Tropical Fish Site

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Ghost Shrimp – Palaemonetes Paludosus

 

Common names: Grass Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp

Scientific name: Palaemonetes Paludosus

Average Adult Size: 2inches / 5cm

Place of origin: USA

Typical tank setup: Lots of plants and wood for grazing and providing cover.

Recommended min. aquarium capacity: 10 gallons / 45 litres

Compatibility: Community shrimp, but could be seen as food by large fish.

Temp: 64 – 84 Deg F / 17 – 28 Deg C

Water chemistry: ph 6.5-7.5.

Feeding:  Palaemonetes Paludosus’s primary diet will be the natural growth of biofilm and algae present in the aquarium. A wide variety of dried leaves and branded shrimp foods will also be accepted, as well as various fruit and veg. They will also eat standard tropical fish flakes if kept with fish.

Sexing: Females of this species are almost always seen carrying egg sacks and larger than the males.

Breeding: Breeding these shrimp is possible in the aquarium but is rather difficult. The shrimp larvae are known to be difficult to feed as they are fussy about what they eat. Water parameters are also key to successfully breeding this shrimp.

Additional Information: The Grass shrimp is a small species of shrimp native to the USA and sometimes available in the fish keeping hobby but perhaps not as popular as other shrimps because of the difficulty in breeding them in captivity. They are also known as ghost shrimp because of their see through bodies allowing them perfect camouflage to their surroundings. It can be really difficult to see these shrimp so perhaps that’s another reason hobbyists haven’t taken to them like other more attractive shrimp species.

Author: @sinashakiba