible as follows: Caridina + Caridina, Macrobrachium + Macrobrachium, Neocaridina + Neocaridina, etc. Shrimp belonging to different families not only do not interbreed, but can also conflict when kept together.

However, one should not conclude that any species can be crossed within one family. The issue of shrimp reproduction is delicate and individual, but if you decide to start breeding these animals, you will not regret it.

The world of aquarium shrimp is more than diverse and everyone can find a shrimp to suit their taste.

Introduction

I was prompted to write this material by numerous requests for help on the forum related to keeping shrimp in an aquarium.

Just 10 years ago these were very rare and exotic inhabitants of aquariums. And now they have become fashionable, and the number of people wanting to have shrimp is constantly growing. But if the rules for caring for fish and plants are more or less generally known, then people are usually familiar with crustaceans only gastronomically.
There are many excellent articles about shrimp written by wonderful authors. This text is in no way a replacement for them. My main idea: to give a short introduction to shrimp keeping for newbies. The materials were selected taking into account the most common errors.

In order to facilitate perception, the material is divided into two parts: theoretical and practical.

Part 1. Theoretical

Meat or fish?
So, shrimp owners should know much more about their pets than the average person. Indeed, in an aquarium, these creatures are absolutely helpless. Their life depends entirely on the competence of the owner.

Let's take a look at the place of shrimp in the scientific classification:

The key word here is arthropods. Therefore, immediately erase from your head the stereotype about the relationship between fish and shrimp. What they have in common is only their habitat. And according to their biological properties, they are “relatives” of cockroaches, spiders and bedbugs.

Which is more difficult to keep in an aquarium: fish or shrimp? It is impossible to answer unequivocally. But for a beginner, little familiar with the “pitfalls” of aquarium keeping, the answer is much clearer: casual fish are more tenacious. Therefore, shrimp are more difficult to keep.

Who sold me this hamster?

An old bearded joke... A man brings a bear to the poultry market and asks the sellers: “Well, who sold me this hamster a year ago?”

Shrimp also have their own hamsters and bears. Therefore, you need to be able to distinguish between them in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. For example, under the guise of a harmless booger, incompetent or unscrupulous sellers can sell macrobrachium rosenbergi, which grows up to 18 centimeters, freeing the aquarium from all fish, plants and its less fortunate relatives. In fact, the Rosenbergs are beautiful and interesting animals. But they need to be started consciously, providing appropriate conditions.

However, people usually want peaceful shrimp. And this is quite understandable. But how can you distinguish them from predators? It's quite simple: predatory shrimp have claws that are visible to the naked eye.

I will not review all aquarium shrimp here. Moreover, new species and breeds are constantly appearing on sale. I would like to focus on the especially popular ones. Without having any statistics, I’ll take the risk of identifying the top three:

  • Neocaridina denticulata Red Cherry, Cherry shrimp or simply cherry.
    The undoubted advantages of this shrimp are: unpretentiousness, fertility, bright color, wide availability. The disadvantages include the small size. However, this is even good for miniature aquariums.
    The approximate lifespan of cherry shrimp is 1 year. This is certainly not enough. But they make up for it with their fertility.
  • Amano shrimp, Yamato Shrimp, Caridina japonica, Japanese pond shrimp or simply amanka.
    Gained wide popularity with light hand Takashi Amano. Quite large, active, can eat filamentous algae. But it does not reproduce in an aquarium. But the lifespan is much longer than that of cherries. My seven Amanks have been living for 3.5 years.
  • Atyopsis Moluccensis, Banana Shrimp, filter feed shrimp.
    These funny large shrimp can often be found in pet stores. But they are much more difficult to maintain than amanki or cherries. In addition, they are not very active. And many people mistakenly believe that a filter-feeding shrimp can somehow replace a filter. Unfortunately, it is filter feeders that most often die from inexperienced owners.
    One filter has lived with me for 3 years, the other is already on its fourth year.

