Shrimp aquarium pets have become one of the favourite pets among aquarium enthusiasts due to their unique appearance and interesting behaviour. The following is a detailed introduction to shrimp aquarium pets:
I. Common shrimp aquarium pet species
- Crystal Shrimp
- ** appearance characteristics **: crystal shrimp body crystal clear, bright and diverse colours, red, white, blue, black and so on. They look very cute with their slender tentacles and bright eyes. Crystal shrimps are small in size, usually around 2 – 3 cm in length.
- Keeping requirements:
- High water quality requirements: crystal shrimp is very strict on the water quality requirements, need to keep the water clean and stable. Suitable water temperature is between 22 – 26℃, acidity (pH) between 6.0 – 7.5, hardness (GH) between 4 – 8.
- Food Requirements: Crystal Shrimp are omnivores and can consume algae, microorganisms, specialised shrimp food etc. In order to keep them healthy and brightly coloured, they need to be provided with a rich and varied diet.
- Breeding Environment: A quiet and stable breeding environment is needed to avoid excessive disturbance. You can place some water plants, sunken wood, etc. in the tank to provide hiding places and activity space for crystal shrimps.
- Black Shelled Shrimp
- Appearance Characteristics: Black Shell Shrimp has a translucent body and is usually black or dark brown in colour. They are small in size, usually around 2 – 3 cm in length. Black Shell Shrimps have shorter tentacles and smaller eyes, making them more plain looking.
- Feeding requirements:
- Adaptable: Black Shell Shrimp is adaptable to water quality and can survive in different water conditions. Suitable water temperature is between 10 – 30℃, acidity (pH value) is between 6.0 – 8.0, hardness (GH value) is between 4 – 16.
- Wide range of food sources: Black Shell Shrimp feeds mainly on algae, humus, and food scraps, making them an excellent cleaning tool shrimp. They can help to clean up algae and debris in the aquarium and keep the water clean.
- Breeding Environment: Black Shell Shrimp does not require much breeding environment and can be kept in various types of aquariums. However, in order to let them survive and reproduce better, you can place some water plants and stones in the fish tank to provide them with hiding places and activity space.
- Sakura Shrimp
- Appearance Characteristics: Sakura Shrimp has a pink body with bright colours, as beautiful as cherry blossoms in full bloom. They are small in size, usually around 2 – 3 cm in length. The Sakura Shrimp looks very cute with its long slender tentacles and bright eyes.
- Handling Requirements:
- Moderate water quality requirements: Sakura shrimps have relatively high water quality requirements, but are a bit more lenient than crystal shrimps. Suitable water temperature is between 20 – 26℃, acidity (pH value) between 6.0 – 8.0, hardness (GH value) between 4 – 12.
- Food Requirements: Sakura shrimps are omnivorous and can consume algae, microorganisms and specialised shrimp food. In order to keep them healthy and brightly coloured, a wide variety of food needs to be provided.
- Breeding Environment: Cherry Blossom Shrimp need a quiet and stable breeding environment to avoid excessive disturbance. You can place some water plants and sunken wood in the fish tank to provide hiding places and activity space for cherry shrimps. At the same time, cherry blossom shrimp can coexist peacefully with some small ornamental fish, but avoid mixing with ferocious fish.
**Two, shrimp aquarium pet breeding points **
- ** fish tank selection **
- Size: Choose the right size of aquarium according to the species and number of shrimps to be kept. Generally speaking, each shrimp needs about 1 – 2 litres of water capacity. If you are keeping a large number of shrimps, you can choose a larger tank.
- Material: The material of the fish tank can choose glass or acrylic. Glass aquariums are highly transparent and not easy to scratch, but they are heavy and easy to break. Acrylic fish tank lightweight, not easy to break, but easy to scratch, transparency is not as good as glass fish tank.
- Filter system: Shrimp have high requirements for water quality, so they need a good filter system to keep the water clean. You can choose a filter suitable for the size of the fish tank, such as waterfall filters and external filters. At the same time, you can also place some biochemical filter materials in the fish tank, such as ceramic rings and bacterial houses, in order to cultivate beneficial bacteria and decompose harmful substances in the water.
