Shrimp come in all sizes from massive to miniature. So what do you call the smallest shrimp? Let’s explore the various terms used for tiny and juvenile shrimp from culinary to aquarium contexts.
Baby Shrimp
In food contexts, “baby shrimp” refers to very small, immature shrimp. Key features:
- Tiny size – under 26-30 count per pound
- Diminutive dimensions – under 3 inches long
- Mild, tender texture and flavor
- Often sold peeled, deveined and frozen or canned
- Used in salads, soups, pastas, and more
Baby shrimp may come from small species or be harvested prematurely before growing bigger Common commercial baby shrimp species include pink, brown, and white shrimp varieties
Salad Shrimp
“Salad shrimp” is another common name for tiny shrimp used in culinary applications. The name refers to their popular use in chilled shrimp salads. Features include:
- Petite proportions – around 1 inch long
- Sold fresh, frozen, or canned
- Mild flavor matches well with creamy, tangy dressings
- Often already cooked and peeled for convenience
- Sprinkle over salads or use in shrimp cocktails
Both terms are used interchangeably in recipes and packaging to describe extra-small shrimp
Cocktail Shrimp
“Cocktail shrimp” indicates shrimp served as an hors d’oeuvre, often with a spicy cocktail sauce. They are usually baby or salad shrimp for ease of eating:
- Served cold or chilled on platters
- Bite-size – 1 to 2 inches maximum
- Sold cooked, peeled, and deveined
- Sometimes skewered for appetizer trays
- May be dipped in sauce or seasoning
The petite size allows popping the whole shrimp in your mouth.
Shrimplets
“Shrimplets” is an endearing term for baby brine shrimp sold as fish food. Key attributes:
- Extremely tiny brine shrimp under 0.5 inch
- Hatched in fish farms for sale as live feed
- Nutritious first food for young, small fish
- Added to tanks using nets or tubes
- Wiggle to trigger fish feeding response
Shrimplets are much smaller than edible baby shrimp varieties.
Mysis Shrimp
In aquariums, “mysis shrimp” is another name for tiny brine shrimp used to feed certain species:
- Small freshwater brine shrimp under 0.5 inch
- Sold live, frozen, freeze-dried, or powdered
- Rich in omega-3s, protein, calcium for fish
- Good for picky eaters who ignore flakes/pellets
- Help condition fish for breeding seasons
The name differentiates them from larger, adult brine shrimp.
Shrimplets
In shrimp farming, “shrimplets” refers to very young, post-larval shrimp. Features include:
- Early juvenile phase after becoming shrimp
- Around 0.25-0.5 inch size
- Reared in nurseries before transfer to grow-out ponds
- Sensitive to environmental changes
- High mortality rates until more mature
Careful handling is needed during the shrimplet stage before growing into adults.
Juvenile Shrimp
In biology, “juvenile shrimp” means immature, still-growing shrimp that are not full sized yet. Traits involve:
- Varying sizes, from shrimplets to sub-adults
- Sexual organs not fully developed
- Minimal difference between sexes
- Molt frequently as they increase in size
- Higher natural mortality rates
The juvenile phase lasts until shrimp reach sexual maturity and max growth.
Extra Jumbo Shrimp
The extra jumbo shrimp is a little bigger than jumbo shrimp, but it’s the perfect size for finger foods like the Spanish tapa gambas al ajillo. You’ll commonly find extra jumbo shrimp on various seafood platters, making them a strong choice for catered events. Some of the most common ways to cook extra-jumbo shrimp are as appetizers, like grilled shrimp skewers and fried coconut shrimp.
- Extra Jumbo Shrimp Per Pound – Between 16 and 20
- Extra Jumbo Shrimp Per 3 oz. Serving – 4 or 5.
Colossal shrimp are known for their strong and succulent flavor. Because they taste great and are big, colossal shrimp are one of the best types of shrimp to grill and sear. Colossal shrimp are so big that they can be a main dish on their own, so they are often stuffed or breaded.
- Colossal Shrimp Per Pound – Under 15
- Colossal Shrimp Per 3 oz. Serving – 3 or 4
Extra Large Shrimp
Extra-large shrimp are a great size to serve as an appetizer or light main dish on their own. You can make a tasty seafood platter with this type and your own signature cocktail sauce, which makes it great for catered events and banquet halls. As an ingredient, extra large shrimp are great in recipes like seafood risotto and pasta.
- Extra Large Shrimp Per Pound – Between 26 and 30
- Extra Large Shrimp Per 3 oz. Serving – Between 7 and 8.
They are one of the most common sizes of shrimp and are used in a lot of different recipes and dishes. If you want to make shrimp cocktails, these shrimp are the perfect size because they taste sweet and are very crunchy. Since jumbo shrimp are so common, you can serve them in several different ways. As a topping for seafood pizza or as an appetizer, shrimp skewers are two of the most common ways to use it.
- Jumbo Shrimp Per Pound – Between 21 and 25
- Jumbo Shrimp Per 3 oz. Serving – Between 5 and 7.
Why are my baby shrimp dying? – HELP MORE OF YOUR BABY SHRIMP SURVIVE WITH THESE 4 TIPS & TRICKS
What type of shrimp is baby shrimp?
Several shrimp species run small, so these are the ones that primarily tend to be caught and sold as baby or salad shrimp: Oregon pink shrimp (Pandalus jordani), humpy shrimp (Pandalus goniurus), and Maine or Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis). What do baby shrimp taste like?
Are pregnant women allowed to eat shrimps?
Properly cooked shrimp is considered a safe choice for women because it is low in mercury, a which can be detrimental to baby’s health. Consuming moderate amounts of seafood provides a source of the omega-3 fatty acids that a baby needs. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend that pregnant women eat at least 8 ounces, and up to 12 ounces, of a variety of low mercury seafood per week. The US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) advises that pregnant women are at higher risk of foodborne illness and its consequences and should avoid raw seafood. For a healthy guide to choosing the right fish, the Environmental Defense Fund provides both a handy guide on toxin load in various fish species and recommended serving limits per month for men, women, and children.
Are baby fish and shrimp the same?
Baby fish and shrimp are both known as fry, which can be confusing, especially if you keep a tank with both fish and shrimp. A single baby shrimp or a small group of baby shrimp is technically known as shrimp fry. So what about the term shrimplets?
Are baby shrimp a group of eggs?
Clutch is a common term for a group of eggs, but it’s less common for the group of newly hatched animals to also be known as a clutch. Once the shrimp eggs hatch, the group of newborn shrimp will be referred to as a clutch until they molt and become juveniles. Even though they are known by a singular name, baby shrimp don’t group together.