Varieties of aquarium shrimp. Types of shrimp: description and photo

Most of the freshwater shrimp kept in our aquariums come from Asia. Their length, as a rule, does not exceed 6-8 cm. Almost all of them are omnivores, but prefer lower aquatic vegetation. Shrimp are generally quite hardy creatures. Shrimp are interesting mainly during the day when they are active image life, quickly moving along the bottom in search of food and crawling along the leaves of plants. In a moment of danger, they make jerky swimming movements in the water column using contractions of the tail fan.

Shrimp molt regularly. Throwing off the chitinous shell. During molting (two to three days before molting and one or two after), they do not feed. Having freed themselves from the old shell, the shrimp take refuge in thickets of plants, under stones or in other shelters. After molting, the shrimp's integument is soft, and for some time, until the shell becomes hard, the animals are defenseless. After molting, shrimp recover damaged and lost limbs. In young individuals this happens faster, in adults it happens gradually.

Shrimp are peaceful. They do not attack their own kind or other inhabitants of the aquarium.
Although, when kept with fish, they themselves can become quite tasty food.

All types of aquarium shrimp are not picky about their living conditions. With the exception of some, for example, Sulawesi shrimp.
An aquarium of 10 liters or more is suitable for successful maintenance. In which you can place 10-15 shrimp. But you need to remember that sooner or later they will multiply and choosing a fry will not be so easy. Therefore, we advise you to start immediately with large aquarium volumes.

Aquarium shrimp Looks better on black soil. Although this is a matter of taste.
Amazingly, they live in temperatures ranging from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius. So, if the temperature in your apartment does not drop below 17 degrees, you can safely keep a shrimp tank without heating means. Although the ideal temperature for them would be 24-25 C.

Thus, you can save on heating, but aeration will not do this. It is imperative to install aeration in the shrimp tank. Krill, unlike fish, is very sensitive to oxygen saturation in water.

Very good for shrimp the presence of living plants is important in their habitat - an aquarium. It would be ideal to plant Java moss. Shrimp need it for hiding and cleaning. Of course, any plants will do for a start, even hornwort and pistia.

Water filtration for shrimp. Must be placed on the internal filter nylon stocking, there must be a pre-filter on the intake tube of the external filter, otherwise the shrimp will be sucked in.

Lighting for shrimp not really necessary, except to see the food :). But the plants that will be in the shrimp tank simply need it.

And now the unpleasant moment when keeping shrimp.

Aquarium shrimp are very sensitive to the chemical composition of water. The water that is replaced must be clean and well settled. You also need to keep an eye on environment, the use of various kinds of sprays and fresheners in the room where there is an aquarium with shrimp is unacceptable; surface gas exchange has not yet been canceled. Be very careful when changing water and ventilate the room. In addition, shrimp do not tolerate high concentrations of nitrogen compounds in the aquarium.

Nutrition of aquarium shrimp

Everyone eats shrimp! In the literal sense of the word. They are constantly searching for food. They clean up dead parts of plants, the corpses of other residents (if there are any) and the smallest particles of everything that can be eaten. These arthropods need to be fed, or rather fed, no more than once every two days. However, it is not advisable to feed them on the day when the water is changed. Hungry shrimp are better able to withstand stress or other unwanted changes.

You can feed them with any food, from dry daphnia to live and concentrated and balanced branded food.

You can feed them with Tetra shrimp food. The food should be balanced and varied. Try to alternate feeds.

Shrimp tank maintenance.

Maintaining a shrimp tank is not particularly different from maintaining an aquarium with fish.
Water changes should be done once a week ~ 1/3 of the total volume. It is advisable to do a light siphon of soil every few months. Remove dead plant parts and shells from the coils. We emphasize! Everything must be done very carefully. Shrimp much fewer fish and it is possible to inadvertently injure or even kill them. But in general there is nothing complicated or unusual.

Breeding aquarium shrimp.

There is no need to help shrimp in breeding! They do everything well themselves.
If the conditions are favorable and your shrimp are good, then the offspring will not be long in coming.
During the period when the female is ready to reproduce, she releases pheromones into the water. All males begin to frantically chase around the aquarium and look for a female. Mating lasts no more than a second. Although the process of searching for a female usually lasts for hours. Soon after mating, the female develops a so-called saddle on her back. Cherry shrimp are yellow, special shrimp are drunken gray. This is caviar at a certain stage. Subsequently, the female molts and the eggs move under the abdomen, and after 3-4 weeks the fry will appear.
Juveniles do not need special care. He immediately eats what his parents eat. It hides in the thickets and swims jerkily. The above applies only to shrimp: neocardina cherry and neocardina special. There are complex types of shrimp that a beginner will not be able to breed, because... they need a special approach and a lot of knowledge and experience, for example, Amano shrimp, filter feeders.

