# Ghost Shrimp



## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I've read somewhere that these guys turn pink when they die. So far, I've cleaned them out when that happens. Yesterday, I left it in for a bit and found out it was actually molting! I feel really bad about the ones I may have killed on accident thinking they were already dead.

How can you tell the difference between dead and molting? I don't want to leave corpses in there making ammonia spikes, but I certainly don't want to kill my little shrimp because I can't tell the difference!


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## plumdogg (Feb 9, 2015)

*From what I have read*

If they molt you will be able to see their discarded shells on the bottom of the tank... Hate to say but they do not have a long life 1 to 2 days maybe a year.


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## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

The shed carapace doesn't have all the shrimp bits in it. It can be a little confusing, but there's really not much to the carapace itself, because it's just a thin shell. The actual shrimp has meat to it. And can move.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I can tell the discarded carapace, but while it was molting, the shrimp was no longer clear, just looked like a cooked shrimp meat. The other shrimp appeared to be eating it, too. The next day, there was its carapace, and it was eating in the corner.


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## asun882 (Jan 7, 2015)

*Ghost shrimp*

Just curious, is a 1.5 gallon too small for one ghost shrimp? I have a heavily planted tank, and the algae is becoming a huge issue. Especially the kind that grows in threads, they look like hair. I read that ghost shrimp much on these?


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm sure the shrimp would love to eat that, but I don't know how much space they need. I have 4 in my 10 gallon, and they seem to be doing fine. I've been told that doing more than a 25% water change can make them die since they're more sensitive to changes in water parameters. Maybe an expert can chime in -- my own opinion is that the 1.5 would be too small since it usually needs bigger water changes.


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## asun882 (Jan 7, 2015)

My tank is stabilized, and the ammonia level has been extremely low for a while now. Even when I do change the water (not very often) I never change more than half. I was just thinking about just getting one. Otherwise I see no other option in keep the tank algae free. I can't add algae killer either cause I have a Marimo moss ball in the tank. Phosphate and nitrate levels are also constant. It's been over two months since I've done any water changes. And everything has been fine.


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## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

asun882 said:


> Just curious, is a 1.5 gallon too small for one ghost shrimp? I have a heavily planted tank, and the algae is becoming a huge issue. Especially the kind that grows in threads, they look like hair. I read that ghost shrimp much on these?


Ghost shrimp don't usually eat Algae. Amanos are the shrimp that eat algae in any significant amounts.

You can probably get about 3 Amanos in a 1.5 gal tank.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Thanks!


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## asun882 (Jan 7, 2015)

*Amano Shrimp*

Amano shrimp are not available in my locale in petsmart or petco. And there are no specialty aquarium shops either. I'm wary of ordering them online due to the weather. It's currently -21C here.


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## fishkeeping (Jan 31, 2015)

If you buy from a good place, they'll come in a styrofoam box with a heat pack.


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## asun882 (Jan 7, 2015)

*Amano shrimp*



fishkeeping said:


> If you buy from a good place, they'll come in a styrofoam box with a heat pack.


I saw vendors do offer this option, but really wasn't looking to spend 24.99 or higher for one shrimp that may or may not survive. It is my first time with shrimp. Many vendors only guarantee safe arrival and do not cover anything else that may happen to it afterwards.


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## plumdogg (Feb 9, 2015)

I just bought 24 1 hour ago for my *Planted ca cichlid tank I got 2 left.*


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## asun882 (Jan 7, 2015)

*Amano*



kman said:


> Ghost shrimp don't usually eat Algae. Amanos are the shrimp that eat algae in any significant amounts.
> 
> You can probably get about 3 Amanos in a 1.5 gal tank.


You really think I could have 3 amano shrimp in a 1.5 gallon with a betta and not put to much stress on the tanks bio load?

So by luck the petco at my locale had "japanese algae shrimp" which are really amano shrimp. I got one. I was afraid to buy any more than that because I wasn't sure if by betta would make a meal of it. So I got it thursday, and its now been more than 24hrs. I acclimatized the shrimp by leaving it in the bag for 2 hrs, it seemed to be pretty happy munching on algae yesterday. This evening it seemed very lethargic, it has been hiding in a clump of leaves and not really eating or being active. I'm positive its alive though. Its my first time raising shrimp so I'm not really sure what is normal behavior for amanos. . The betta doesn't bother it, even when its swimming around.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Hopefully, it's just molting. I'm assuming that type of shrimp molts like ghost shrimp.


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## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

asun882 said:


> You really think I could have 3 amano shrimp in a 1.5 gallon with a betta and not put to much stress on the tanks bio load?


Your earlier question, just asked about 3 amanos in a 1.5. I didn't see you mention there was a betta in there as well.

So first, I would recommend a bigger tank just on behalf of the betta. You should really consider 2.5 gals a minimum. 3 shrimp and a betta in 2.5 gals is no problem at all.

That said, do what you're gonna do. 

As for the Amanos, however, shrimp have nearly zero bio-load. You can have as many as you can comfortably fit in there, physically, as long as it doesn't_ look_ overly crowded, and there is enough food.


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## ZZD (Jan 13, 2013)

I have up to 50 ghost shrimp of various age/size in my 30 gallon at any given time. They are breeding like mad since I decided to let the tank head towards blackwater since it was getting too much for all involved to try to get the water clear with the giant piece of driftwood in there. It can be hard to tell when they are molting or dying. If you have a betta or other ghost shrimp in the tank you can leave them in. My crew (a betta, 5 Panda Garras, and however many Ghost Shrimp there are) clean up molted shells and dead bodies within an hour. The shells give the shrimp back more calcium and the betta are carnivorous so its a nice treat. I did once try to take out a dead shrimp and my betta darted over and took it from me and hid it so he could finish eating it!

I have noticed most of the Ghost shrimp turn whiteish when they are nearing molting stage, but it is hard to keep track with as many shrimp as I now have. (I only started with like 10)


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Thanks! I have a 10 gallon. I had 4 ghost shrimp in there. When the last two died, they were so well hidden that they turned into gunk that messed up the water a bit. I'm guessing there was an ammonia spike from one dead one that weakened the other. Mr. Fish didn't look like he ate much of them. They were almost as big as he is. I was thinking of getting some new ones in there -- maybe I'll get more than 4 this time!


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