Shrimp are a tasty treat that most of us associate with seafood restaurants and surf ‘n turf dishes. But can freshwater fish also eat shrimp? This is a common question for aquarium hobbyists and anglers alike. In this article, we’ll dive into the diets of popular freshwater fish to see if they will eat shrimp.
An Overview of Freshwater Fish Diets
There are over 40,000 species of freshwater fish that inhabit rivers, lakes, and streams around the world. Their diets can vary greatly depending on the species
Some major factors that affect the diet of freshwater fish include:
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Mouth size and shape – Fish with larger mouths and stronger jaws can eat bigger prey Fish with small, upturned mouths often feed on insects and plankton near the surface
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Hunting strategy – Active hunters will eat more fish and shrimp, while bottom dwellers focus on insects plants and debris on the substrate.
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Habitat – Vegetation, water flow, oxygen levels, and other conditions determine food availability.
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Life stage – Fry and juveniles eat more plankton and insects. Adults transition to larger foods.
Now let’s look at some popular aquarium fish and game fish to see if they eat shrimp.
Tilapia
Tilapia are omnivorous cichlids that feed on plant matter, insects, smaller fish, and crustaceans. They are equipped with large mouths to hunt actively.
In their native habitats in Africa and the Middle East, tilapia often feed on tiny shrimp and prawns. They will readily eat small shrimp in home aquariums as well.
Verdict: Yes, tilapia eat shrimp in the wild and captivity.
Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout are aggressive hunters that feed on insect larvae, small crustaceans, fish eggs, and smaller fish. They sometimes eat shrimp and scuds in their freshwater habitats.
However, shrimp are not a significant part of their diet. Trout prefer small fish, aquatic insects, worms, and other invertebrates that are easily captured in moving streams.
Verdict: Rainbow trout occasionally eat shrimp but prefer other prey.
Oscar Fish
The oscar is a carnivorous cichlid that feeds on insects, smaller fish, and crustaceans in the Amazon River basin. Their large mouth allows them to swallow sizeable prey.
Oscars will readily devour shrimp of any size that can fit in their mouth. Frozen shrimp and brine shrimp make great supplemental foods for oscars in home aquariums.
Verdict: Yes, oscars will eat any shrimp small enough to swallow whole.
Goldfish
In ponds and tanks, goldfish feed on a variety of foods including plants, insects, crustaceans, worms, and detritus. Their varied diet allows them to thrive in captivity and the wild.
Goldfish will eat small shrimp such as brine shrimp. However, they may have difficulty eating larger shrimp due to their small mouth size. Shrimp can be fed as an occasional treat but are not a staple food.
Verdict: Goldfish will consume small brine shrimp but generally can’t handle larger shrimp.
Catfish
There are thousands of catfish species that vary greatly in size and diet. Small species eat more insects and plant matter while larger catfish hunt vertebrates.
Many catfish will eat small crustaceans like crayfish on the bottom substrate. Large species like blue catfish can swallow shrimp whole. But shrimp are not a primary food source.
Verdict: Some catfish will eat shrimp opportunistically but most do not seek them out.
Largemouth Bass
As ambush predators, largemouth bass feed on any small fish, frog, crayfish, or insect that wanders near their hiding spot. Bass have large mouths to inhale bigger prey.
While not common, bass will eat small shrimp opportunistically if they happen across them. But crayfish and shad are much more prevalent in their diet.
Verdict: Largemouth bass will eat shrimp but do not actively hunt them.
Do Freshwater Shrimp Eat Each Other?
While we’ve focused on fish, one surprising predator of freshwater shrimp is other shrimp! Many dwarf shrimp like cherry shrimp and ghost shrimp will eat each other if food is scarce.
In breeding tanks, adult shrimp may pick off weaker juveniles. Molting shrimp are also vulnerable to attack. Providing adequate food and hiding spots can help curb cannibalism.
Best Practices for Feeding Shrimp to Freshwater Fish
Here are some tips if you want to feed shrimp to your freshwater fish:
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Chop shrimp into bite-size pieces for smaller fish.
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Soak in vitamin supplement to enhance nutrition.
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Feed shrimp as an occasional treat, not a staple.
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Avoid feeding raw shrimp from the grocery store due to pathogens.
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Brine shrimp are the best choice for small-mouthed fish like tetras.
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Remove uneaten shrimp promptly to avoid fouling the water.
The Bottom Line
While not all freshwater fish actively hunt shrimp, many will eat them opportunistically. Larger predatory fish like bass and oscars are most likely to accept shrimp as food in captivity and the wild. Slow moving bottom dwellers that feed on insects and plants largely ignore shrimp.
When feeding shrimp to aquarium fish, go with brine shrimp or chop up shrimp into bite size bits. Use shrimp as an occasional supplemental food, not everyday fare. With some prudent feeding, shrimp can add variety to your fish’s diet.
Feed or be fed
Keeping potential predators with potential prey will undoubtedly have some effect on the behaviour of both parties. Shrimp may hide more frequently and breed less frequently.
As it is, shrimp can take a while to get used to new tanks. If your shrimp are still hiding after a few weeks of being with fish, it’s possible that they’re being chased at night.
See “berried” (pregnant) female shrimp but no babies, or if you don’t see berried females even when the water conditions are perfect. Then, take a close look at the other fish in the tank.