Having mastered the simple rules of keeping these relatively unpretentious creatures, you can start the rest.

What you need to know...

What are these rules? Let's look at them right now.

Water quality

When dealing with shrimp, never forget that water quality is the most important thing in their life. They are extremely sensitive to any changes.

In nature, if shrimp sense something is wrong, they try to quickly swim as far as possible from the bad place.

Unfortunately, they have nowhere to escape from the aquarium. The poor creatures are rushing along the walls in panic, trying in vain to find a stream that will lead them to clean water. Large shrimp are trying to jump out. Those who succeed die on the floor. The rest are in the aquarium.
This is the sad picture of poisoning with nitrogenous compounds among simple-minded owners who do not spare food for their pets. Or in case of an incorrect start in an aquarium with fish.

What to do in such a situation? Change the water?
As they say, it’s too late to drink Borjomi if your liver has fallen off.
Replacements are not very effective. Some of the poor fellows can be saved if they are immediately transplanted into clean water. But only owners of several aquariums can afford this. And in tap water, even if it is clean, shrimp also have little chance.

To avoid this situation, you need to remember that shrimp are much more sensitive to the content of harmful substances in water than fish. We will return to the topic of monitoring the concentration of nitrogen compounds. In the meantime, let's look at the table of numerical estimates that I collected based on personal experience.

What other substances are harmful to shrimp?
Most branded aquarium products are safe. And for those that are dangerous, this is always indicated in the instructions.

But can our people get by with only branded drugs? There will always be “knowledgeable” people who will recommend some kind of miracle remedy. But no one has yet canceled their head on their shoulders. And for an informed decision-making, I want to give a review collected from the reviews of many shrimp owners.

Copper salts. They are often active components of algaecides and some drugs. Both plants and animals need copper in small quantities. For example, in the blood of shrimp, copper plays the same role as iron in ours. But the slightest overdose can be fatal. In branded fertilizers containing copper, the concentration is not dangerous.
Insecticides Pesticides against insects are also very dangerous for shrimp, given the similarity of their physiology. Most often, insecticides get into the aquarium with new plants, because... on farms they often use poison against pests. Therefore, do not rush to plant plants from unreliable sources in an aquarium with shrimp. Let them sit in a separate container for a couple of days.
Antibiotics A one-time application will not usually kill shrimp. But it should be remembered that antibiotics negatively affect the immunity of animals. In addition, they destroy such an important and fragile balance of the aquarium.
Fertilizer macroelements. Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus. If you apply it in the quantities that plants need, then there is no danger. (Given that nitrogen is in the form of nitrate.)
It is also important to maintain the proportion between potassium and sodium. Plants do not need sodium, although there is usually much more of it in water. But if suddenly there is a significant excess of potassium, this can lead to disruptions in activity nervous system animals.
Microelements of fertilizers. Iron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum, boron, cobalt, iodine, sulfur, etc. are safe in the required concentrations.
Calcium, magnesium, sodium and chlorides Most shrimp normally tolerate increased levels of these ions, because these are the elements sea ​​water. And shrimp still have a strong genetic memory of their homeland. But it is important to remember that when these elements are present in water as a mixture, this is normal. If only one of them is bad.
As for calcium, shrimp need it to build their shells. If the water is too soft, many shrimp may show pathologies when molting. To compensate for the lack of calcium, you can use marble soil, tuff decorations, various shells, etc.
Iodine. This is a very important element for the life of shrimp. But it often happens that there is too little of it in food and water. If you add iodinol (from a pharmacy) to the aquarium water at the rate of 1 ml per 10 liters of water, once or twice a month, this will not harm plants, fish and bacteria. But the shrimp will be happy. It is better to refrain from using a traditional alcohol solution of iodine.

