Care guide
Shrimp care guide
Shrimp are hardy once settled but hate sudden change. Get the parameters stable and a colony will breed for you for years.
Tank & water
Shrimp need a cycled, mature tank — ideally one that has been running for at least a month with some algae and biofilm to graze on.
- 10 litres minimum, 20+ litres for a stable colony
- Temperature 20–24°C, no heater needed in most UK homes
- pH 6.5–7.5, GH 4–8 for cherries
- Never use copper-based treatments — copper kills shrimp
Feeding
Most of a shrimp's diet is biofilm and algae. Feed lightly two or three times a week and remove anything uneaten after a couple of hours.
- Shrimp-specific pellets or blanched spinach and courgette
- Add a piece of cholla wood or an Indian almond leaf for constant grazing
- Overfeeding is the fastest route to a crash
Moulting
Shrimp shed their shell as they grow. You will see a clear empty shell in the tank — that is normal, leave it in so the minerals are recycled.
- Keep GH stable so they can build a new shell
- A failed moult (the white ring of death) usually means unstable parameters
- Never do large sudden water changes — 10–15% weekly is plenty
Tank mates
Anything big enough to fit a shrimp in its mouth eventually will. Keep them alone or with very peaceful species.
- Safe: snails, otocinclus, small rasboras
- Risky: bettas (fine with adults, will eat shrimplets)
- Never: puffers, cichlids, angelfish
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