Buzz
Ghost shrimp make fascinating, low-maintenance additions to any aquatic environment. Also known as glass shrimp, their transparent bodies are their most distinctive feature. They are quite resilient, and maintaining optimal water conditions regarding temperature, chemicals, pH, and oxygen levels is crucial for their well-being. Despite their relatively short lifespan of about a year, they have a tendency to reproduce rapidly, making it easy to establish a long-term colony!
Steps
Setting up the Aquarium
Choose a 5 to 10 gallon (19 to 38 L) aquarium for your shrimp. Opt for a tank that holds at least 5 gallons (19 L) of water, especially if you plan to keep a sizable number of shrimp. Ideally, there should be 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water for every 10 ghost shrimp in the tank.
- Look for suitable aquariums for aquatic pets online or at pet stores. Ensure that the tank has a secure lid, as ghost shrimp are known to jump out of the water.
- If you already have an aquarium and wish to add shrimp to it, keep in mind that most fish species do not coexist well with shrimp. Unless you intend to use the shrimp as fish food, it's best to house them with other shrimp, snails, and peaceful fish like Cory catfish.
Set up a sponge filter or opt for a filter with a covered intake. While ghost shrimp are adept at cleaning, a filter is essential for maintaining a healthy aquarium. For smaller tanks, consider using an internal sponge filter, which provides gentle filtration without the risk of shrimp getting sucked in.
- For larger tanks, choose an external aquarium filter equipped with a sponge cover over the intake to prevent shrimp from being inadvertently drawn into the filter.
- If you opt for an external filter, ensure it circulates 3 to 5 times the tank's water volume per hour. If you're unsure which filter to select, seek advice from a pet store employee.
Introduce an air pump to increase oxygen levels in the water. Even with an external tank filter, supplementing with an air pump is beneficial. Ghost shrimp require ample oxygen for breeding and molting.
- Incorporating live plants into the tank also aids in oxygenation.
Layer the tank with 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of gravel and sand. Obtain chemical-free aquarium gravel and sand from a pet store. Rinse them thoroughly under running water using a fine sieve before adding them to the tank. Begin with coarser gravel at the bottom, followed by finer gravel or sand.
- Given the shrimp's sensitivity to impurities, ensure the gravel is free of chemicals and debris before placing it in the tank.
- Add the gravel cautiously to avoid scratching the tank glass.
Incorporate aquatic plants and hiding spots. Live plants contribute to oxygenation, foster beneficial bacteria growth, and enhance the aquarium's aesthetics. Acquire aquatic plants from pet stores and seek guidance on shrimp-safe species.
- Consider adding decorative caves or hiding spots to the tank. Alongside leafy aquatic plants, moss serves as low-maintenance foliage and a food source for shrimp.
Install a heater to maintain the tank temperature at approximately 75 °F (24 °C).
While ghost shrimp tolerate temperatures between 65 and 85 °F (18 and 29 °C), they thrive in water around 75 °F (24 °C). Invest in an aquarium heater and monitor the temperature with a thermometer.
- Explore online or local pet stores for suitable aquarium heaters and thermometers. Select a heater wattage based on your tank size, such as a 50-watt heater for a 10-gallon (38 L) tank. Use an online calculator to determine the appropriate wattage for other tank sizes: https://aquariuminfo.org/volumecalculator.html.
Introducing Your Shrimp to the Tank
Prepare the tank by cycling it for 2 to 8 weeks before adding the shrimp. Fill the tank with lukewarm tap water and add a small amount of fish food or ammonia specifically designed for fishless cycling. Use aquarium water test strips to monitor the levels of ammonia, aiming for 2 to 4 ppm (parts per million) after 3 to 4 days.
- After 1 to 2 weeks, test for nitrites, which should spike and then decrease to 0 ppm. As nitrite levels drop, nitrate levels will rise. After 2 to 8 weeks, both ammonia and nitrite levels should stabilize at 0 ppm, with nitrate levels below 2 ppm.
- Cycling the tank encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria that consume harmful ammonia and nitrite, ensuring a safe environment for ghost shrimp and other aquatic inhabitants.
Transfer the shrimp and the water from the pet store bag into a container. When ready to acclimate the shrimp to their new habitat, carefully pour both the shrimp and the water from the bag into a suitable container, such as a fishbowl or bucket.
- Ensure the container is only half-filled after adding the shrimp and water, leaving ample space for additional water. Choose a container large enough to accommodate the shrimp comfortably.
Gradually introduce tank water into the container. Position the container holding the shrimp beside the tank. Using a flexible tube, siphon water from the tank into the container. Secure a rubber band tightly around one end of the tube, then lower the other end into the container with the shrimp, allowing water to trickle in slowly.
