Amano Shrimp Overview
Caridina multidentata, sometimes caridinia japonica and otherwise known as Amano shrimp, are an extremely popular freshwater shrimp species to introduce to your aquarium. Takashi Amano, the famous hobbyist who discovered the species’ ability to eat large quantities of algae, introduced the Amano shrimp to aquarists. Amano shrimp are simply the best clean up crews you can have in the aquarium for algae.
The Amano shrimp is approximately around one inch in length at the pet store. It grows to about 2 inches in length. This dwarf shrimp is one of the largest of the ornamental shrimp and is great at eating filamentous algae that is found in aquariums.
The Right Community – Shrimp Tank Mates
Amano shrimp require little hands-on attention and like living in both large and small communities, and with other, non-predatory shrimp. Keeping at least a couple in your aquarium is plenty, but keep in mind that they rarely reproduce in a home aquarium.
Amano shrimp only increase as you purchase them and put them in your tank, while other types of shrimp will happily colonize your aquarium.
Environment to Thrive
Amano Shrimp love being in an environment with many aquatic plants where they can swim from plant to plant, jump, perch, and hide, so choosing the right plants for these shrimp is important. They like being in harder water with a current that moves at a moderate speed. As with other freshwater shrimp, be aware of ammonia and nitrite levels (ideally at 0 ppm for both), keep nitrates as close to 0ppm as possible, be careful with medications, and avoid copper by making sure all products and medications for shrimp are shrimp-safe. AZOO Max Bio Balls are great for shrimp and nano aquariums, safely breaking down ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to give shrimp a stable bio bacteria colony. Ideal water temperature for your shrimp is between 72-85°F. This increases the metabolism of the shrimp and their activity levels!
Water hardness of 8.0 dkh would be the most beneficial, along with a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5: Amano shrimp thrive in these ranges! Along with making sure all water chemical tests are at their recommended levels, make sure that water is changed at least twice a week for Amano shrimp.
While shrimp are pretty relaxed pets, they have a tendency to be aggravated by planaria, little flatworms that are pests to your aquarium animals. Getting rid of them can be difficult, but VIV hasmade a Glass Planaria Trap that is specially designed to remove planaria from your aquarium without chemicals or medication, keeping an organic environment for your plants and animals.
Amano Shrimp Food – Feeding Time
Feeding this shrimp species is an easy feat. Known for being algae eaters, they enjoy feeding on various forms of soft algae in the aquarium. These shrimp can also eat naturally occurring food matter in a planted tank. Food accumulates on the bottom and shrimp enjoy scavenging as long as the tank is not kept too clean. If it is, there may not be enough natural food sources to support them.
However, additional food can include: aquaLife Pro Shrimp Sticks which is rich in vegetables, AZOO Max Breed, and AZOO Max Growth. Click on the images to learn more about these nutritious products.
aquaLife Pro Shrimp Sticks
aquaLife Pro Shrimp Sticks are specifically formulated for shrimp’s growth. It has a well balanced nutrition, suitable for juvenile and adult Amano shrimps, effectively promoting shrimp’s growth and boosting their immunity. Pro shrimp Sticks is rich in vegtables, spirulina, and lecithin, providing shrimp’s body color enhancement and stimulating shrimps shedding for growth. The unique stick can be easily broken into smaller pieces placed in VIV glass feeding trays or on the gravel without fouling the gravel like many types of food. Specifically made with strong consistency, it won’t crumble and make the water cloudy.
Max Breed Shrimp – 20 g Flat Sticks Food
AZOO Max Breed is specifically formulated for shrimp growth but with added breeding stimulation providing well balanced nutrition while boosting shrimp immunity. Rich in spirulina, shrimp meal, kelp, and lecithin, Max Breed provides nutrients to enhance shrimp color and rapid growth. The unique flat wafer like stick can be placed in VIV glass feeding trays or on the gravel without fouling the gravel like many types of food. Specifically made with a strong consistency, it won’t crumble and make the water cloudy.
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Feeding Dishes & Tubes
There are also multiple useful feeding tools to keep food residue from invading your tank, as well. One product that would be very useful in shrimp feeding is the Glass Feeding Dish by VIV. It keeps excessive residue from floating around the tank and impurities from getting in the sand. Another VIV product is the Bottom Feeding Tube which is designed to easily fill the bottom feeding dish with food and easy to clean afterward. The duo would be great additions to use when feeding your new pets!
Amano Shrimp FAQ
How many Amano shrimp should I keep in my tank per gallon? You will want to keep one shrimp for every 3-4 gallons of water. The minimum size of tank should be ten gallons where you will keep three or four Amano shrimp. A general rule of thumb you can follow is that you’ll want 3 gallons of water for every Amano shrimp.
Another benefit to keeping Amano shrimp is that they have a longer life span than many of the other popular shrimp species, living up to two to three years. Unfortunately, they sometimes die right after being introduced to a new tank, likely from the stress of being transported and the changes in water temperature. Making sure water conditions are right and food is plentiful (and keeping predators out of the tank) will ensure these shrimp should live full, healthy lives.
Breeding Amano shrimp can be done, however, it is not an easy task. In fact, Amano shrimp are one of the hardest shrimp species to breed in the hobby. When attempting to breed this species, you’ll want to focus on four steps:
1.) the breeding process,
2.) breeding/carrying of eggs,
3.) raising the young shrimp,
4.) and acclimating the shrimp larvae to freshwater (difficult step).
For Amano shrimp breeding, you’ll need the following:
A pair of sexed Amano shrimp, shrimp food, sea salt mix (Ocean Sea Salt Mix), growing saltwater algae, a container to hold larvae/saltwater, two air pumps with accessories, a one gallon container for dechlorinated freshwater, RODI or RO water, a hydrometer/refractometer, flashlight, pipette, and a syringe. Email us if you would like a detailed guide on how to do this.
Amano shrimp grow to be approximately two inches in size. In fact, they grow larger than any other dwarf shrimp species that you’ll find in the hobby.
What do Amano shrimp eat? These shrimp are some of the best algae eaters in the world! They are renown for devouring problematic algae such as hair algae, thread algae, and beard algae alike. Besides algae, to feed your shrimp, you may also feed them blanched zucchini, dried pellets, and algae wafers.