You could also give them their own tanks, but that is not strictly necessary. This can be prevented by making sure that their environment is comfortable, that their pH is appropriate, that you are feeding them enough, and that they have enough space and hiding places. When in a stressful environment, such as while being underfed or overcrowded, shrimp may turn to eat each other. Stick to docile fish, like guppies and tetras, to stock your aquarium. Keeping the shrimp alone will certainly keep it safe, but a careful choice of fish will do so as well. Some small fish can also be surprisingly violent and should be avoided as well. While some fish play nice with shrimp, any fish larger than the shrimp may be a threat: they are more likely to see the shrimp as food than a friend. If you can only fit a small tank in your living space, a single shrimp will be more comfortable there than many would. If shrimp find themselves overcrowded, fights may break out.Īs a rule of thumb, you can have one shrimp per every 2-3 gallons of a tank. In the wild, shrimp live in groups, but they still require space. Pros of Keeping Your Ghost Shrimp Alone Prevents Territory Fights However, shrimp will supplement their diet with algae from the sides of the tank and bits of plants. Ghost shrimp need to be fed daily with algae pellets, which are sold at most pet stores. Good options are hornwort or java moss.įine sand or gravel is best for the base of the tank, as shrimp are burrowers and like to dig. Plants must be strong, as shrimp will nibble the dirt off of them. If you must choose between adding another shrimp or another plant, always go for the plant. Ghost shrimp require hiding places and grasses, so fill your tank as much as you can with plants and rocks. Ghost shrimp are very sensitive to pollutants in their environment, so nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia should be kept to a minimum. Shrimp like their water slightly hard, with added calcium for their exoskeletons. If you have no filter, 30% of the tank water will have to be changed every week. Ghost shrimp require a heater and a sponge filter.
Give your shrimp a habitat as close to its natural environment as you can. However, ghost shrimp still like warm waters and plenty of hiding places, especially during molting season. In an aquarium, some of a shrimp’s wild tendencies are reduced. In this season, male shrimp may fight for territory. Male shrimp release spermatozoa into the female and then separate. When two shrimps’ exoskeletons come into contact with each other, they recognize each other as ready to mate. After their first molting, the shrimp are ready to reproduce.įemales get a greenish tint to their ovaries and carry their eggs inside them. You may find your shrimp may get nervous when it molts. This is when they are at their most vulnerable. Once the ghost shrimp mature, they start molting. Their maturation comes in the form of three developmental stages, in which they go from yellow-and green larvae to see-through adults. They hatch in the spring or summer and mature in two or three months, depending on whether the water is warm enough that year. Ghost shrimp naturally live in colonies: they go through their whole lives in company. Ghost shrimp feed on algae and other matter. To avoid being eaten, ghost shrimp use the aforementioned grass cover to hide in and are more active at night. Ghost shrimp are quite defenseless and are prey to many fish. Ghost shrimp prefer waters filled with semi-aquatic grasses or flowers, ranging in temperature from 10☌ to 35☌ (50☏ to 95☏). They have also been found in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, where they are assumed to have been introduced. The common ghost shrimp resides in freshwater bodies on the east coast of the Allegheny mountains in the United States. This article will cover how ghost shrimp live in the wild, how well ghost shrimp live together, and the pros and cons of having a shrimp live alone. Space concerns, violent tankmates, and false ghost shrimp like macrobrachium pose dangers to shrimp living with others. While shrimp live together in the wild, there are perfectly good reasons to keep a shrimp alone.