Separately, I would like to touch on a sore subject - algae. In my opinion, in the fight against them, many people reach the point of absurdity. Shrimp are unlikely to share the aesthetic feelings of the owner. For them, algae is food, a useful substrate and an additional water purifier. However, in case of blooming water, it is necessary to ensure good aeration.
Think carefully before pouring pesticides, whether it is worth it. In general, excess algae can always be controlled without the use of algaecides. And even if many people claim that everything is fine with them, this does not mean that in your case there will be no problems. It is clear that the shrimp want to live, despite the good efforts of the owner. But each aquarium has its own specific conditions. Because of this, some people are lucky and others are not. Don't risk your pets' lives in vain.

And a couple more tips:

  • Wash your hands thoroughly without soap before putting them into the shrimp aquarium.
  • In the summer I constantly use fumitox. Many shrimp owners do too. Negative consequences No.

Once again about water

Did I mention that shrimp are very sensitive to water quality? I think he said. But it’s not superfluous to say this again.

Oxygen

It is very important to ensure aquarium water a large amount of oxygen. Shrimp breathe through gills, much like fish. But the efficiency of fish gills is much higher. Therefore, shrimp need more oxygen. Where the fish survives, the shrimp may die from suffocation.
Extreme situations leading to a sharp drop in oxygen concentration are: outbreaks of blue-green algae (water blooms), bacterial turbidity, an increase in temperature to 30 0 C, high oxidation of water (due to excess organic matter).
Fish have another important advantage: a swim bladder, which allows them to float closer to the surface, where there is much more oxygen due to gas exchange with air. Shrimp are heavier than water and cannot swim for long. The only salvation for them is floating plants, which they can cling to and breathe near the surface.

Shrimp do not breathe through their mouths. Their gills are located in the central part of the body (in the carapace), and they push water there with cilia located under the belly. And too much movement may mean that the shrimp is lacking oxygen. And females also ventilate their eggs this way.

Filter feeders are the most demanding of oxygen. I would call the cherry ones the least picky.

Water temperature

Comfortable temperature for shrimp: 22-25 o C. Although, Sulawesi savages require no lower than 27 o. But for most the limit is 32 o. In addition, the warmer the water, the less necessary oxygen dissolves in it.
One summer there was terrible heat for almost two weeks. The temperature in the aquariums remained 30-31. Everyone survived. But this is force majeure.
Temperatures above 29 o are harmful to the health of shrimp.
The lower limit in my cherry shrimp tank dropped to 13 o without visible damage. I think that Amano could also survive this. But I wouldn’t take that risk with filters.

Hydrochemistry

What can be said about the hydrochemical parameters of water? Yes, advanced shrimp owners are usually well versed in such things as pH, KH, GH. You need to understand this especially well if you are going to install a carbon dioxide supply.
For most shrimp, a normal pH is between 6.5 and 8.5. Optimum 7.5-8. That is, a slightly alkaline environment.
High hardness is better than low hardness. For example, there are quite a few reports of problems with shedding in soft water (dGH< 5). В то же время, мне не приходилось слышать о проблемах в жёсткой воде.
Although, for example, red crystals feel better in softer and slightly acidic water.

But the most important quality of water is stability! Shrimp are able to adapt to new environment, even if the parameters are not entirely favorable. But they will not be able to adapt to chaotic fluctuations in parameters (which are inevitable when trying to use pH-minus or plus products).

Organic

And all shrimp love water with a small organic content. Absolutely no organic matter (tap water) is very bad. Excess organic matter is also no good. Useful organic matter includes substances released by plants. Driftwood is also very welcome. Oak leaves or alder cones have a positive effect. At one time I used granulated peat in the filter. The water was yellowish, but all the shrimp felt great.

Shedding

A physiological feature of shrimp, like all arthropods, is their hard chitinous shell, which protects the body from all sides. This armor greatly helps them survive in the wild, and in some aquariums too.

But there is a drawback to this: the shrimp grows and the suit becomes tight. Therefore, periodically they have to shed their old skin and grow a new one. This is called molting.

By the way, there is another unexpected bonus: along with a new skin, severed limbs can miraculously grow back.

