As an aquarist, you’ll probably be familiar with fish tank algae. A few algae are a good thing but too many can lead to problems. Fortunately, there are a few shrimp algae eater that loves to eat algae.
After extensive research, we’ve included a selection of popular shrimp algae eater that is suitable for aquariums. But before we start our list, let’s address a basic question:
Note: If you are interested in small algae eating fish, please have a look at this article.
Do Shrimps Eat Algae?
Yes, Shrimps do eat fish tank algae. However, they will not necessarily get rid of all the algae in your tank because they also eat other things. In most cases, shrimp will only eat the algae if there are no other foods available to them. It is not unusual for shrimp to starve themselves before consuming any tank’s algae. If you want your shrimp to eat the algae in your tank then you should make sure that there is plenty of other food available for them to consume first. You should also be careful that you don’t overfeed your shrimp as this can cause problems such as bloating and even death in some cases.
6 Popular Shrimp Algae Eater
Here are some of the most popular shrimp algae eater, and why they’re great.
Remember to choose according to the size of your tank. All of these shrimp eat algae, but some will get bigger than others.
1- Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis)
While the Bamboo Shrimp is not a widely known aquarium species, it is one that deserves more attention. Atyopsis moluccensis is an excellent algae eater for large community tanks.
The Bamboo Shrimp is non-aggressive and can be combined with other algae eaters and scavengers such as the Bristlenose Pleco or Otocinclus Catfish. If you want to keep more than one Bamboo Shrimp in your tank, be sure to provide plenty of hiding places as they are very territorial and will fight each other.
Bamboo Shrimp are filter feeders that use their fans to filter out tiny food particles from the water. These algae eating shrimp have a lifespan of around 1 year and grow to be about 2 inches long. They can live in aquariums as small as 10 gallons, but larger tanks will allow them to grow larger and healthier.
2- Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentata)
Amano shrimp algae eaters are sold under a number of different names including Yamato shrimp, Japanese marsh shrimp, and algae eating shrimp. They are one of the best algae eaters available for freshwater aquariums. Amano shrimp are hardy and non-aggressive and will breed readily in a well-established tank with plenty of algae to feed on. They can grow up to 2 inches in length, and their bodies can be transparent or translucent with white and brown markings on their backs.
Amano shrimp are originally from Japan where they have been used to control algae in ponds and rice paddies since the 1930s. In the 1980s Takashi Amano popularized the use of these shrimps in freshwater aquariums. He used them to monitor water quality because they would die if ammonia levels rose above 0.5 ppm, or nitrite levels rose above 1 ppm. The shrimps would also die if the pH rose above 8 or dropped below 6.
These days hobbyists use Amano shrimps primarily to eat algae and other unwanted plant matter off their plants, glass, and decorations.
But wait a minute, Do Amano shrimp eat hair algae too?
And the answer is Yes, Amano shrimp do eat fish tank hair algae. In fact, they are the most suitable option for removing hair algae from your aquarium. Please keep in mind, If you have a thick carpet of hair algae, then you may want to get more than a few Amanos to keep up with the problem.
3- Ghost Shrimp (Palaemonetes sp)
So you already have a ghost shrimp or maybe you are about to buy one but you wanna know “Will Ghost Shrimp Eat Algae Of Your Fish Tank?”. There you go you got your answer, Ghost Shrimp is also a great algae eater that is suitable for almost every community aquarium.
It has a transparent body with light brown or red markings on it. The eyes are also red and there is a light-colored stripe on its back. These algae eating shrimp can grow up to 2 inches in length and they usually live around 1 year but can live longer if they are well taken care of. And ofcourse They are also great for algae eating and will help keep your tank clean.
The Ghost Shrimp is easy to care for and requires minimal maintenance. These shrimps are perfect for beginner aquarists because they won’t cause any problems in the aquarium. They are not aggressive and will not harm other fish or invertebrates so they can be kept with other species without any issues as long as you provide enough food for everyone in the tank. Also, being scavengers these algae eating shrimp will eat any leftover food that falls to the bottom of your tank.
4- Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocardidina denticulata Sinensis)
The Red Cherry Shrimp is one of the most popular freshwater shrimp in the hobby and they are pleasing algae eaters as well. It is a very hardy shrimp; it has long been known for its durability, ease of care, and breeding.
Red Cherry Shrimp algae eater is the most common aquarium shrimp in the hobby and is an excellent way to get started with shrimp keeping. They are easy to keep and breed in an established freshwater aquarium. They come in a wide variety of colors, red being the most plentiful and thus cheapest, while yellow, orange, white, blue, and black are also available. Black shrimps have several names such as “Black King Kong” and “Black Pearl”.
Red Cherry shrimp algae eater has been bred in captivity for many years and is generally hardy and easy to care for. They will eat algae as well as uneaten food that has settled at the bottom of your tank. They breed very rapidly.
The more common, male cherry shrimp are smaller than females and give birth to live young after mating, like most other forms of shrimp species.
In their native habitat, cherry shrimp have been found in lakes, ponds, and streams with a pH range between 6-8, with 7 being ideal.
5- Crystal Red Shrimp
Crystal Red Shrimp are excellent algae eaters and they will keep your tank clean and tidy. They are excellent scavengers who do not discriminate when it comes to food. They will eat just about anything! They also do not tend to pick at their tank mates, so they can be kept with many types of fish.
