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Opae ula

Hawaiian Red Shrimp - Opae ula Halocaridina rubra

Substrate Scrapers (Atyid Shrimp)

All the shrimp varieties listed below are omnivorous shrimp that consume algae, detritus, microorganisms and dead animals in their natural habitats. Their claws are especially well suited for grazing microorganisms and algae. All of these shrimp can be kept in groups since they do not display any aggressive behavior toward each other. Special care has to be taken when planning to keep two or more species together in one tank, since some of the species below can and will hybridize. Except for the Hawaiian Red Shrimp all the other shrimp are pure freshwater shrimp. For more information and larger pictures click on the species name.

Blue tail shrimp Caridina caerulea

Caridina sulawesi Caridina sulawesi

Malawa Shrimp Caridina pareparensis parvidentata

Malaya Shrimp Caridina sp.

Dark Green Shrimp Caridina sp.

Neocaridina sp. "blue" Neocaridina sp. "blue"

Snowball Shrimp Neocaridina sp.

"Wild Snowball Shrimp" Neocaridina sp.

Red Cherry Shrimp Neocaridina denticulata sinensis "red"

Crystal Red Shrimp Caridina sp. "Crystal Red"

Bumblebee Shrimp Caridina sp. "Bumblebee"

Bee Shrimp Caridina sp. "Bee"

Tiger Shrimp Caridina sp. "Tiger"

Green Shrimp Caridina sp.

Chinese Zebra Shrimp Caridina sp. "Chinese Zebra"

Sri Lanka Dwarf Shrimp Caridina simoni simoni

Indian Dwarf Shrimp Caridina sp.

Indian Whitebanded Shrimp Caridina sp.

Red Nose Shrimp Caridina gracilirostris

Yellow Nose Shrimp Xiphocaris elongata

"Ninja" Shrimp Caridina serratirostris

Amano Shrimp Caridina japonica

General Palaemonid Shrimp (normal size claws)

These shrimp are not primarily algae and microorganism eaters, but eat detritus and bigger particulate matter of both animal and plant origin in their natural habitats. In the aquarium they will do great on pellet and flake food and even eat some types of algae (primarily string and hair algae). Some of these shrimp get quite large, however the shrimp I have listed here will stay small ( usually around 5cm or below) and will not harm any other tank inhabitants. These shrimp have a lot of personality and are fun to watch for hours on end.

Amazon Glass Shrimp Palaemonetes sp. (most likely Palaemonetes ivonicus)

American Freshwater Glass Shrimp Palaemonetes paludosus

Pearl Shrimp/Sand Shrimp Arochnochium kulsiense

Macrobrachium Type Palaemonid Shrimp (Longarm Shrimp)

Macrobrachium (Palaemonidae) shrimp, or short macros, are probably the most interesting shrimp species available. They are truly the Cichlids of the shrimp world displaying similarly interesting behavior (including territorial behavior). They are easily recognizable by their robust claws, which are quite long in the males. Many Macrobrachium species are aggressive both toward each other and other species of shrimp and fish, however there are still many that can be kept in pairs or small groups in the home aquarium. Although there are hundreds of Macrobrachium species with attractive coloration, they are not commonly available in the hobby.

Fuzzy Claw Macro Macrobrachium eriocheirum

Red Claw Macro Macrobrachium sp. (hendersoni group species complex)

Rusty Macro Macrobrachium sp.

Macrobrachium faustinum Macrobrachium faustinum

Filter Feeding Shrimp (Atyid Shrimp)

The shrimp in this category have specialized claws, which allow them to filter microorganisms and small organic particles out of the water column. Their sizes range from just an inch to over 6 inches depending on the species. Due to their filter feeding lifestyle these shrimp all need water movement in their environment. In the aquarium this can me achieved by installing a powerhead or similar pump. The most familiar shrimp to auqarists from this group is the "Bamboo Shrimp" or "Wood Shrimp", Atya moluccensis.

Asian Filter Shrimp Atyopsis moluccensis

Giant African Filter Shrimp Atya gabonensis

Caribbean Dwarf Filter Shrimp Micratya poeyi