# Amano Shrimp



## Chondro (Apr 12, 2006)

I have a relatively new tank set up (about 2 months), and it is going through an algae bloom. I am going to get some Amano Shrimp this week and was wondering what a good stocking ratio would be? It's a 20 gal tank. 

The guy at my LFS, said that they eat 10x their weight in algae every day... is this correct?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I doubt that they eat that much. Amano's don't weigh much, but algae is extremely low density. When I had some they did a great job on the algae, but I don't think it was ten times their weight a day.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

They certainly don't eat that much, but they do eat a lot. They manage algae pretty well. I would go with 10-15 in a 20 gallon. 

I just picked some up this weekend. I haven't seen even one in the open yet. So that's another reason to consider more than 10...if you want to see them.

-John N.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I keep three amanos (1 female, 2 males) in a 10g and they are always out and about. I've had them for almost 2 years now and the female is huge.
One of the males had an eye missing when I bought him but he manages fine with just the other.

I don't keep any fish in this tank apart from a bn plec so perhaps that's why they don't hide.


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## Musket (Jun 7, 2006)

so... how many did you end up getting. How is it working out? I was thinking of getting one or two only. DOn't they get a little large?
Does anyone know if they co-habitat well with ghost shrimp?


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Musket they'll be excellent with Ghost shrimp, and they do get large compared to cherry shrimp; about 1.5 inches max. I personally think for shrimp I would go with 1 shrimp per one or two gallons..for tanks larger than 10 gallons. Just because they hide very well, and if you want to catch a glimpse of one, you'll want many chances...

For nano tanks, it's a little different since you probably can find it easier.

-John N.


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## Musket (Jun 7, 2006)

Thanks for that info John. 
This particular tank I was thinking is a 10g, that's why I was going with such a small #. I have other bigger tanks, but am still deciding what to do with them shrimp wise.


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## Chondro (Apr 12, 2006)

Well, my LFS only got in 6 shrimp, so I bought all of them... see the pics below... can anyone confirm that these are the right kind of shrimp? As you can see, they have ALOT of algae to eat!


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

To me that doesn't look exactly like an amano, and instead more like a ghost shrimp, or maybe something else. Hard to tell. Amano shrimp that I have and seen look like this one from shrimpnow:










-John N.


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## Chondro (Apr 12, 2006)

that's what I was afraid of! They were only .99 each, so I was questioning if they were the real thing.

I just noticed that they have little red tips on their antennea and pinchers if that will help with the id....


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I think it looks like the second Picture below. Pictures are from freshwaterinverts.com









_Macrobrachium amazonicum_ - Giant Amazon River Prawn









_Macrobrachium sp"Yellow Banded"_

-John N.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Chondro said:


> that's what I was afraid of! They were only .99 each, so I was questioning if they were the real thing.
> 
> I just noticed that they have little red tips on their antennea and pinchers if that will help with the id....


Looks like a macrobium species.

Pedro


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## Chondro (Apr 12, 2006)

do they eat algae?


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Shrimp eat everything include algae. I'm sure they do. Have you noticed them eat inside your tank? I think you would have first hand experience since you got them. Let us know if they do. 

-John N.


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## Veneer (Jun 12, 2005)

They look like regular ghost shrimp (North American _Palaemonetes_ sp.) to me. At any rate, it's very unlikely that any imported shrimp would be sold so cheaply.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

he said they have pinchers though. Regular ghost shrimp would not have pinchers, right?


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## Chondro (Apr 12, 2006)

I called the LFS, and he told me that they were the "West Indies" variety of amano shrimp...??? 

They hang out in the algae and appear to be eating, but I cannot tell if they are eating the actual algae or detritus trapped in it.


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## Musket (Jun 7, 2006)

What I was sold as ghost shrimp and am questioning that.. have red tips. some not all. I was wondering if the ones with the red were really ghost shrimp. None that I have ever seen before had red. SOme also have white stripes down their spine. ANyone know about that?


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