Ghost Shrimp, also known as Glass Shrimp, are relatively easy freshwater aquarium shrimp to keep. You can almost always buy ghost shrimp at pet stores, both small ones in your area and big chain stores. At the pet shop, they are frequently kept in a small tank with other shrimp of their kind. The small tank often has a sponge filter or air stone pumping bubbles. Most of the time, the Ghost Shrimp tank just looks like a tank of murky water with a lot of bubbles when it is public.
Ghost Shrimp are relatively inexpensive and are often purchased as “feeders” for larger more aggressive fish. Some Cichlids can eat Ghost Shrimp all day long. But Ghost Shrimp are more than a tasty snack. They are great aquarium cleaners and can be a lot of fun to watch. For some reason, Ghost Shrimp aren’t given much attention by new hobbyists, but they can be fun to keep on their own.
Ghost Shrimp look good when kept in a tank with black aquarium gravel or substrate. It’s also good to keep them in a tank with a black background. When the shrimp is up against the black gravel or background it makes them easier to see.
Ghost shrimp are a popular freshwater shrimp species that make great additions to community tanks. Their small size and peaceful temperament allow them to coexist with other fish and invertebrates. But when it comes to stocking ghost shrimp in a 10 gallon aquarium, how many can you fit before it gets overcrowded?
In this article, we’ll discuss the ideal number of ghost shrimp for a 10 gallon tank based on expert recommendations and experience. We’ll also cover ghost shrimp basics like size, behavior, tank mates, and more to help you make informed stocking decisions.
Before figuring out ghost shrimp stocking numbers, let’s do a quick overview of these unique creatures.
Ghost shrimp also called glass shrimp are native to freshwaters across North America. They get their name from their translucent exoskeleton that camouflages them against aquatic plants and tank decor.
These shrimp have a slender body shape and grow to around 1.5 inches long as adults. They have stalked eyes, two pairs of antennae, and a distinct tail fan used for swimming.
Some key facts about ghost shrimp:
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Peaceful scavengers that spend most time on tank bottom
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Eat algae, plant matter, fish food, and organic debris. Effective clean-up crew.
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Very hardy and easy to care for. Adaptable to various water parameters.
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Males and females look identical. Females carry eggs under tail.
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Short 1 year lifespan. Quick to mature and reproduce.
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Require 5+ gallon tank with plants, rocks, wood for hiding.
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Do well in community tanks with small peaceful fish and inverts.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s move on to stocking numbers.
Recommended Stocking Levels for a 10 Gallon
Most experts recommend stocking ghost shrimp at a density of 2-5 shrimp per gallon of tank volume.
Based on this guidance, ideal numbers for a 10 gallon tank would be:
- Minimum: 10 ghost shrimp
- Maximum: 30-50 ghost shrimp
The maximum range gives you more flexibility based on your tank setup and inhabitants. A heavily planted tank with less fish could potentially support more shrimp than a minimally decorated one.
For a 10 gallon community tank with a betta or small schooling fish, we recommend 15-20 ghost shrimp as a moderate stocking level. This allows the shrimp to thrive while leaving room for tank mates.
You can start off with 10-15 shrimp, monitor water quality, then add more gradually if your tank supports it. Remember, every tank is different!
Avoiding Overcrowding
It may be tempting to max out a 10 gallon with as many shrimp as possible. But overcrowding can cause problems including:
- Spikes in ammonia and nitrates from waste
- Increased competition for food and resources
- Aggressive behavior and stress
- Lowered immunity, disease transmission
- Poor growth and life expectancy
That’s why we suggest starting conservatively and increasing numbers slowly over time.
Monitor water parameters, shrimp behavior, and overall tank health. Perform partial water changes at least weekly. Add a filter like a sponge model rated for a 20 gallon tank.
If shrimp start showing signs of aggression like nipping or poor coloration, your population is likely too high. Remove excess shrimp or upgrade to a larger tank.
Other Stocking Considerations
When stocking ghost shrimp, you also need to factor in any existing tank mates.
Fish that are safe to house with adult ghost shrimp include:
- Small tetras
- Small rasboras
- Endler’s livebearers
- Least killifish
- Sparkling gouramis
- Pygmy corydoras
- Otocinclus catfish
Avoid large or aggressive species that may eat adult shrimp like goldfish, cichlids, or common plecos.