Whomever you see in the aquarium of friends and acquaintances. But it’s already difficult to surprise with exotic fish and snails, but a shrimp in an aquarium is already interesting. Many will say that there is nothing like that, we feed the fish with thawed shrimp every day, but we are talking about the most living crustaceans.

Common shrimp

Variety of shrimp

Using shrimp, you can build a real tropical water corner in your apartment. A stunning variety of colors and types, ease of care, easy reproduction, and just unusualness is a good reason to think about it.

Shrimp characteristics:

• Size – from 2 to 5 cm, yes rare species up to 15 cm;
• Life expectancy is up to 2 years, but more often no more than a year;
• Color – cherry, blue, yellow, green, transparent.

Cardinal

There are also cardinal, red crystal, and harlequin shrimp.

Aquarium

An aquarium that contains shrimp is called a shrimp tank. It is no different from the usual one, inhabited by fish; it was named that way simply to stand out.

The volume of the shrimp tank should be within 80 liters (minimum 40). If it is less, then it is difficult to maintain biobalance, since sudden changes in parameters will negatively affect the health of the shrimp, and in larger quantities they will simply get lost in the thickets, as in the photo below.

Shrimp are good at hiding

It is not recommended to keep shrimp together in an aquarium with fish, as they can easily become food, but this only applies to large and aggressive fish, like or. They get along well with small guppies and harmless shrimps; moreover, at night they can even bite the veiled tails on their huge fins, but this is more of a game than a threat.

Required water parameters:

• Temperature is 18-27 degrees, but the warmer the water, the less oxygen it contains;
• Hardness – 1.5-2;
• pH – 6 -7;
• The water is fresh.

Shrimp are very sensitive to sudden changes and changes, keep the microclimate constant, or changes no more than 30% per day. A temperature jump of just 7 degrees will kill them.

The aquarium must be equipped with a fine bubble aerator and a safe filter, since baby shrimp are very small in size and can simply be sucked into the filter system.

Small shrimp in a spoon

The aerator should work around the clock, especially at night, when aquatic plants do not produce oxygen. Their body consumes more oxygen than any other aquarium inhabitants.

The bottom must be covered with a thin layer of gravel, as in streams, and there must also be shelters - decorative elements, floating and ground plants, driftwood and the like. This gives both a certain charm to the aquarium and hiding places for shrimp, especially if they are adjacent to other fish. But don’t allow there to be narrow cracks; shrimp have a habit of getting stuck, from where they then cannot get out, and die there.

Once a week, change the water to fresh water, but not more than 40%, and at room temperature, as in the aquarium itself.

Buying shrimp

Buying crustaceans is not as easy as it seems. In ordinary pet stores this is a rare product, you will have to place an order and wait, or you can turn to advertisements. Large pet stores usually have them in stock.

Shrimp in a pet store

The price for one individual starts from 100 rubles, and given their extreme fertility, it is rational to buy several pieces and simply wait until they multiply to the required quantity. The price does not differ much depending on the type and color.

When transporting them home, it is better to place them in a container with warm water and a plant placed in it so that the kids can attach to it. Carry the vessel carefully, do not shake it, otherwise you may injure the animals.

After bringing them home, place them in a separate aquarium for observation for a week. There is no guarantee that these shrimp are not from the wild and are free from deadly diseases.

Reproduction

Shrimp reproduction in an aquarium occurs all year round, the main condition is clean water.

It is not difficult to determine the maturity of a female - she releases special pheromones into the water, from which the males begin to frantically rush around the aquarium from corner to corner.

The gestation period is about a month, after which tiny but fully ready babies are born. independent life, shrimp, about 30 pieces. Their parents do not pose a danger, but if there are other fish, the crustaceans will become excellent food for them, so some will have to be removed.

Pregnant shrimp

Be sure to check the filter again; if necessary, change the sponge to a more finely porous one.

