Aquarium shrimp are a great addition to any fish tank and can offer a lot of entertainment for you and your other occupants. They are fairly easy to care for and they will basically look after themselves in most conditions. They are also very colorful and can add a lot to the aesthetics of your tank.
In general, freshwater aquarium shrimps are omnivorous and will eat almost anything that comes their way. They are scavengers by nature and thrive in large busy tanks where they can find plenty of food sources. They can also be fed standard flake foods and algae pellets which will give them the added nutritional boost they need.
Shrimp-tastic Additions: A Guide to Keeping Shrimp in Your Aquarium
Depending on the species, some shrimp can breed quite easily in the aquarium. In order to do this, you will need a very clean and well established tank with plenty of live rock for the shrimps to hide and dig into. Females will start to develop what is known as a saddle on their back near the underside of their abdomen when they are ready to breed. This is shaped like the saddle on a horse and will turn yellow as they are preparing to lay eggs.
Large or aggressive fish are generally not suitable tankmates for aquarium shrimp. They may bully or harass the shrimps, or even eat them. Shrimps are more suited for tanks with small, peaceful fish such as Guppies, Ember Tetras, Sparkling Gouramis or Pygmy Corydoras.
