Bamboo Shrimp – 13 Things You Most Likely Didn’t Know About

Introduction

People usually look towards invertebrates as a means to increase interest in their aquarium. Bamboo Shrimp is a common species which can surely accomplish this.

They have unique behaviors that aren’t seen in fish, or any of the other shrimp species. The method they filter food is particularly attractive.

They are extremely easy to take care of, so even novices are able to give them a try. It’s all about creating a safe environment that is essential for all aquatic pets.

We’ve compiled all the necessary information in taking care of Bamboo Shrimp. We’ll go over things such as their preferences for tank conditions, ideal tank friends, the food they consume and more.

Overview

Bamboo Shrimp is a common sight in freshwater aquariums, especially now that keeping invertebrates is becoming more commonplace.

They are popular and tend to be bred and therefore should be available in the pet stores near your home. If you are unable to find one, then search the internet for shops which carry the breed.

Their prices can vary based on the size of the shrimp. Smaller shrimp are typically in the $3 to $6 range.

If you are looking for this species you may find it listed under a variety of various names. They are Asian Filter Feeding Shrimp, Fan Shrimp, Flower Shrimp, Singapore Flower Shrimp, Singapore Shrimp, Singapore Wood Shrimp as well as Wood Shrimp.

The scientific name of Bamboo Shrimp is Atyopsis moluccensis. They are crustaceans that belong into the Atyidae family.

The sole other species of the genus is atyopsis spinipes. Both species are very similar in appearance and are easily mistaken for each other. The most significant difference is in the number of teeth that are on the side of the rostrum that is below (A. Moluccensis has more than 6)

Bamboo shrimp are indigenous to Southeast Asia. There are many populations throughout the mainland of India and also in islands like Sri Lanka and the Samoan Islands.

These areas offer a warm tropical habitat that must be recreated in order to keep healthy shrimp in the home. If maintained properly the bamboo shrimp can last for up to two years. Some shrimp may survive even longer.

Do not be discouraged if you see a few suffer a death shortly after being brought into the tank. It could happen because of the strain of transportation or the shock caused by new water conditions.

Check that any shrimp you purchase has all of their antennae and legs. They must have a lot of energy and show their colors.

Typical Behavior

As with most shrimp species, Bamboo Shrimp are tranquil and non-aggressive tank friends, which is ideal for peaceful communities.

They tend to remain quiet in a constant search for food. You’ll see them navigating the different surfaces of your aquarium in search of a spot where they can remove food particles from the water.

You can expect your shrimp to change every few months. This is an important step which ensures that they have an exoskeleton that is strong when they develop.

The process creates the molted shell lying on an infected bottom tank. Don’t fall for the illusion that it’s a dead shrimp!

It is possible to keep it in your tank for a couple of days to determine if the fish take it in for nutrition, but it should be removed if they don’t want to.

When a fish is close to molt, it typically is hidden behind decorations or plants for a few days in order to protect itself when it is at risk.

Always check for hiding shrimp, since this behavior may indicate something is not right (which we’ll discuss in a moment).

Appearance

Bamboo Shrimp may not boast a variety of vibrant colors and patterns, however this doesn’t mean they cannot have a significant impact on the appearance and aesthetics of your aquarium.

The majority of shrimp are between reddish and brown; however, their color is subject to fluctuation. Sometimes, their color changes to either orange or green but this isn’t necessarily a signal that something isn’t right.

There is a chance that your shrimp turn pale from time to time. This could be caused by a variety of different reasons. It could be that they’re stressed, and the change in color would be quite brief.

They also appear lighter after molting, and will take a bit longer to develop until the shell has formed and is hardened.

Healthy Bamboo Shrimp can reach up to 2 inches and are usually larger than most people imagine. Its length along their back, they have a light stripe.

Their bodies resemble those of a typical shrimp that’s what most people imagine. There are several fascinating characteristics to keep in mind.

To remove food particles from the water, shrimp are equipped with “fans”. They are positioned against the current to collect food, and then transfer it to their mouths in order to consume it.

The tops of their heads are the eyestalks and antennae that hold the eyes and detect the surroundings.

The body consists of a carapace as well as six abdominal segments. This allows the abdomen to be curved. Sixth segment is known as the tail.

There are some subtle distinctions among males as well as females. Females have a bigger abdomen and longer pleopods. males are thinner.

Males also have a distinct initial pair of legs. They have tiny, robust claws that they utilize during mating.