There are some types of shrimp that cannot be kept in an aquarium because they have a larval stage that requires salt water. But most species are still viviparous, which is very pleasing.

Feeding

Crustaceans eat absolutely everything. These are the real orderlies of the aquarium, as they spend all their time looking for food, searching the bottom and plants. They eat leftover food after fish, plaque on leaves and stones, even their own shed shell after molting. Pet stores sell food special for shrimp, but to be honest, there is no need to buy it; you can feed it with any fish food of any size. The main thing is that he drowns sooner or later.

You can also feed it with boiled vegetables.

Special food

Both for newborns and for adults, the food is the same, this makes care and maintenance very easy.

You need to feed crustaceans once a week, sometimes having a fasting day. They easily endure a hunger strike, switching to detritus, that is, eating dead parts of plants, deposits on the ground, and simply eating dirt from the filter sponge, thereby easily surviving your vacation or long business trip. The main thing is to leave the aerator and filter on.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

More and more aquarists in Lately wants to keep shrimp: they are interesting to watch, they are unpretentious, and the abundance of colors can be the envy of any fish. The three anterior thoracic segments of shrimp are fused with the head and are securely covered with a protective shell. Characteristic feature The appearance of shrimp are mustaches, jaws and jaws. Thanks to their abdominal legs (pleopods), shrimp swim, and with their help they snatch small pieces of dry food from the water. aquatic plants. On walking legs, shrimp move along the bottom, looking for leftover food. In fact, shrimp only seem clumsy: they quickly get used to the aquarium, it is quite difficult to catch them, but it is very interesting to watch their school life.

Keeping freshwater shrimp in an aquarium

Shrimp can be called universal cleaners; they are non-conflicting and get along well with small and medium-sized fish. peaceful fish. Freshwater shrimp can be kept in special tanks - shrimp tanks, on chemical composition water they react more strongly because they have higher sensitivity than fish.

To keep freshwater shrimp you will need an aquarium with a volume of 50-80 liters. In a small tank it will be more difficult to maintain biobalance, and in a large tank the shrimp will simply get lost among the scenery. If you keep shrimp with fish, the volume of the aquarium should be larger. The aquarium should contain driftwood, plants and other shelters in which pets can hide.

Ideally, no more than one shrimp should be placed per 1-2 liters of aquarium water; their size plays a big role here. Often freshwater shrimp They feel great at a temperature of 20-27 degrees, but it should not rise above 30 degrees. If the water is cool, about 15 degrees, the shrimp's metabolism will slow down, they will stop reproducing, and become inert and lethargic. As for the pH of the water, it can vary from 6.5 to 7.5, if the acidity is lower, it will contribute to the destruction of the shrimp shell. Avoid sudden temperature changes: a 6-7 degree difference is fatal for these individuals. Shrimp also die if the water contains copper. Shrimp are inquisitive creatures, they love to explore various crevices and often cannot get out of them and die, which is why the filter intake pipe in the aquarium must be closed, it is advisable to use internal filters without plastic flasks, and it is not advisable to use a volumetric background. The compressor should be on 24/7 in the aquarium, as crustaceans are sensitive to oxygen levels. Siphon the soil from time to time (its thickness should be 4-5 centimeters).

It is worth remembering that shrimp grow at the moment they shed their cover, at this moment they remain defenseless and will spend some time in shelters (old plastic tubes, stones with large holes, thickets of plants). You shouldn’t throw the old chitinous cover out of the aquarium for a while - some shrimp eat it and grow a new shell faster. Food for shrimp can be different: you can purchase specialized food, you can give aquarium algae and fish food. Feed the shrimp little by little and remove any leftover food. If shrimp live in your pond, you need to change the water more often, since crustaceans eat quite a lot. Be careful before adding to the tank new fish, shrimp or even a plant, withstand quarantine. Plants should be kept in a separate container for at least a day and the water should be changed more often in order to reduce the concentration of harmful chemicals.

Types of freshwater shrimp

Snowflake (Neocaridina white)

One of decorative varieties, it is difficult to confuse it with another, since it has a snow-white color, even the caviar of this crustacean creature is pure white. The snowflake is a relative of the blue pearl shrimp, both species were bred in Germany, so its color is the result of long work by breeders. The saka and the male snowflake can be distinguished by size: the female has bright color, larger, and the carapace on the abdomen is somewhat wider.