As a general rule, your ghost shrimp stock should equal 2-3 times the number of small fish in the tank. For example:
- 10 ghost shrimp with 5 neon tetras
- 15 ghost shrimp with 6 chili rasboras
This allows for proper biological balance as the shrimp have a smaller bio-load than fish.
You’ll need to reduce shrimp numbers accordingly if adding fish increases the total stocking level beyond recommended capacity.
Ideal Bottom Dwellers
Ghost shrimp thrive in tanks with other peaceful bottom dwellers that share the same ecological niche. This allows for less competition.
Great options include:
- Snails like nerites, mysteries, ramshorns
- Dwarf crayfish
- Habrosus cory cats
- Khuli loaches
- Small plecos and otos
Shrimp may become prey if housed with larger bottom feeders. Perform slow introductions and provide ample hiding spots.
Non-Fish Tank Mates
You can create a thriving shrimp-only community tank as well.
Ghost shrimp are very social with their own kind. They’ll spend hours interacting, grazing, and exploring together.
Some top invertebrate tank mates include:
- Amano shrimp
- Bamboo shrimp
- Vampire shrimp
- Red cherry shrimp
- Freshwater clams
A 10 gallon shrimp-only tank can comfortably house 20-30 ghost shrimp with any of the above species. Make sure to supplement their diet with algae wafers, blanched veggies, shrimp pellets, and calcium-rich foods.
The Takeaway
When stocking ghost shrimp in a 10 gallon aquarium, the recommended number ranges from 10-50 depending on your setup. For community tanks, we advise starting with 15-20 shrimp and increasing slowly over time.
Monitor water quality, break lines of sight, and offer hiding spots to prevent aggression. Avoid overcrowding by sticking within the 2-5 shrimp per gallon density range.
Ghost shrimp make excellent additions to nano tanks. Take it slow and let their populations expand naturally to create a vibrant shrimp haven!
Ghost Shrimp Food, Size & Color Range
Ghost Shrimp food is broad as they will eat almost anything. They are great pickers and will eat like machines. Ghost Shrimp food can include some forms of algae, dead plant latter and detritus. These shrimp love fish or shrimp pellets, fish flakes, algae wafers or bits otherwise uneaten food. It’s also a good idea to find calcium supplements, since the shell needs calcium to grow properly. It’s possible that Ghost Shrimp eat their dead tank mates because they will eat dead fish or shrimp. Of course, it’s important to quickly remove any dead animals from the water, or the ammonia level in the tank could rise. It’s fun to watch Ghost Shrimp swim up and pluck bits of food out of the water. And there is a pecking order with feeding as well. Bigger shrimp eat first.
Ghost Shrimp Behavior, Upclose: 30 Second Video
Ghost Shrimp care is relatively easy. They are very active and busy invertebrates tirelessly scouring the tank for food to eat. These shrimp love being in a tank that isn’t “too clean” because it keeps them moving around. As scavengers, they search the gravel or substrate for little bits of edible material that is otherwise uneaten. In that way, Ghost Shrimp clean aquariums pretty well, about the same as Amano Shrimp and Nerite Snails. Since Ghost Shrimp are small, they might not eat as much as bigger insects, but they are always eating almost everything they come across.
Ghost Shrimp Info And Care | Ghost Shrimp Care Guide!
How much water do ghost shrimp need?
Ghost shrimp need a minimum of 10 gallons for stable water conditions. Depending on the size of the population you want to keep, this may need to be adjusted. If you want to keep ghost shrimp in a community aquarium, base the gallon size off the needs of the other fish and add an extra 10 gallons for shrimp.
How many gallons is a ghost shrimp tank?
We recommend 5 gallons as the bare minimum although 10 gallons or 20 gallons is preferable. Although it feels somewhat counterintuitive, larger tanks are typically easier to care for, as they’re easier to keep stable water parameters and don’t require as frequent water changes. How many Ghost Shrimp can go in my tank?
How to keep ghost shrimp in a community aquarium?
If you want to keep ghost shrimp in a community aquarium, base the gallon size off the needs of the other fish and add an extra 10 gallons for shrimp. Live plants are the most important component of a shrimp aquarium or a community aquarium with shrimp in it. They provide a food source and a hiding place for shrimp.
How many shrimp per gallon?
Plan on keeping a max of 3-4 glass shrimp per gallon, although this amount will depend on the level of other animals in your tank. For example, if you have a 10-gallon aquarium, you could have anywhere between 30-40 shrimp if you tank had no other inhabitants. Generally speaking, shrimp have a smaller biological load than fish.