- Water quality management.
- Water Temperature Control: Different shrimp species have different requirements for water temperature, which need to be adjusted according to the specific species. Generally speaking, the suitable water temperature for shrimps is between 20 – 28℃. Heating rods can be used to keep the water temperature stable, to avoid excessive fluctuations in water temperature on the shrimp caused harm.
- Acid and alkalinity adjustment: Shrimp also have certain requirements for acidity and alkalinity (pH value). Generally speaking, the appropriate pH value for shrimps is between 6.0 – 8.0. You can use a pH tester to check the water’s acidity and alkalinity, and adjust the pH value by adding the appropriate regulator.
- Hardness control: Water hardness also affects the survival of shrimp. Generally speaking, the appropriate hardness (GH value) for shrimps is between 4 – 12. A hardness tester can be used to test the hardness of the water and adjust the hardness by adding a water softener or hard water conditioner.
- Frequency of Water Changes: Regular water changes are important to keep the water clean. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to change the water about 1/4 – 1/3 per week. When changing water, be careful to use treated water and avoid using tap water directly, as tap water contains chlorine and other disinfectants that can harm shrimp.
- Feed selection
- Species: Shrimps are omnivores and can consume algae, microorganisms, specialised shrimp food etc. You can choose the right feed according to the species and taste of the shrimp. Generally speaking, specialised shrimp food is a more convenient choice, but some algae and micro-organisms can also be added appropriately to enrich the shrimp’s food source.
- Feeding quantity: Shrimps are small eaters and need to control the feeding quantity to avoid deterioration of water quality due to overfeeding. In general, feed 1 – 2 times a day, each feeding amount to shrimp in 5 – 10 minutes to eat.
- Feeding Methods: You can spread the feed evenly in the tank and let the shrimp forage on their own. You can also use a feeder and place the feed in the feeder to avoid the feed being washed away by the water flow. At the same time, pay attention to observe the feeding situation of the shrimps, and if you find any remaining feed, clean it up in time to avoid polluting the water quality.
- Farming environment arrangement
- Water plants planting: planting some water plants in the fish tank can provide hiding places and food sources for shrimps, and at the same time can also beautify the fish tank environment. You can choose some water plants that are suitable for shrimps to survive, such as Moss water grass, water ficus, centipede grass and so on.
- Stone and Sunken Wood Placement: You can place some stones and sunken wood in the aquarium to provide hiding places and activity space for shrimps. Stones and sunken wood can also regulate the water quality and make it more stable.
- Shelter Setting: You can set up some shelters in the aquarium to provide safe hiding places for the shrimps. Hiding house can choose ceramic or plastic material, avoid the use of metal material, so as not to cause harm to the shrimp.
**Three, shrimp aquarium pets charm and value **
- Ornamental value: Shrimp aquarium pets with their unique shape and bright colours, for people to bring visual enjoyment. They swim freely in the aquarium, showing an elegant posture that is pleasing to the eye.
- Cleaning effect: Some shrimp species, such as black shell shrimp, are very good cleaning tool shrimp. They can help clean the algae and debris in the aquarium, keeping the water clean and reducing the frequency of water changes.
- Educational significance: Keeping shrimp aquarium pets can help people understand the ecological habits and living environment of aquatic organisms, and enhance their knowledge of nature and awareness of protection. At the same time, it can also cultivate people’s sense of responsibility and patience, so that people can learn to take care of small animals.
- Social interaction: Shrimp aquarium pet lovers can participate in shrimp exhibitions, exchanges, etc., to make friends with like-minded people and share breeding experience and insights. This can not only enrich people’s social life, but also promote the dissemination and development of shrimp aquarium pet culture.
In short, shrimp aquarium pets are a very interesting and valuable pets. They have become one of the favourite pets of aquarium hobbyists with their unique appearance, interesting behaviour and cleaning role. If you are also interested in shrimp aquarium pets, why not choose a shrimp species that suits you and start your breeding journey?