Harlequin (Caridina spongicola)

The natural habitat of freshwater shrimp is Indonesia. This is one of the smallest types of shrimp, they are quite shy. It lives and feeds on a freshwater sponge - with its help it eats algae and food particles. Sexual differences in shrimp are weakly expressed, since the color of males and females is the same. The color of the harlequin is variegated, mixed, white, black and red predominate. Harlequin shrimp often hide in shelters and take a long time to adapt to a new environment.

Khanka shrimp (Leander modestus)

The natural habitat of the shrimp is the Amur Estuary ( Far East). Shrimp grow up to 3-5 cm, males are slightly larger than females. In some ways, these arthropods resemble crayfish. Their claws are weak and small, their mustache is long, their beak is convex, their body is transparent - fawn-gray-brown. These shrimp are excellent orderlies, hardy, active, and non-conflicting.

Cardinal

Cardinal - very beautiful view shrimp, the color can vary from rich red to light pink with white dots. Suitable for experienced aquarists only. The shrimp's natural habitat is the island of Sulawesi (Indonesia). In the lake, the cardinal lives among the stones, where he looks for food. The color saturation can vary; sometimes the white dots on the shrimp’s body also have a blue outline. Shrimp have white front legs - with their help, representatives of this species can move quickly.

Red bee

The bee shrimp is a direct relative of the crystal red shrimp, it was first discovered by a breeder from Japan, and has since appeared in many aquariums. The bee shrimp prefers slightly acidic water; it is sensitive to pollution and changes in water parameters. Often the Bee Shrimp (black striped) is crossed with Crystal Red.

Ninja Shrimp

This peculiarly named shrimp can quickly change colors and has mastered the “art of camouflage.” Also called the honey shrimp or Christmas shrimp, this species requires salty water. Its natural habitat is the waters of Asia; let us immediately note that catching it in wildlife very problematic. Color varies depending on its habitat: a shrimp can quickly change its color from red to yellow, from blue to black or brown - this is not difficult for it. They have a high ability to imitate and easily adapt to their environment.

Japanese shrimp (Caridina japonica)

These shrimp belong to the macrobrachium family; in their homeland they prefer to live in streams and rivers with clean water. They grow up to 6-8 centimeters, their characteristic feature are orangeish claws, a black streak on the back with a white border, and on the walking legs there are white socks. The shrimp's body is brownish and translucent. This species is unpretentious, but they get along poorly with sedentary aquarium inhabitants (small ones) and often fight.

Ring shrimp (Macrobrachium assamense)

Its natural habitat is the water bodies of Nepal and Bangladesh. Males are significantly larger than smok shrimps, they grow up to 8 cm, while females only up to 6. Ring-armed shrimp have a rich marbled brown or gray pattern, and there are red-black rings on their claws - hence the name of the species. It is not advisable to keep several males together - they will conflict, and small fish or crustaceans are not suitable as neighbors.

Striped longclaw shrimp (Macrobrachium carcinus)

It lives in the rivers and streams of America, grows up to 35 cm, large specimens often conflict over territory and do not like their relatives, there is a tendency to cannibalism. The abdomen and body are painted with yellow-brown longitudinal stripes, the claws are strong, blue or brown.

Black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

The black shrimp is very beautiful, with bright orange or black eyes (the first type is more valuable). These shrimp are very sensitive to water parameters, bred as a result of long selection, and are not suitable for beginners, since their breeding requires considerable effort.

Amano (Caridina multidentata)

This shrimp is often found in aquariums and owes its name to the breeder Takashi Amano. In their natural environment, shrimp of this species live in Japan, in the south of the country. The color of crustaceans depends on what they eat: it can be reddish or transparent green, often they are almost transparent. Black lines and dots are scattered throughout the body, growing up to 3-6 cm, females are larger.

Thai glass shrimp (Macrobrachium lanchesteri, Glass shrimp)

This species of crustacean lives in the rivers of Asia and stays near the shore. Representatives of this species are very territorial and love to dig holes in the ground. They grow up to 8 centimeters, the color is transparent, there is a black stripe along the back. Males are larger, their claws are more elongated, with hairline, females appear stockier. They live no more than 3 years.

There are several hundred species of freshwater shrimp; we have described only the main ones.

