Adding shrimp to an aquarium is a common addition for many hobby aquarists. The good thing is keeping shrimp is easier than one would think. Amongst the various types of shrimp, they are universally adaptable, prolific and hardy. Especially for beginners, shrimp are a great way to add some additional life to your tank. The many colour and type variations make them a common choice for aquarists. They come in color variations ranging from black, blue, green and red. Generally it is advised that uniformity is kept when a type and colour is chosen, as their offspring will usually turn a clear or brown colour, if mixed types are kept. The breed readily, so keep this in mind!

Aquarium shrimp are easily taken care of and with their bright colours, make a great addition to any tank. Additionally, it is good to keep in mind that shrimp do especially well in groups! They are social animals and like company.

When buying aquarium shrimp it is often good to keep their numbers high in your freshwater aquarium. Around 8-10 shrimp will ensure that they remain social, and will prevent them from finding hiding places. When they are strong in numbers, you will find them grazing in the open, letting their bright colours liven your aquatic community tank.

Often times new owners will be conservative and purchase small amounts of aquarium shrimp, with incompatible fish. These tank conditions are not ideal, and leads to frustration for the owner as well as the tank inhabitants. Some aquarists will recommend a shrimp only aquarium without other fish for this reason.

The great thing about aquarium shrimp is that they also have a far lower level of metabolic waste, making in easier for a beginner to maintain water conditions. This also means that they can be more easily be kept in smaller tanks. Shrimp are also recommended in tanks with dense live plants for this reason.

Keeping in mind that the larger the your tank is, the easier it is to maintain, shrimp do make a great addition to smaller aquariums. The small size of the tank will magnify the metabolic waste and the eco-system becomes more difficult to maintain. A great rule of thumb to go by is around 12-15 shrimp per 20 litres of water.

Some popular varieties of freshwater shrimp are Red Cherry Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp, Bamboo Shrimp, Amano Shrimp and Bee Shrimp.

Aquarium shrimp are all equally beautiful within their own colour and size differences. Freshwater shrimp are also a great option for your tank as algae eaters. They also act as general scavengers and are also compatible with smaller tanks and with a bit of care, even nano sizes! Planted biotopes look especially great with the addition of a nice light and some colourful shrimp to round it off.

It's important to keep in mind, that the water conditions and water requirements for species of shrimp vary. So make sure you do your research, or give us a call and we'd be happy to advise you. A general rule of thumb is that nitrates should be below 10 ppm and and nitrites and ammonia should be undetectable.

Freshwater shrimps are a beautiful and very practical way spice up the look of your tank. Whether you would like them to add to you freshwater fish, manage your algae, or to complement a planted aquarium, they will make a great addition. When kept in appropriate number they are quite social animals and are always busy harvesting algae or alternative food sources. Freshwater shrimps are best kept within specific water parameters and it is important to remember they are not compatible with larger fish. If you have non aggressive fish which are non predatory, certain species of shrimp should be avoided.