Amano Shrimp: Care, Lifespan, Feeding, Algae Eating, Size, ...

Some people would never get Amano shrimp in the aquarium; others cannot imagine a tank without shrimp. No matter how you face the filigree “crawling animals”, it is certain that in the aquarium – just as in nature – they have important tasks to maintain the ecosystem.

Common Name	Amano Shrimp
Scientific Name	Caridina multidentata
Family	Atyidae
Care Level	Easy
Color	Transparent body with a slight white opacity
Size	2″
Lifespan	2-3 Years
Diet	Omnivore
Suggested Tank Size	20 gallons
Water Temperature Requirements	70° – 78°F
pH Requirements	6.5 – 7.5
Temperament & Compatibility	Peaceful
Breeding	Hard

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Appearance: The appearance of the Amano shrimp

The bodies of the Amano shrimp are see-through-transparent with small dots. Depending on the nature of the water, the animals appear greenish to even reddish translucent. Adult females are about 7cm long with legs about two centimetres long. The males can hardly be distinguished visually because they are only slightly smaller.

Attitude: what to look out for?

As for the water values, the “Amanos” are relatively undemanding. Water hardness of two to 20 degrees German hardness and temperatures between 23 and 27 degrees Celsius are tolerated without problems.

Some sources even speak of extreme values between 15 and 28 degrees Celsius. If possible, the pH value should not rise above 7.5, as otherwise the animals quickly become lethargic and obviously do not feel really well.

The water values in an aquarium inhabited by Amano shrimp should be one thing above all: constant. The shrimp do not like sharp fluctuations at all. Therefore, it is recommended that It is better to change the water more often and with a smaller amount of water (approx. 30 per cent) to keep the water values constant. It is also worth mentioning that Amano shrimp love oxygen-rich water.

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Amano shrimp are peaceful animals that can easily be socialized with peaceful fish of the same size. Caution should be exercised with larger or predatory fish, as the defenceless shrimp can quickly become a welcome snack.

Amano shrimp feel best in groups. There should be at least ten Amanos in an aquarium. Amanos mostly behave inconspicuously in the community aquarium. They sit between plants or on the ground and search their surroundings for food.

When swimming, they are reminiscent of small translucent ghosts that float silently through the water. Amano shrimp are certainly not only the perfect health police but also fascinating creatures that can be watched for hours.

Amano shrimp are clearly older in aquariums than in the wild. If kept well, the life expectancy of Amano shrimp is six to eight years.

Diet: What do Caridina multidentata eat?

Amano shrimp are satisfied with relatively small tanks with an edge length of around 30 centimetres or more. These should not be too bright and have some hiding spots for plants.

If there are no algae in the aquarium, algae tablets or other algae food, such as is commercially available for catfish, should be added. Otherwise, the animals will take care of.

Another possibility is to increase the duration of the lighting in the pool so that some algae form as a food base for the shrimp. Also, other food like flake food, frozen food and even small live food is eaten with pleasure. But algae should not be missing on the menu, as they are the main source of nutrition.

Behaviour: gripping tools in use

The Amano shrimp tirelessly search the tank for something to eat with their delicate grasping tools. Leftovers, dead plant parts and even dead fish are on the menu, but the main source of food is algae.

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It is certainly not least, this property that makes them popular. In the meantime, the Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) can be found more and more frequently in the trade, and many aquariums can no longer be imagined without these hardworking helpers.

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Optimal water values for Amano shrimps

They are quite undemanding in terms of water conditions.

Suitable water values:

Temperature: 16-27 ° C
pH value: 6.0 – 8.0
Total hardness: up to 20 ° DH
Carbon hardness: up to 16 ° DH

Nitrate and nitrite should be kept in mind, but ammonia plays an even bigger role! Nitrogen in the water is poison for Amanos. Then you get a kind of rigid joint, like a knight with rusty armour. Unfortunately, that’s not as funny as it sounds, it’s deadly. When the animals turn milky white, there is no more chance.

Amano shrimp are sensitive to heavy metals, especially copper. Therefore, care should be taken when giving medication in the community pool.

Fertilizer wool or lead rings from plants should be removed.

Amano shrimp, like all shrimp, seem to depend on a certain minimum amount of iodine in the water. Otherwise, there will be difficulties with moulting. But Germany is a designated iodine deficiency area. In the case of moulting problems, the addition of iodine can be useful.

Breeding: The propagation of Amano shrimps

In contrast to keeping the Amano shrimp, breeding is quite laborious. While the adult shrimp are native to freshwater areas, the larvae develop in brackish water. In nature, as soon as they hatch, the young drift with the current into the saltier estuarine waters.

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When their development is complete, the Amano shrimp return to freshwater areas, because of this, two different tanks are required for breeding Amano shrimp.

This is how Amano shrimp farming works:

First, you put the female in the separate (still freshwater) tank before the larvae hatch
After all the young animals have hatched, the mother animal is placed in the original tank
Now the second basin has to be salted with special seawater salt because this is the only way for Amano shrimp to develop completely
After about 40 days, the development is complete, and the shrimp can be transferred to the original tank

Alternatively, you can let the shrimp hatch in the freshwater pool, then carefully suck them off and place them in the prepared brackish pool.