IN home aquarium not only a variety of fish can live, but also crustaceans, such as shrimp. This is quite unusual and the owner of such an aquarium will definitely surprise others. Do not think that this type of shrimp is similar to sea shrimp, this is not true at all. Aquarium crustaceans look much more presentable; they have an unusual body color and also shape. In addition, aquarium crustaceans incredibly resilient inhabitants underwater world. They don't demand special attention and special care. Recently, beginners and experienced aquarists have been purchasing these creatures to diversify the underwater life of their home aquarium.

Habitat and description

In its natural environment, this underwater inhabitant is found in all the world's waters, both salty and fresh. But these crustaceans have species that come from different points peace. For example, the red nose lives in the rivers of Venezuela, the fan lives in Panama, the Amano only in Cora and Japan. Typically, all representatives of this species were bred in Asia.

The aquarium shrimp belongs to the phylum arthropod and the species crustacean. The aquarium crustacean differs from the sea one in that the former has jaws. With the help of them, the individual moves, as well as grabs and holds food. In addition, these individuals have ten legs and a large, powerful tail, which helps them jump away in case of danger.

Thanks to its mustache, the crustacean has an excellent sense of smell and touch. The individual’s eyes rotate in any direction, which helps to see everything around him and when when danger arises have time to run away to a secluded place, and this also helps in searching for food.

The structure of the mouth is quite complex. This crustacean has three jaws, which it uses to grind food. also in oral apparatus includes maxilla which allows you to hold food tightly. To move around the territory, as well as grab food, they have other limbs.

The size of one adult individual directly depends on the sex and variety. On average, the body length ranges from 3 to 8 centimeters.

Living in a home aquarium

This is such a trouble-free creature that the owner of the aquarium will not notice the replenishment. She doesn’t need anything special, everything is the same as for ordinary ones. aquarium fish. But in order for an aquarium pet to always be brightly colored and pleasing to the eye, it is still necessary to fulfill a couple of conditions. There are also decorative types aquarium crustaceans, which are more capricious in terms of care.

The volume of the aquarium does not play a special role for shrimp. They do well in both small and large tanks. To have an approximate idea of ​​the amount of water per individual, we will nevertheless provide a unique formula: one liter of water per shrimp. But here need to be taken into account and the size of the individual. If it is large, then up to 4 liters of water per individual will be required.

The ideal water temperature for keeping shrimp is from 17 to 30 degrees. In principle, most aquarium fish live at this temperature. You can keep the temperature lower, but in this case the shrimp will not be active. It has been proven that temperature fluctuations reduce the life expectancy of aquarium pets.

A prerequisite for caring for an aquarium shrimp is to regularly change some of the water. She must be defended chlorine-free and its temperature should be room temperature.

An even more important criterion for water quality is the absence of copper, which will kill underwater inhabitants. The hardness should be quite high, as this will help pets take the substances they need from the water during molting.

Aeration and filtration of water is of secondary importance. You can do without this altogether, but if it is possible to purify the water and saturate it with oxygen, then that’s great.

If the shrimp are not alone in the aquarium and they have neighbors, for example, fish, then this undersea world must be equipped with places where the pet can hide. For example, these could be living plants or other shelters.

Nutrition and food for aquarium shrimp

The shrimp is an omnivore that loves to eat fish's food and also eat specialized dry food. If this does not happen, then they will find food for themselves. It’s not for nothing that shrimp are called cleaners. They will collect leftover food from the bottom or feast on live plants or algae deposits on the rocks of the aquarium.

If the shrimp have no neighbors, then they need to be given special shrimp food, which can be bought at absolutely any zoological store. But regular fish food is also perfect for them. Many owners of such pets feed them boiled pasta and vegetables.

You should be careful with food, as an overfed shrimp becomes lazy and stops moving, and it also stops cleaning the aquarium. In general, it is recommended to feed them only once a week and this is enough for them to feel and live normally, because specialized dry food contains all the necessary substances for the normal development of the shrimp’s body.

Neighborhood and keeping with other pets

Shrimp are wonderful neighbors! They are very calm, friendly and since they spend most of their lives hiding in hiding, unfortunately big fish can eat them. Simply put, a shrimp cannot bother anyone in an aquarium, but it has plenty of enemies. Therefore, you need to carefully select neighbors for them.

Ideal neighbors would be:

• guppy;
• neons;
• zebrafish

In principle, any small fish that are not able to swallow a shrimp will do. Snails also get along well with small crustaceans. As for cichlids, swordtails and barbs, such neighborly keeping is dangerous!