But everything is far from so simple! The molting process is very responsible. After all, at this moment the shrimp becomes very vulnerable. In addition, to grow a new shell, the body uses “fat reserves” accumulated earlier. And if the shrimp did not receive enough substances from food, then there may not be enough building materials for new armor. This is fraught with various pathologies and even the death of the shrimp.

In addition to natural molting, there are also unplanned ones due to a sharp change in water parameters. This is a rather dangerous and undesirable phenomenon in the case when the shrimp has not had time to recover from the previous molt. And if the shrimp had caviar, it is usually lost.

What is a sudden change in water parameters from the point of view of shrimp?
Oddly enough, this could even be a transplant to a neighboring aquarium. After all, shrimp feel the difference very subtly. Therefore, do not try to transplant a pregnant female (“so that the babies don’t get eaten”). It is unlikely that she will appreciate such good intentions.

A change in parameters can be caused by an illiterate launch of the carbon dioxide supply system, the introduction of chemicals that disturb the environment, and even global weeding of fast-growing plants.

When some impressionable aquarists see empty skins for the first time, they sometimes mistake them for corpses. And I myself was caught once: the body of a filter feeder was lying at the bottom, and only the whiskers were twitching. I was about to be very upset, but upon closer inspection it turned out to be an empty shell into which a snail had climbed. And the mustache moved because of her movement.

The corpses of any shrimp in an aquarium look exactly the same as those in the frozen section of the grocery store - twisted, red and motionless.
Empty skins are translucent and usually white. And they are very light, so they sway even from a slight current and can lie on the leaves.

Behavior and Compatibility

Most shrimp are social creatures. Perhaps this does not apply only to filter feeders who are single introverts.
I can say for sure that the behavior of seven amankas is very different from three. In a group, shrimp behave more actively and boldly, hiding less. Therefore, it is much more interesting to watch them.
Between different types of shrimp special relationship I didn't notice.

Another feature is 24/7 activity. It seems like it doesn't matter to them special significance, whether it is day or night.

The keeping of shrimp together is limited by two factors:

  • Larger shrimp can eat smaller ones. This is usually the fault of predators, such as macrobrachiums. However, I already warned that it is better to start with peaceful ones.
  • Some seemingly different shrimp turn out to be capable of intermarrying. For example, this is possible between bees, tigers and crystals. () This does not harm them themselves, but the offspring come out completely unattractive. Is it worth paying through the nose for beautiful decorative shrimp if they are replaced by dull half-breeds?

Shrimp and fish

And of course, we cannot ignore the relationship between shrimp and fish.

Unfortunately, even small fish often prey on juvenile shrimp. And larger fish are not averse to snacking on adult cherries. Amanks and filter feeders can fend for themselves. But during the molting period, they can easily become prey for cichlids or macropods. There are known cases of amankas being eaten by roosters.
There are very few completely safe fish. Among them I would name microanalysis ( Microrasbora sp. Galaxy), otocinclus ( Otocinclus macrospilus), acanthophthalmus ( Acanthophthalmus kuhli) and gastromyzons ( Gastromyzon punctulatus). And also, oddly enough, a huge and formidable Gyrinoheylus ( Gyrinocheilus aymonieri) - a thunderstorm for fish - turned out to be absolutely harmless to shrimp. True, I once heard that he gave a thrashing to predatory shrimp. But, apparently, they were the first to make an attempt on his life.
The main trouble is that even in the absence of aggression from the fish, the shrimp try to stay out of harm's way. They begin to hide and switch to nocturnal activity.

For example, in my 100-liter aquarium, filter feeders, amankas, cherries and Indian red noses coexisted well.
Among the fish there were: Gyrinocheilus, two Siamese algae eaters (SAE), wedge-shaped rasboras, honey gouramis and dwarf loaches.
Juvenile cherry species were predominantly nocturnal. In addition, they occupied the insides of the filters. The adults climbed calmly during the day.

I think that for the first time the theory will be enough. In the next part we will consider practical issues of shrimp science.

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