You may want to know how many ghost shrimp you can put in a gallon if you want to start a colony or just add a few to your tank. Usually, five ghost shrimp can be kept per gallon of water.
There are several other factors to consider, however. Read on to find out the things you’ll need to consider when keeping these aquatic creatures.
How Many Ghost Shrimp Can You Keep in a 5 Gallon Tank? An In-Depth Guide to Stocking Your Aquarium
Ghost shrimp are an extremely popular choice for freshwater aquariums. Their small size, hardy nature, and ability to clean algae make them an excellent addition to tanks of all sizes. But how many of these critters can you keep in a standard 5 gallon setup?
This is a common question that many aquarists have when first introducing ghost shrimp into their tanks. While they may be small, these shrimp have specific care needs when it comes to water parameters, tank mates, and space requirements. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about keeping ghost shrimp in a 5 gallon aquarium.
Ghost Shrimp Care Needs
Before we dive into stocking numbers, it’s crucial that you understand the basic care requirements of ghost shrimp. While they are hardier than other shrimp species, they still have needs that must be met to keep them healthy in a home aquarium.
Water Parameters: Ghost shrimp prefer water between 65-82°F, with a pH of 7.0-8.0. The water should also be moderately hard, between 3.72-6.73 dGH. Regular water changes are needed to remove waste and replenish minerals.
Diet: In the wild, ghost shrimp are scavengers that eat debris and algae. In aquariums they should be fed commercial shrimp pellets, supplemented with algae wafers, blanched vegetables, and high quality flakes/pellets.
Habitat Ghost shrimp need places to hide like plants, rocks, and driftwood The substrate should be a fine sand so they can sift through it looking for food.
Tank Mates: Peaceful community fish that won’t eat adult ghost shrimp like neon tetras, guppies, and small rasboras are ideal tank mates. Avoid housing them with aggressive species.
With the basics covered, let’s take a look at how many ghost shrimp you can house in a standard 5 gallon tank.
Stocking Ghost Shrimp in a 5 Gallon Aquarium
Most experts agree that a general rule of thumb is 2-3 ghost shrimp per gallon of water in a tank. But you’ll want to consider a few other factors as well when deciding on the number for your 5 gallon setup:
- Are there other tank inhabitants?
If your 5 gallon houses other fish, you’ll need to reduce the number of ghost shrimp accordingly. A good starter mix would be 5-6 shrimp + a betta or small school of nano fish like ember tetras. The more tank mates, the fewer shrimp you can add.
- Is it a species only tank?
For a ghost shrimp only tank, you can safely house 10-15 shrimp in a 5 gallon. Make sure it is heavily planted and has plenty of hiding spots. Monitor water quality closely with such a high bio load.
- How often are water changes performed?
More frequent water changes allow for higher stocking levels. If you stay on top of maintenance by changing the water 1-2 times a week, you could add a couple more shrimp than normal. But never overload the tank, as ghost shrimp are sensitive to poor water quality.
- Are there supplemental oxygen sources?
Adding an air stone or small sponge filter will increase oxygenation and allow you to keep more shrimp. The added surface agitation is beneficial and gives the critters more breathing room.
- How densely is the tank planted?
Heavily planted tanks can support slightly higher shrimp numbers since the plants help absorb waste and nutrients. Aim for at least 50% plant coverage when stocking ghost shrimp.
Taking all of these factors into account, a good number to shoot for in a 5 gallon community tank would be 6-8 ghost shrimp maximum. This provides enough swimming space and leaves room for tank mates.
For a species only setup, 10-12 shrimp is reasonable with the needed precautions. Perform frequent water testing, feed conservatively, and maintain the tank well to prevent problems.
Tank Setup Considerations for Ghost Shrimp
Now that we’ve covered ideal stocking numbers, let’s briefly go over tank setup considerations when keeping ghost shrimp:
-
Fine sandy substrate 1-1.5 inches deep allows shrimp to sift and forage. Pool filter sand works great.
-
Plenty of plants like java moss, hornwort, anacharis, etc provide ample hiding spots and help absorb waste.
-
Small rock caves, coconut huts, and driftwood offer additional shelter.
-
Low flow filter like a sponge model prevents the shrimp from being blown around.
-
Submersible heater and thermometer keeps water in the ideal 65-82°F range.
-
Air powered sponge filter or air stone improves oxygenation.
-
Natural wood and botanicals help recreate biotope conditions.
-
Lid prevents shrimp from climbing out and fish from jumping in.
By setting up your 5 gallon with the shrimp’s needs in mind, you can provide a healthy home where they will thrive!
Additional Tips for Keeping Ghost Shrimp
Here are a few extra tips to help ensure success when keeping ghost shrimp:
-
Quarantine new shrimp for a few weeks before adding to your display tank.
-
Acclimate shrimp slowly to avoid shocking them with rapid water parameter changes.
-
Perform weekly 10-15% water changes to replenish minerals and reduce nitrates.
-
Test water quality often to catch any rising ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates.
-
Feed a varied, protein-rich diet including shrimp pellets, blanched veggies, algae wafers etc.
-
Avoid overfeeding, as excess waste can degrade water quality rapidly.
-
Provide ample hiding spots among plants and hardscape for shy shrimp.
-
Check water parameters if shrimp suddenly die to identify any husbandry issues.
-
Research shrimp diseases like vorticella and have a treatment plan ready.
Follow these simple guidelines and your ghost shrimp should thrive in your 5 gallon freshwater aquarium. Enjoy watching these active scavengers exploring their mini ecosystem! Let us know if you have any other questions about keeping ghost shrimp in small tanks.
How Many Can Be Kept Together?
Five ghost shrimp should live in every gallon of water, but this number can change based on the shrimp’s size, the number of other shrimp in the tank, and other factors.
Following the general rule, this is how many ghost shrimp can be held in each size tank:
| Aquarium Gallons | Ideal shrimp count |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 or less |
| 3 | 15 or less |
| 5 | 25 or less |
| 7 | 35 or less |
| 10 | 40 or less |
| 20 | 80 or less |
| 30 | 120 or less |
| 40 | 160 or less |
| 50 | 200 or less |
| 55 to 65 | 220-260 or less |
| 65+ | 260+ |
Even though ghost shrimp are only a little more than two inches long, the above estimates can’t be used for any tank because of other things that need to be thought about, such as
Compatible Shrimp Tank Mates
There are many compatible tank mates for ghost shrimp, including:
Ghost Shrimp Info And Care | Ghost Shrimp Care Guide!
How many ghost shrimp in a 5 gallon tank?
At the very least, you should have a 5 gallon tank (larger is better of course). Because the shrimp are so small, they don’t need a ton of room to roam. For shrimp you want to keep as pets you should aim for a ratio of three to four ghost shrimp per gallon.
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 much room do ghost shrimp need?
Ghost shrimp are very small, they don’t need much room. If you only keep a single ghost shrimp, you can use something as small as 2 gallons. If you own a few shrimp, you can use something as small as a 5-gallon tank. In the case of all tanks, it is easier to maintain good water quality with a larger tank.
Can ghost shrimp be kept in a small aquarium?
Ghost Shrimp can be kept in small tanks like 5 or 10 gallon aquariums and larger. With small aquariums, be mindful of the limitations of the tank in terms of low water volume and limited surface area. So be sure to not accidentally overstock the tank.