According to experienced aquarists, in a properly equipped aquarium, in which there are many secluded places, you can keep crustaceans and barbs without fear of consequences.

Reproduction and breeding

It is very possible to breed aquarium shrimp, but only in an aquarium isolated from fish. Otherwise, future offspring will simply become dinner for the fish. It is also recommended to use for breeding, shrimp without larval phase. Because only this type of shrimp has newborn offspring that look like adults and are capable of feeding on dry food. This is incredibly convenient, as it relieves the breeder of many care hassles.

Crustacean diseases, prevention and treatment

Even if all conditions are met, clean water and creation ideal parameters, no one is immune from the fact that pets get fungal diseases. This may seem like a harmless disease, but it can lead to the death of individuals. The fungus simply sucks nutrients from the body and poisons it.

Aquarium shrimp are also susceptible viral diseases which are practically untreatable.

Be that as it may, the sick individual always need to isolate from others. And at the same time, the water in the aquarium must be completely replaced. You can consult a specialist.

Shrimp facts and features

These small inhabitants complement the overall ensemble of the aquarium with their dynamism and unusualness. Owners of such pets need to know a few facts that need to be taken into account.

When you visit your friend, don’t rush to conclusions when you see an aquarium on his nightstand. Fish don't have to live there. Today, fans of exotic creatures keep in aquariums, and... even shrimp. Yes, those same shrimps that are served as an appetizer.

What kind of shrimp can live in an aquarium?

In Nature, there are a large number of species of shrimp, which are conventionally divided into those that can live in salt water and those that can live in fresh water. At the same time, not all freshwater shrimp are suitable for keeping in an aquarium. In fact, many of them are very capricious in terms of content. And they can’t get along with all their neighbors. For example, ancistrus are capable of eating shrimp, so with such a neighborhood you may one day be short of the shrimp population.

Not too much a good option neighborhood of domestic shrimps with wild species. Everyone can die due to the fact that aquarium shrimp have weak immunity and are highly susceptible to those bacteria carried by wild shrimp. So, in terms of the proximity of these pets, be extremely careful. Choosing the wrong neighbor can ruin your shrimp.

Features of keeping shrimp at home

Shrimp tank volume

To keep these creatures, of course, you need an aquarium. But don’t rush to just pour water into it, fill it with soil and start the shrimp. Firstly, the volume of the aquarium must be at least 40 liters, provided that no one else will live there except them. This will give you a shrimp tank. Why can't I get a smaller aquarium? It may be cramped and uncomfortable for kids, and this will affect their well-being.

Aquarium water

It is better to take soft, neutral acidity, purified water. These creatures are very sensitive to impurities in the water, and they can kill them. If you see that

the shrimp behaves sluggishly - think about what kind of water you poured into the aquarium the day before.

You should change the water regularly, at least once a week. Up to 40% of the water is replaced, the rest is topped up with fresh water.

It is better to use special filters to purify water. But make sure that their jets are not directed towards the center of the aquarium, but towards its walls.

Temperature in the aquarium

Shrimp are heat-loving creatures, so you will have to take care to maintain temperature regime in the aquarium in the range of 24-27 degrees above zero. In general, experts call the optimal temperature range for their maintenance to be from 15 to 30 degrees. However, when low temperatures water they behave very passively, metabolic processes slow down in their body, whereas in strongly warm water they may lack oxygen.

Aquarium soil

As a soil, it is better to select variants of pebbles, simulating rocky soil natural environment a habitat.

Do shrimp need algae?

Often aquariums with fish turn into aquatic jungles - there are so many different algae there. However, in the case of shrimp fish, it is better not to get carried away with algae. Moreover, you don’t have to use them at all.

What to feed shrimp

In Nature, these creatures eat mushrooms, simple algae - in a word, detritus. So, there is no need to worry about the sterile cleanliness of the shrimp tank. You can put a few twigs in the water or throw in a couple of leaves, all of which will soon make a delicious shrimp lunch. In addition to detritus, it is fashionable to feed your shrimp dry, granular types of shrimp food. Experts do not recommend feeding them fish food, since it contains a lot of protein, which can disrupt the molting processes of these funny creatures and interfere with the reproduction process.

Feed the shrimp once every few days, and throw in as much food as the shrimp can eat in 20-30 minutes. Just like fish, you should not overfeed them.