name/ID of shrimp

[tomherndon]

My LFS sells small shrimp as algae eating shrimp and just wonder if it's the same 'ghost shrimp' just labeled to a purpose rather than the common name. They are clear and just short of an inch long.

I want to breed some for the fun of it in a five gallon with a sponge filter, Java fern and a plastic plant or two. I'll send more questions about that once I get a confirmation about my name suspicions.

 

[fort384]

Sounds like ghost shrimp to me, unless they are juvenile amano's? How much are they charging for them? Should be less than $0.50 a piece if they are ghost shrimp...

 

[bs6749]

If they are actually algae eating shrimp and are transparent, then they are undoubtedly japonica shrimp AKA Amano shrimp. Ghost shrimp are not algae eaters as can be seen from their large claws. They are scavengers and detritus feeders.

Amanos can be found for as little as $2 each or more likely in the LFS you are going to see them go for $4-5 each. Either way, breeding of them is difficult. The fry REQUIRE BRACKISH WATER in order to survive. It won't be uncommon for you to see berried females (females with eggs) but you won't ever have any babies unless you remove the females to a tank with some salt in it. These are one of the more difficult shrimp to breed and I don't recommend starting out with them. Easier species to breed include thsoe of the genus Neocaridina such as red cherry shrimp and yellow shrimp (same species but different color variations), snowball shrimp and blue pearl shrimp (once again same species but different color variety), and some of the Caridina sp. such as tiger shrimp and CRS/CBS. I'd start with something from the Neocaridina sp. if you are looking for extremely easy to breed shrimp. All of those that I listed are decent algae eaters as well.