A shrimp aquarium is beautiful to look at. Shrimp are always searching for food and will roam throughout the entire aquarium to find it. Shrimp come in different species, sizes, and colors—in short, there is something for everyone!
Shrimp can roughly be divided into two types: Caridina shrimp and Neocaridina shrimp. Within each type there are different shrimp, and each requires a different type of care. Below you will find all information per type.
Neocaridina shrimp
Most Neocaridina species are known for being easy to keep. This type of shrimp is more commonly kept in community aquariums than the Caridina species. If you are keeping aquarium shrimp for the first time, it is highly recommended to start a shrimp aquarium with a Neocaridina species.
The most well-known Neocaridina shrimp are: fire, lemon, blue fairy, white pearl, sakura, rili shrimp.
Care
Not much is required to care for these shrimp. Keep these shrimp in a group of at least 10. The more shrimp in the aquarium, the safer they feel, and the more often they will show themselves. The water temperature should be between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius. If the temperature rises above 28 degrees, the shrimp may start to show signs of stress and die off.Setting up the aquarium
Not much special needs to be done for the setup of the aquarium. Keep the shrimp in an aquarium with a minimum volume of 10 liters. For these shrimp, a regular gravel or sand substrate is sufficient, along with some plants and a piece of driftwood. Driftwood is important for shrimp because it provides plenty of food and hiding places. In addition, a sponge filter is very important for the aquarium. Shrimp can crawl into the gaps of a mechanical filter and then be chopped into pieces by the motor. A sponge filter has no moving parts, making this impossible. A sponge filter is also very important when breeding shrimp.Tank mates
Shrimp can be kept with other aquarium inhabitants. Exceptions are predatory fish. In general, there is one rule: if it fits in the fish’s mouth, it will be eaten. Keep in mind that breeding shrimp is almost impossible when shrimp are kept together with fish.Feeding
Shrimp eat almost everything, from dead plant material to fish waste, snails, etc. However, it is important that shrimp mainly receive plant-based food. This is also what they primarily eat in their natural environment. The right food keeps the shrimp healthy and beautifully colored. Feeding shrimp once a day is sufficient. It is highly recommended to also give shrimp (in addition to their normal food) leaves. Shrimp can feed on leaves for a long time, which keeps them healthy and helps prevent diseases.Maintenance
Not much maintenance is required for a shrimp aquarium. It is useful to keep the front glass clean and perform a weekly water change of about 10%. The “clean” water can simply be cold tap water.Can different species and colors of shrimp be kept together?
This is strongly discouraged. All shrimp from the Neocaridina group crossbreed with each other. If different shrimp are kept in one aquarium, this is often a Neocaridina and a Caridina species. These cannot crossbreed with each other.Caridina shrimp
Most Caridina species are known for their beautiful colors. This type of shrimp is more often kept in a dedicated shrimp aquarium, as it is more difficult to keep than Neocaridina species and requires special water parameters. If you are keeping shrimp for the first time, it is highly recommended to start with a Neocaridina species.
The most well-known Caridina shrimp are: crystal red, crystal black, snow white, tiger, Taiwan bee shrimp.
Care
Caring for these shrimp requires more effort than for the Neocaridina species. Keep these shrimp in a group of at least 10. The more shrimp in the aquarium, the safer they feel and the more often they will show themselves. These shrimp species have specific requirements for water parameters. If these requirements are not met, the shrimp will become inactive or die.Temperature: 20–28 degrees Celsius.
pH: 5.5–7
KH: as close to 0 as possible
GH: approximately 5–6
Conductivity: 200–300 µS
To achieve these values, an aquarium with tap water alone is often not sufficient. Generally, tap water has a higher pH, KH, GH, and conductivity than stated above. Solutions include using reverse osmosis water and pH-lowering substrates.
Water parameters: knowledge is power
Knowledge is power, and this definitely applies to the aquarium world as well. All water parameters can be measured. It is recommended to purchase an electronic meter. Liquid test kits are also an option, but they often require a lot of time and money.Setting up the aquarium
Keep the shrimp in an aquarium with a minimum volume of 10 liters. For these shrimp, a pH-lowering substrate is recommended, along with some plants and a piece of driftwood. Driftwood is important for shrimp because it provides plenty of food and hiding places. In addition, a sponge filter is very important for the shrimp aquarium. Shrimp can crawl into the gaps of a mechanical filter and then be chopped to pieces by the motor. A sponge filter has no moving parts, making this impossible. A sponge filter is also very important when breeding shrimp.Tank mates
Shrimp can be kept with other aquarium inhabitants. Exceptions are predatory fish. In general, there is one rule: if it fits in the mouth, it will be eaten. Keep in mind that breeding shrimp is almost impossible when shrimp are kept together with fish.
Feeding
What do shrimp eat? Shrimp eat almost everything left behind in the aquarium, from dead plant material to waste from fish, snails, etc. However, it is important that shrimp mainly receive plant-based food. This is also what they mainly eat in their natural environment. The right food keeps the shrimp healthy and beautifully colored. Feeding shrimp once a day is sufficient. It is highly recommended to also give shrimp (in addition to normal food) leaves. Shrimp can feed on leaves for a long time, keeping them healthy and helping prevent disease.Maintenance
Not much maintenance is required for a shrimp aquarium. It is useful to keep the front glass clean and perform a weekly water change of about 10%. The “clean” water should be treated water that meets the correct water parameters, unless a special substrate is being used.Can I keep different species and colors of shrimp together?
This is strongly discouraged. All shrimp from the Caridina group crossbreed with each other. If different shrimp are kept in one aquarium, it is often a Neocaridina and a Caridina species. These cannot crossbreed with each other.How many shrimp can I keep in an aquarium?
The number of shrimp that can be kept in an aquarium depends on several factors, such as the size of the aquarium, the type of shrimp in it, and the amount of plants and other inhabitants. In general, it is recommended to keep about one to two shrimp per liter of water. This means that a 20-liter aquarium is suitable for 20 to 40 shrimp.
It is important to remember that shrimp should be kept in groups and that they need plenty of space to swim and hide. Keeping too many shrimp in too small a space can lead to stress and health problems.