- Gravity will facilitate the transfer of water from the tank to the container. Adjust the rubber band to regulate the flow rate if necessary, ensuring a slow drip. Allow the water to drip into the container for approximately 30 minutes to acclimate the shrimp to their new water parameters.
Move the shrimp to the tank using a soft mesh net. After acclimating the shrimp for 30 minutes, gently scoop up a few using a soft mesh net. Carefully release them into the tank, repeating the process until all shrimp have been transferred from the container to the tank.
- Avoid pouring the water from the container directly into the tank, especially when adding shrimp to an existing aquarium. Water from the pet store may harbor parasites and bacteria that could compromise the tank's ecosystem.
Maintaining Your Shrimp's Well-being
Provide shrimp pellets or boiled vegetables as dietary options. Ghost shrimp have versatile diets and readily accept store-bought shrimp pellets or boiled vegetables like zucchini or spinach. They also consume algae, waste, and other debris present in the tank.
- Offer a balanced diet to ensure your shrimp's nutritional needs are met.
Offer small, frequent meals to your ghost shrimp. Feed your shrimp small portions of food twice daily, such as a couple of pea-sized amounts of vegetable matter or shrimp pellets. Monitor their feeding habits closely, observing the transparent bodies that reveal their digestive processes.
- Refer to pellet packaging for recommended feeding amounts.
- Watch your shrimp as they consume their meals, observing the food's journey through their bodies!
Perform a 30% water change weekly. Use a siphon to remove 30% of the tank's water, being cautious not to disturb your shrimp. Replace the extracted water with fresh tap water at the same temperature, ensuring it's free of contaminants and treated if necessary.
- Maintain the tank temperature around 75 °F (24 °C) and regularly remove waste, especially if housing larger fish.
- Prior to adding tap water, test it for purity and treat as needed with a dechlorinator or filtered water.
Choose tank mates carefully, favoring shrimp, snails, or peaceful fish. Ghost shrimp coexist well with other freshwater shrimp, snails, and non-aggressive fish species like Cory catfish. Avoid larger, aggressive fish that may harm the shrimp.
- Avoid introducing predatory fish species like oscars, arowanas, cichlids, and angelfish to the tank.
- If adding shrimp to an existing aquarium, consider introducing at least 20 shrimp to bolster their resilience.
- For those utilizing shrimp as food, establish a separate tank to maintain a sustainable population.
Evaluate the water's pH and chemical levels monthly. Obtain aquarium water test kits from pet stores and perform tests every 3 to 4 weeks. Ensure pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels fall within optimal ranges.
- Maintain neutral pH levels between 6.0 and 8.5. If pH deviates, use aquarium tank amendments following product instructions.
- If ammonia or nitrite levels exceed 0 ppm, execute a 30% water change, eliminate visible waste, and consider applying ammonia neutralizing drops. Introducing gravel from a healthy aquarium can also aid by introducing beneficial bacteria.
Pointers
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Ghost shrimp reproduce quickly and are simple to breed. To encourage breeding, acquire at least 20 ghost shrimp, ensuring a balanced mix of males and females. Provide ample plants and cover for egg and baby shrimp protection.
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Under optimal conditions, ghost shrimp can live for a year or more.
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Utilize darker substrate to enhance shrimp visibility within the tank.
The insights provided here reflect the firsthand experiences of Mytour readers like yourself. If you have valuable advice to share on Mytour, kindly submit it below.
- Explore Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for cost-effective deals on pre-owned tanks before opting for new ones. Often, complete setups are available for rehoming. Ensure thorough cleaning before introducing your shrimp.
- Consider maintaining a spare 10-gallon tank for emergencies. This provides a safe quarantine space for shrimp in case issues arise in the main colony tank.
- Introduce Java moss into the tank to supplement shrimp nutrition. Shrimp will graze on microscopic food particles, algae, and tiny organisms residing on the moss, in addition to enhancing the tank's aesthetics.
- Maintain a shrimp first aid kit stocked with Epsom bath salts, water minerals, antifungal treatments, ammonia reducers, pH adjusters, and other essential supplies for emergencies.
- Create shelters using cut-up drinking straws or PVC pipes if the tank lacks hiding spots. Shrimp feel more secure with enclosed spaces to retreat into during times of stress.
Cautions
- Ensure tank water level is appropriate and use a lid to prevent ghost shrimp from escaping.
- If keeping shrimp as pets, purchase from reputable sources. Shrimp intended for feeding may not be well-kept and may have shorter lifespans.
- After handling the tank or feeding shrimp, wash your hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water.
