Amano shrimp, also known as Yamato shrimp, are a popular freshwater shrimp species often kept by aquarium hobbyists. They are excellent algae eaters and help keep tanks clean. However, there has been much debate around whether Amanos can successfully breed in freshwater tanks.
What are Amano Shrimp?
Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) are native to Japan and Taiwan They were introduced to the aquarium trade by renowned aquarist Takashi Amano in the 1980s, which is where their common name comes from
These shrimp have a transparent body with small dots and lines of brown, grey, and red They can grow up to 2 inches long as adults Amanos are very hardy and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters. They are completely peaceful and make great additions to community tanks.
Amano shrimp are voracious algae eaters. They will consume most types of algae in the tank, including hair algae, green spot algae, and brown algae. This helps keep the tank clean and free of nuisance algae.
Breeding Process in the Wild
In their natural habitat, Amano shrimp breed in brackish water where freshwater rivers meet the ocean. The adults live in freshwater streams and rivers. When it’s time to mate, the female shrimp migrates downstream to brackish waters.
Here the female will release her eggs which immediately hatch into larvae. The larvae spend around 2 weeks feeding and growing in the brackish waters. When they are ready, the larvae swim upstream into freshwater where they will live out the rest of their lives.
Difficulties of Breeding in Freshwater
The natural breeding process of Amanos makes them very difficult to breed in freshwater aquariums. The larvae require brackish water to survive once they hatch. They cannot fully develop in freshwater alone.
Additionally, the larvae are incredibly small and delicate. They need specific infusoria to eat when newly hatched. Providing proper food and care for the larvae in an aquarium setting is challenging. Even expert shrimp breeders struggle to raise Amano larvae successfully.
These obstacles are why Amano shrimp cannot naturally breed and have self-sustaining populations in freshwater tanks. Some specialty shrimp farms are able to breed Amanos through highly controlled conditions. But it remains very rare for hobbyists to breed them in home freshwater aquariums.
Is it Possible to Breed Amanos in Freshwater?
While exceedingly difficult, some aquarists have reported rare successes in breeding Amano shrimp in freshwater tanks. However, these successes come with some caveats.
In extremely rare cases, a few larvae may survive in freshwater without requiring brackish conditions. The larvae typically have very high death rates, but a small number live to adulthood. These offspring are likely genetic anomalies that allow them to develop in freshwater.
Some breeding attempts use mineral supplements or salty shrimp foods to simulate brackish water conditions. The minerals and salt may enable a small portion of larvae to survive. But the survival rate is still extremely low.
While breeding Amanos in pure freshwater is virtually impossible, adding salt to the water can improve the odds. But the larvae will still suffer high mortality rates. Success is unreliable.
Step-by-Step Breeding Guide
Here is a step-by-step guide to attempt breeding Amano shrimp in a freshwater aquarium:
Setup
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Obtain a mature male and female Amano shrimp pair. Females are larger and have dashed lines on their bodies.
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Set up a 10-20 gallon freshwater tank with stable parameters. Ideal conditions are pH 7-8, temperature 70-80°F.
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Add plenty of hiding spots and infusoria culture to feed newly hatched larvae. Java moss works well.
Induce Spawning
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Feed the shrimp high quality foods like algae wafers, blanched veggies, shrimp pellets.
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Maintain excellent water quality and stable parameters. Do regular partial water changes.
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The female will get “berried” with eggs seen under her tail. Leave her be until the eggs hatch.
Hatching
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Once the larvae hatch, carefully siphon them out using an eyedropper and transfer to a separate container.
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Mix 30-35 ppt saltwater using marine salt. Instant Ocean is a good brand. Slowly acclimate larvae.
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Aerate the container well. Grow microalgae like spirulina to feed the larvae.
Raising Larvae
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Feed the larvae several small meals of powdered spirulina or infusoria per day. Do not overfeed.
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Maintain ideal water quality in the 30-35 ppt saltwater. Temperature around 75°F.
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After 1-2 months, the larvae will morph into tiny juvenile shrimp. Acclimate them back to freshwater.
While breeding Amano shrimp in freshwater alone is extremely difficult and unreliable, adding salt and closely mimicking their natural breeding process can allow limited success. Survival rates for larvae are very low, but some may make it to adulthood. With meticulous care, substrates like Java moss, infusoria culture, and frequent small feedings, freshwater breeding is possible but challenging. Very few aquarists have managed to accomplish it. For most hobbyists, it remains easier to purchase captive-bred Amano shrimp instead of attempting to breed them at home. But with dedication, raising Amanos through their delicate larval stage in a salt-supplemented freshwater tank can potentially be done.
Colour breeding of amano shrimps – white Caridina multidentata
Up until recently, it was thought that Amano shrimp did not breed for color. However, this is no longer the case! For several months now, you can buy white Caridina multidentata, also known as Caridina multidentata “Snow.” Our Snow amano shrimp were bred in Taiwan. The breeder assumes that it is a mutation that remains permanently white.
It has been shown that there are “white” amano shrimp, but these breeding types had to be kept very dark and needed special food. Eventually, though, these animals turned wild colors. The Amano shrimp “Snow,” on the other hand, has been tested over a long period of time at our aquarium in Mannheim and has shown itself to be permanently white. This means that it is likely that they will not change color.
Sex differentiation in Amano shrimps
It’s actually very easy to tell the difference between male and female Amani shrimp. On the one hand, the females are much bigger and rounder than the males. On the other hand, the females’ transparent basic coloration makes it easy to see the greenish-gray egg spot on their necks when they are sexually mature, or the similarly colored eggs in their abdominal pockets when they are carrying young.
The pattern is very simple, though: wild-colored female amanos have short horizontal lines on the sides of their bellies, while wild-colored males have dots. This pattern, which differs according to sex, is also called sexual dimorphism. However, this criterion does not apply to the white snow amano shrimp.
Also, this different pattern only shows up in amano shrimp that are a little older; in younger shrimp, this trait is not fully developed yet, just like the other traits used to tell the difference between males and females.
When you trade animals, you often get young ones that you can’t be sure are male or female yet. Most of the time, Caridina multidentata litters have an equal number of males and females. If you want to breed specific Amano shrimp, it is best to start with a larger group of young shrimp. The chances are then good that there will be both males and females in the group.
FINALLY! Avatar Aquatics Breeding Amano Shrimps Step by Step Walkthrough – 100% Success!
Do Amano shrimp breed in freshwater?
Finally, they will breed in freshwater aquariums whereas true Amano Shrimp require brackish water to breed. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to visually identify imposters. True Amano Shrimp are native to Asia, specifically Japan, China and also Taiwan. They will live in large troupes within freshwater rivers and streams.
What are Amano shrimp?
Amano shrimp also go by Yamato shrimp, Japanese swamp shrimp, Japonica shrimp or Takashi amano shrimp. Keep reading for everything you need to know about breeding Amano shrimp! What will you need? How do Amano shrimp breed? Amano shrimp are one of the hardest shrimp species to breed in the freshwater aquarium hobby.
Are Amano shrimp good pets?
Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) is one of the most popular species of freshwater dwarf shrimp that is commonly kept as aquarium pets. But, if you want to know more specifically about the breeding and life cycle of these shrimp, you have come to the right place. On the whole, Amano shrimp go through 12 distinct life stages.
Do Amano shrimp need saltwater?
Amano Shrimp larvae need saltwater at the early stages of their growth. Upon maturity, they will relocate to freshwater. Amano Shrimp are freshwater crustaceans endemic to the Asian region. Their young ones live in brackish water before moving to freshwater as they grow.