Habitat and Tank Conditions

If you’ve had fish in the past, then you’ll be aware that their environment has to be perfect to keep them healthy. Shrimp are exactly the same.

To make your Bamboo Shrimp happy, the most effective way is to recreate their natural habitat within the aquarium. We’ll describe the ideal conditions in the future however it’s important to know where they reside out in nature.

The species is indigenous to tropical regions of Southeast Asia, specifically Sri Lanka and in the Samoan Islands, Japan, India and India, and the Malay Peninsula.

They are found in slow-moderately moving rivers and streams. They can be seen in great numbers. However, they enjoy being alone too.

The warm waters are slightly alkaline , and they receive plenty of light.

In the riverbed, in the area where Bamboo Shrimp spend most of their time, there will be a bounty of plants and stones. They provide shelter and also places to rest in order to collect feed.

Knowing their natural habitat can give you a clear picture of the kind of habitat your aquarium should look like.

Then, we’ll go over the details of how to setup your tank.

Tank Conditions

Beginning at the beginning at the bottom of the tank begin to layer the floor with the substrate. The shrimp will be perfect with gravel, however fine sands are the preferred choice of many tropical fish. So, think about the kind of substrate your potential tank companions might require.

Spread decorations, rocks and even plants over the substrate. The Bamboo Shrimp will climb over them in an attempt to locate a stream for feeding on.

They also help because they ensure there is a small amount of vegetation floating in waters for your shrimp to grab and eat.

You’ll need an appliance that can maintain a temperature between 75 and 81 degrees F. The pH is required to be 7.0-7.5.

Filters are essential to keeping the aquarium healthy. Bamboo Shrimp enjoy sponge filters because they can rest on them and benefit from the flow of the inlet of the filter when they feed.

The outlet of the filter should cause enough water to flow through the tank. A pump with air could assist in the issue (and also oxygenate the water) but a water-based pump is too much.

Normal aquarium lighting is good.

What Size Aquarium Do They Need?

The tank should be large enough to allow water to flow through. A 10 gallon tank is acceptable in the event that it is larger than its height since this can create a more powerful flow. The 20-gallon tank or greater is ideal.

In general, the larger the tank is, the more efficient.

How Many Can Be Keeping Per Gallon?

Make sure to provide your shrimp with as much room as is possible. You should aim to have 20 gallons of fresh water for each shrimp.

Tank Mates

These are extremely tranquil crustaceans that are able to be kept with a variety of tank friends.

Natural populations could be used to live in a mix of other fish species and invertebrates which is why they are perfect additions to a serene neighborhood aquarium when kept in captivity.

If you are looking for fish, make sure you choose small-medium species. Shoaling species such as Tetra, Danio, and Guppies are great choices. Some other mid-water swimmers comprise Gouramis as well as Bettas.

If you want to offer your Bamboo Shrimp company in the lower regions, you can select Yoyo Loaches, Kuhli Loaches and Otocinclus Catfish.

Avoid larger fish and Cichlids as they may consider shrimp to be food.

The idea of keeping Bamboo Shrimp alongside other invertebrates is a great option to diversify your tank. It is possible to experiment with other shrimp species (such as Amano Shrimp and Ghost Shrimp) or add some snails (such as Assassin Snails, Nerite Snails or Bladder Snails).

Some freshwater invertebrates are suitable , however, such as crayfish, which could consume your shrimp. Be sure to research the temperament of any tank friends.

Keeping Bamboo Shrimp Together

Bamboo Shrimp get on with one another very well.

Wild, they are encountered in huge numbers. They can be kept together at home, too provided you have space in your tank.

While they’re typically single-minded creatures, they’ll most likely be in a group in the event that you have many people. This isn’t just a common behaviour; they’ll have recognized the same area as a suitable spot to eat filter food.

They will not display aggressive behavior towards one another even though they’re all fighting to get the same spot.

Diet

This species is one of the filter feeders. Once they have found a place that has a moderate flow it is then they sit and then extend their specialized appendages to take out all plants, microorganisms, or fish meal which pass through.

If you pay attention you’ll be able to see them move the appendages towards their mouths every few seconds.

This is the way they obtain the majority of their diet in the wild as well as inside the aquarium. Filter feeding isn’t the only feature found in freshwater shrimp.

This means that the majority of the time , they’ll be completely reliant on themselves. There must be food in the column of water, particularly in the case of adding food to fish.