They get along well with most other shrimp and snails, however, they will interbreed with other species which is not good as the offspring will be weak and susceptible to disease.
They are very peaceful in nature and are best kept in a group of 5 or more shrimp in a mature aquarium. Unlike some species of shrimp, Crystal Red Shrimp do not need brackish water or salt added to the aquarium.
Although Crystal Red Shrimp are easy to care for, they can be susceptible to disease if the aquarium water is not kept clean. In addition, these shrimp can sometimes be difficult to find in stores because they do not breed easily and have a short lifespan (about one year).
6- Rudolph Shrimp
Rudolph Shrimp is a very active scavenger that is an excellent addition to any freshwater aquarium. It feeds on all types of algae and will also feed on many types of prepared foods. The Rudolph Shrimp has several color varieties that it may turn into depending on the environment in which it lives. As hardy algae eating shrimp, Rudolph Shrimp will do best in an aquarium with plenty of hiding places and live plants.
Rudolph Shrimp are peaceful community shrimp with other species, but are active and can be territorial towards others of their own kind. They may even attack each other if overstocked in the aquarium. If housing more than one, it is recommended to have multiple females for every male. Rudolph Shrimp are very good at eating excess food and algae off the bottom of the aquarium.
Which Is The Best Shrimp Algae Eater?
If you take my opinion, I would recommend Amano Shrimp. Because When it comes to shrimp algae eater, Amano Shrimp is the undisputed king of the tank. These guys can eat a lot more waste than other types of shrimp, and they don’t mind eating leftovers. They’re easy to care for and they have a pretty good lifespan. They are best kept in groups of at least six, in tanks that are at least 15 gallons. Like all shrimp, these little guys are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations and ammonia spikes, so be sure you’ve got an established tank before bringing some in!
Bamboo Shrimp might be better for you if you’re looking for something a bit smaller. they’re much smaller than their Amano cousins. Bamboo Shrimp don’t eat as much algae as the Amano shrimps, but they do have specialized filtering claws that make them great cleaners.
Can Shrimp Survive On Algae?
The answer is No, Shrimp can’t survive just by eating fish tank algae only. Although algae contain many of the vitamins and minerals that shrimp need to survive, it doesn’t provide all the nutrients a shrimp needs. Shrimp also need protein in their diet, which they get from eating meat.
Algae is considered a plant, and many plant foods contain Vitamin A and Vitamin C, along with calcium and iron. However, if you only feed your shrimp algae, they will eventually become malnourished because they won’t be getting the animal protein they need in their diet.
You should never feed your shrimp only algae because it doesn’t contain any animal protein. You should always supplement your shrimp’s diet with animal protein in addition to algae so they are able to grow and stay healthy.
Can Shrimp Live With Algae Eater Fish?
For a shrimp to live with an algae eater fish in the same tank, you need some amount of luck. If you have luck then your shrimp will be safe and the algae eater will not disturb it. If you are unlucky then the algae eater fish will eat the shrimp or disturb it so much that the shrimp will not feel safe in its territory. The algae eaters have different habits and nature. They can be very calm and gentle or they can be very aggressive. So, it is difficult to predict what your algae eating fish will do in your tank with your shrimp.
If you want to make sure that your shrimp live safely with the algae eater then you should take some precautions before putting them together in the same tank. You can put some plants and rocks in the aquarium so that the algae eater does not disturb and harass the shrimp all the time. Moreover, you should also keep a watch on their behavior for at least a few days after putting them together to check if they are having any problems with each other or not.
Will Siamese Algae Eater Eat Shrimp?
With enough room, Siamese Algae Eater and shrimp can live in the same fish tank. However, there is a chance that the Siamese Algae Eater will eat your shrimp.
Siamese Algae Eaters can get 18 inches long and they are aggressive fish. As they grow bigger, they will become more aggressive and territorial. They start with algae eating and then move on to other things like snails and shrimp.
If you want to raise Siamese Algae Eaters with shrimp, you will have to make sure that your tank is big enough for them to coexist without having much trouble. Another thing that you can do is make sure that your Siamese Algae Eaters are not getting hungry by giving them algae wafers or green vegetables like lettuce. If they are getting enough food from your tank, they will not harm your shrimp.
Will Chinese Algae Eater Eat Shrimp?
Not necessarily, Chinese algae eaters can live with shrimp. In fact, they are quite beneficial to have in your tank as long as you’re keeping the correct species of shrimp. The Chinese algae eater and shrimp will make a good combination of algae eaters because They eat algae for their entire life and will eventually help you get rid of algae from your fish tank (not completely).
However, this doesn’t mean you should just throw a bunch of shrimp in with them and call it a day. There are some precautions you will need to take if you want to keep both shrimp and Chinese algae eaters together successfully. First off, you need to make sure you get the right type of shrimp because some species will end up being eaten by the Chinese algae eaters.
Second, when you first introduce them they might fight each other since they are two completely different animals but once they grow accustomed to each other they should get along fine.
Final Thoughts
Based on the above information, it’s important to note that selecting a good algae eater shrimp is a straightforward task but please do not assume that every single species of shrimp out there will work for you in your very specific situation. Some may be great at eating a lot of algae but may find themselves without enough food or a suitable living environment to thrive in. Again, this will depend on what type of environment you provide for them and the types of food you plan on offering them.
Please let us know in the comments which one of these you liked the most.