Shrimp can miss out when it comes to feeding. Fish are usually faster to the food and less likely to run away when a shrimp shows it is a threat. Also, fish that are thought to be friendly to shrimp tend to naturally compete for the best algae or biofilm.
Without their habitual diet, young shrimp are less likely to survive. Aquascapers-to-be might also want to stay away from keeping fish with their shrimp because fish can hurt plants.
Spiny eels love to snack on shrimps.
All of this is before we even talk about how live fish can hurt shrimp! The problem is that fish will eat just about anything. That’s largely true, but not always. Many fish will indeed automatically hunt anything that is small enough for them to eat, but some won’t. And some that could, hypothetically, still don’t. And then there are those that will eat juvenile shrimp but not adults. So which fish are best to keep with shrimp?.
First, we can get rid of any big fish and cichlids (yes, that includes Angelfish and Discus). Even dwarf cichlids are hunting machines and they will quickly clear up any shrimp they can find. Amano shrimp, Caridina multidentata, may survive, but they will certainly have sense to hide. Other fish that shouldn’t be near shrimp are goldfish (of any size—their mouths are bigger and greedier than you might think), large rainbowfish, large gourami of any kind, spiny eels, large livebearers, and most loaches, especially those from the Botia genus that are known for being snappy.
With any of these, it is not a matter of if but when they will eat your shrimp. Personally, I would put the bigger tetras and barbs in this group, but I’m sure some hobbyists have kept them together without any problems.
Pseudomugil are a big maybe.
Then there are the fish that might or might not eat your shrimp.
If you don’t want to breed them, these could be a good middle ground because they will almost certainly eat the young. Nevertheless, it is worth giving your shrimp colony time to build up before you add the fish.
Adding lots of plants and hiding spots for the fish and making sure they have plenty to eat will help keep losses to a minimum. Some fish in this group are guppies, Endlers, rasboras, small danios and rasboras, Kuhli loaches, smaller pencilfish, clown killifish, and corydoras.
White Cloud Mountain minnows and the small rainbowfish of the Pseudomugilidae are also good potential tankmates.
One fish in particular that people want to keep with their shrimp is the Siamese fighter, Betta splendens. Without trying to make fish into people, keeping them with invertebrates seems to depend on the fish’s “personality” and a lot of luck. Some people have kept a Betta that didn’t bother shrimp at all, while others have had whole colonies of shrimp killed in just a few days. The same applies to Dwarf puffers, Carinotetraodon travancoricus; again, this is a gamble that may not pay off.
Otocinclus are 100% safe Who’s in?
All things considered, which fish are completely safe to keep with shrimp of all sizes?
In the first place, if it eats algae, it probably won’t want to (or even be able to) eat your shrimp, no matter how big they are. Unfortunately, these aren’t usually the bright, colorful fish that people dream of. Instead, they’re usually dull, shy grazers that only come out to move around the tank and shuffle over plants or rocks. Otocinclus and its close relatives Parotocinclus or Hypoptopoma are the most likely candidates.
If you want something a little different, you can look at Zebra otos, Otocinclus cocama, but they cost a lot more than a regular Oto. If you have the room and want something bigger, Farlowella or other thin but long suckermouths might be the way to go.
If you want a splash of color in your aquarium, I suggest the Dwarf rasboras of Boraras, especially B. brigittae, B. merah or B. maculatus. These are striking to look at, calm, not too expensive, and small enough to keep with shrimp. They also have very small mouths, which is an added bonus. Any losses will be restricted to the tiniest and youngest shrimp.
The real question isn’t “what fish can I keep with my shrimp?” but “should I keep fish with my shrimp?” And, of course, you are the only one who can decide.
It can work well if you are simply interested in keeping adults, rather than breeding.
However, after seeing your male shrimp race around the tank with all his might to find a newly formed female releasing her pheromones and then spending day after day watching your berried female grow in size until you can see eyes starting to form in the eggs, the last thing you will want is for your fish to eat your precious shrimplets.
With some time and a tank just for shrimp, you can have an aquarium full of active, colorful invertebrates that are bright enough to compete with any fish. Try it; your shrimp will thank you for it.
Crystal red bee shrimp.
Will SALTWATER Fish eat a FRESHWATER Fish?? (Fishing Experiment)
Can freshwater shrimp eat fish?
Yes, they can. However, picking the correct freshwater shrimp tank mates is vital. It’s best to avoid large or aggressive fish species that may see the shrimp as food. How long do Freshwater Shrimps live?
Do shrimp eat shellfish?
There are more than 2,000 shrimp species out there, and there are many fish that see shrimp as food. Shrimp eat a varied omnivorous diet of any sea plants or decaying matter they can find. Shrimp are high in nutrients, and many sea creatures and animals see these shellfish as food.
What do shrimp eat in a fish tank?
They eat virtually anything they find, from a variety of plants and small fish to decaying matter and even dead shrimp. If you’re considering adding shrimp to your fish tank, the types of aquarium fish with whom they cannot live are goldfish, discus, cichlids, gourami, angelfish, and betta fish.
Are shrimp a good Critter for a freshwater aquarium?
Freshwater aquarium shrimp are some of the most overlooked critters to include in your tank. We understand why everyone gravitates toward fish, but these little animals have a lot to offer as well! Shrimp offer a unique look to your tank, are very low-maintenance, and many will even help keep it clean over time.