If the substrate is disturbed, particles of food could be absorbed in the water column, offering additional food. This could occur while cleansing the tank or when a statue was discovered. Your shrimp are likely to increase their activity during these periods.

The presence of vegetation in the tank will also help to ensure that there are plants that are circulating in the aquarium.

The food you include must be of a high-quality. It could be dried food such as high-quality ground-up flakes, frozen foods such as daphnia or live food items like brine shrimp nauplii, or eggs decapsulated.

It’s not often that Bamboo Shrimp will search the bottom of the tank to find food. It’s usually an indication that there’s not enough food available in the tank, and it’s best to feed them regularly.

This is a common occurrence for shrimp that have been added recently since shops are often depleted of stocks. You might need to feed them additional portions in the initial couple of days.

Care

Bamboo shrimps are fairly easy to take care of. They don’t require any particular requirements, and they take after themselves the majority of the time.

But, they require their ideal conditions to be maintained, just like an aquarium pet. Cleansing the tank is crucial including changing the water or wiping out algae.

If you find an old, molting shell then you can put it away for a few days. Sometimes, shrimp will return to eat them since they’re packed with nutrients. Take it off if they don’t seem interested, however.

The same applies to dead shrimp. Sometimes, the remaining shrimp consume the dead tank and mate to gain nutrients. Take the dead shrimp out in the event that it is left alone but.

If you observe that the shrimp has been still for a long period and then it is possible that there is something amiss.

It could be that they are preparing to molt. However, if they’re still not eating or moving after a few days, there is likely to be a problem in the tank.

Utilize a test kit to test the parameters of the environment. You should immediately address any issues. It is recommended to do this each week.

It’s not likely that shrimp will carry or transmit disease as do fish. They can come in a variety of types, such as fungal infections, bacterial infections or parasites.

They can pose a problem when you are trying to raise shrimp.

The infection could be spread by introducing new tank friends from a retailer or even by adding second-hand equipment. If you find an infected person, take care to remove the person who is infected. There are a variety of remedies available to nurse them back to good health.

Before you add any chemicals (such as medication) into your aquarium make sure that they do not contain copper. Copper is toxic for Bamboo Shrimp, and most other invertebrates.

Breeding

Bamboo Shrimp is no easy task. It isn’t the species to select if you are looking to establish a breeding tank or a Shrimp named Ghost Shrimp and Cherry Shrimp are better choices.

The most significant issue is that children require the brackish waters to grow correctly, however adults are unable to endure in brackish water. This makes the transfer of and acclimatization of larvae the brackish waters difficult.

If you’re planning to breed these animals, here’s what you should be aware of.

It is recommended to maintain a male-to-female ratio that is 1:1. They are, fortunately, easy to seduce, as we mentioned in the past.

Females will carry 2000 to 2000 eggs of orange in their abdomen for 30 to 40 days. The eggs are likely to turn brown as they grow before hatching into tiny larvae floating on the water.

The larvae have to be transferred to brackish waters rapidly. The salinity must be at 1.024. They’ll likely die if kept in freshwater for more than a couple of days.

You’ll require a sponge filter to make sure that the tiny larvae aren’t being absorbed by the water.

The choice of a diet for larvae can be a challenge. A small amount of ocean water has been found to be effective.

After 90 days, the larvae will have transformed into a larva, and at this point, they can only swim forward. They will then be released into your primary aquarium However, be sure you get them acclimated to freshwater first, by gradually decreasing the salinity.

The majority of stores that carry Bamboo Shrimp in stores are caught wild because they are hard to breed.

Are Bamboo Shrimp Suitable for your Aquarium?

It is now time to feel at ease in your decision to decide if Bamboo Shrimp is for you. It’s all about your personal preference as Bamboo Shrimp are extremely easy to maintain, meaning anyone can take care of the fish.

The only thing they require more than fish is that they may be required to remove an unmolded shell each and every now and then.

If you’re looking to get some for an established tank, it is important to be aware of whether the conditions for the water and tank friends are appropriate. The majority of peaceful freshwater communities are a good fit.

There are challenges when you attempt to breed the species, but the majority of people are aware that efforts are unsuccessful. Take a look at other species for a breeding tank.

Bamboo Shrimp makes wonderful tank friends and is an excellent option if you have enough space.

Do you consider Bamboo Shrimp your favorite shrimp species? Tell us your reasons via the comment section in the section below…