adadkins1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Submitted By: adadkins1
Common Names: Ghost Shrimp, Ghosties, Glass Shrimp, Grass Shrimp
Scientific Name: Palaemonetes paludosus
Category: Shrimp
Family: Palaemonidae
Origin: SE United States, Texas, California
Maximum Size: 1.5 inches
Ecosystem: Lakes and other slow moving bodies of water
Salinity: Freshwater to slightly brackish
Temperment: Peaceful, but may be aggressive to others of its species
Diet: Scavenger
Temperature: 65*F - 82*F
pH: 6.5 - 8.0
Hardness: 3 - 10
Sexing: Difficult, but females are usually larger then the males.
Lifespan: 1 year
Stocking: Allow about 1 gallon of water per shrimp.
Strata: Bottom
Tankmates: Small livebearers, small tetras, small danios; basically any fish that is not overly aggressive and cannot eat the shrimp.
Acclimation: Ghost shrimp may be acclimated using the float the bag and add water method. However, many people highly recommend drip acclimation for inverts such as ghost shrimp. To drip acclimate:
Use a clean container designated for aquarium use only. Open the bag and empty the original water and the shrimp. Then start a siphon using airline tubing or a drip acclimation kit that will slowly drip water from the aquarium into the container. If you are using airline tubing, a simple over hand knot can be tied in the tubing and tightened to decrease flow or loosened to increase flow. Let the siphon run for about an hour or so, this allows the shrimp to slowly get used to the chemical properties of your water. Finally release the shrimp into your aquarium.
Care: Ghost shrimp are extremely easy to care for once established in your aquarium. You may have a few Ghost Shrimp die withing the first week or two, but after that they are pretty hardy. They do not require any special attention. They are essentially the janitors of aquaria, constantly probing the substrate for food particles. The main concern is offering plenty of hiding spots for when they moult. The shrimp will do this every couple of weeks to a month, and for the first hours after moulting they are very vulnerable to attacks from interested fish. Plants are often suggested, along with terra cotta pots turned on their side to give them a safe haven.
Feeding: Ghost Shrimp will feed on any food that may have gotten past your fish. Since they are great scavengers, you really don't have to do anything special to feed them. They do appreciate an occasional algae wafer, blood worms, etc. as a treat.
Breeding: Breeding theses shrimp is easy, raising the larvae is the hard part. You will likely see your shrimp carrying eggs for a month or so, but unless they are in a species only tank the babies will just hatch and then be lunch. The mother may be moved to an empty container to drop her eggs, but the young are tiny and free floating for the first week. This is why raising them is so hard. Unlike other shrimp whose eggs hatch as miniature replicas of the adult form, Ghost Shrimp go through a larval stage. During this time they are feeding on whatever they float into since they have under-developed and useless legs. The best food for the larval stage is a culture of infusoria. Once they get past the larvae stage, they are just like a regular Ghost Shrimp that can be fed small pieces of fish food until they are mature.
Comments: I have about 10 Ghosties in my 10 gallon tank, and they do a great job cleaning up the substrate. They are fairly entertaining to watch; two shrimp may find the same piece of food and "fight" over who gets it. They make a great addition to any aquarium large or small, as long as they are not housed with a fish that will see them as lunch.
WARNING: Do ensure that you remove Ghost Shrimp from an aquarium before you use copper-based medications. These are fatal to Ghosties in even small quantities.
Sources:
Aquatic Community
Live Aquaria.com
Common Names: Ghost Shrimp, Ghosties, Glass Shrimp, Grass Shrimp
Scientific Name: Palaemonetes paludosus
Category: Shrimp
Family: Palaemonidae
Origin: SE United States, Texas, California
Maximum Size: 1.5 inches
Ecosystem: Lakes and other slow moving bodies of water
Salinity: Freshwater to slightly brackish
Temperment: Peaceful, but may be aggressive to others of its species
Diet: Scavenger
Temperature: 65*F - 82*F
pH: 6.5 - 8.0
Hardness: 3 - 10
Sexing: Difficult, but females are usually larger then the males.
Lifespan: 1 year
Stocking: Allow about 1 gallon of water per shrimp.
Strata: Bottom
Tankmates: Small livebearers, small tetras, small danios; basically any fish that is not overly aggressive and cannot eat the shrimp.
Acclimation: Ghost shrimp may be acclimated using the float the bag and add water method. However, many people highly recommend drip acclimation for inverts such as ghost shrimp. To drip acclimate:
Use a clean container designated for aquarium use only. Open the bag and empty the original water and the shrimp. Then start a siphon using airline tubing or a drip acclimation kit that will slowly drip water from the aquarium into the container. If you are using airline tubing, a simple over hand knot can be tied in the tubing and tightened to decrease flow or loosened to increase flow. Let the siphon run for about an hour or so, this allows the shrimp to slowly get used to the chemical properties of your water. Finally release the shrimp into your aquarium.
Care: Ghost shrimp are extremely easy to care for once established in your aquarium. You may have a few Ghost Shrimp die withing the first week or two, but after that they are pretty hardy. They do not require any special attention. They are essentially the janitors of aquaria, constantly probing the substrate for food particles. The main concern is offering plenty of hiding spots for when they moult. The shrimp will do this every couple of weeks to a month, and for the first hours after moulting they are very vulnerable to attacks from interested fish. Plants are often suggested, along with terra cotta pots turned on their side to give them a safe haven.
Feeding: Ghost Shrimp will feed on any food that may have gotten past your fish. Since they are great scavengers, you really don't have to do anything special to feed them. They do appreciate an occasional algae wafer, blood worms, etc. as a treat.
Breeding: Breeding theses shrimp is easy, raising the larvae is the hard part. You will likely see your shrimp carrying eggs for a month or so, but unless they are in a species only tank the babies will just hatch and then be lunch. The mother may be moved to an empty container to drop her eggs, but the young are tiny and free floating for the first week. This is why raising them is so hard. Unlike other shrimp whose eggs hatch as miniature replicas of the adult form, Ghost Shrimp go through a larval stage. During this time they are feeding on whatever they float into since they have under-developed and useless legs. The best food for the larval stage is a culture of infusoria. Once they get past the larvae stage, they are just like a regular Ghost Shrimp that can be fed small pieces of fish food until they are mature.
Comments: I have about 10 Ghosties in my 10 gallon tank, and they do a great job cleaning up the substrate. They are fairly entertaining to watch; two shrimp may find the same piece of food and "fight" over who gets it. They make a great addition to any aquarium large or small, as long as they are not housed with a fish that will see them as lunch.
WARNING: Do ensure that you remove Ghost Shrimp from an aquarium before you use copper-based medications. These are fatal to Ghosties in even small quantities.
Sources:
Aquatic Community
Live Aquaria.com
