Q&A for How to Take Care of Ghost Shrimp

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Can I hold my ghost shrimp in my hands without causing harm?

Community Answer

No, they need to stay in the water, if you take them out and try to hold them, the shock could kill them.

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Question

Can a ghost shrimp be held?

Community Answer

Sorry, but that would not work. Ghost shrimp are like fish when it comes to handling. Keep them in the water at all times.

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Question

Where can I get the sinking pellets?

Community Answer

You can get them at your local Walmart. Petsmart or pet stores specifically dedicated to aquariums should also carry various kinds of sinking pellets.

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Question

How do I clean a fish tank that has ghost shrimp?

Community Answer

You can use a gravel vac. Just pay attention to where the shrimp are and if one starts to get sucked in, plug the other end with your finger to stop the suction. He will swim back out when the suction stops.

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Question

How can I tell if they are carrying eggs?

Community Answer

You will know if a female is carrying eggs just by looking at her stomach. She will appear much rounder, and you will actually be able to see the eggs! Ghost shrimp are not live bearers, so if suddenly she is thin and you see no baby shrimp, it just means she has laid her eggs.

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Question

What do pet shrimp eat?

Community Answer

Pet shrimp can eat a wide selection of things. My ghost shrimp eat plain goldfish flakes and love them. They eat a ton, but keep in mind that if you have a tall tank, you might want to get some sinking pellets.

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Question

Is it okay to have only one ghost shrimp?

Community Answer

Yes, they do just fine on their own.

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Question

My ghost shrimp are in my locker with a bunch of whirligig beetles, in a small bit of algae in a water bottle with a hole in it. Will they live like that?

Community Answer

Not for long, no. The algae won't do much. I suggest you at least get a 5 gallon tank and food.

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Question

Do I need light to care for ghost shrimp?

Community Answer

A light is most certainly not needed for shrimp, but is recommended if you have a planted tank which, for shrimp, is preferred.

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Question

If I keep them in freshwater will they breed, or do they need brackish water?

Brittney.B

Community Answer

They breed easily in freshwater and don't need to be separated in order to do so!

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Question

Is there anyone who only sells male ghost shrimp?

Community Answer

Most stores sell both male and female shrimp together; you could always ask for male only or go online for males.

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Question

Are pebbles necessary for a tank with ghost shrimp in it? I understand that they like to burrow in it sometimes, but couldn't some small rock caves be just as effective for hiding?

Community Answer

The pebbles also serve as a means for collecting food that settles on the bottom. Imagine a bare glass bottom like a hardwood floor in a house; the pebbles, then, would be like carpeting. In a house with all hardwood floors, there isn't anywhere for dust or pet hair to settle, so it all blows around as you walk, creating dust bunnies everywhere. Homes with full carpeting still need to be vacuumed and dusted, but the carpet gives the dust and pet hair something to hold on to, so cleaning becomes much easier. And just to complete the analogy, imagine the ghost shrimp is the vacuum. Gravel probably isn't 100% necessary, but it will make the shrimp's life a lot easier.

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Question

Do I need an air pump to oxygenate the water for a ghost shrimp?

Community Answer

If your filter creates a disturbance on the surface of the water, causing oxygen to enter. then no, an air pump is not necessary.

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Question

How big do ghost shrimp get?

Animal lover088

Community Answer

Ghost shrimp don't get very big. The biggest I've seen is about one and a half inches.

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Question

What do you feed new born ghost shrimp?

Yoelvis Pedraza

Community Answer

Fish food will do.

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Question

How do I take care of newborn ghost shrimp?

Community Answer

Keep them in a separate tank from your other creatures, as they might get eaten or killed by the filter. Feed them baby brine shrimp or crushed fish flakes.

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Question

Can ghost shrimp survive in a Betta tank with no filter?

Community Answer

Having a Betta in a tank without a filter is a bad idea; they generate waste that can build up and become toxic unless you do constant water changes. As for the shrimp, it depends mostly on the temperament of your Betta, but it would be best to supply them with lots of hiding places if they feel threatened.

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Question

How do I know if my ghost shrimp is dead?

Community Answer

They will typically lay on their side and become a solid white color if they are dead.

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Question

Is it bad to have fish in the tank with them?

Caeiia

Top Answerer

No, just make sure baby shrimp aren't with the fish or the fish will eat them.

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Question

Can ghost shrimp live with guppies?

Community Answer

Yes, just make sure the ghost shrimp isn't a baby to avoid it being eaten.

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Question

How do I tell a male and female apart?

Animal lover088

Community Answer

Females have a little bump behind their head that is often mistaken as a brain.

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Question

Can ghost shrimp live in a tank with an aquatic substrate?

Community Answer

Definitely! Substrate may help them move around along the bottom as it serves as a grip.

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Question

What do their eggs look like?

Community Answer

They look like tiny green grains in the female's belly. When they are going to lay the eggs, you might even see tiny baby shrimp eyeballs.

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Question

I've heard that ghost shrimp will attack smaller fish (hanging onto them, eating their slime coat, etc.). Is that true?

Community Answer

Eating slime coat is true.

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Question

How long are ghost shrimp suppose to stay in their bag before they go in the tank?

Community Answer

Float the bag for about a half hour to match water temperatures, then release into the tank.

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Question

I found my ghost shrimp while playing with a bucket in a pond. Will it survive?

Animal lover088

Community Answer

I suppose it's possible, if you give it everything it needs. I would recommend putting a little water from the pond into your shrimp's habitat, because a change in water quality can cause the shrimp to become stressed.

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Question

Will the shrimp eat the baby fish in my tank?

Community Answer

No. They are scavengers, and don't really hunt.

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Question

Do I need an air pump?

Caeiia

Top Answerer

If you don't have a hanging filter or anything to break the surface of the water, then yes.

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Question

I put my ghost shrimp in my betta tank with a moss ball and no other filter. It's been a month, and my shrimp is doing well without a source of oxygen. Is this ok?

Community Answer

You really should have your betta in a minimum 2.5 gallon tank with filtration and heat. That would be enough for the shrimp as well.

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Question

Can I scoop up the shrimp in a cup?

Community Answer

You should use a net but generally speaking it would be fine to use a cup if you're careful.

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