Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp Owner Essentials: Complete Equipment Guide

Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and trust for my shrimp tanks.

If you’re setting up a shrimp tank for the first time, you’re probably overwhelmed by conflicting advice. Some say you need expensive equipment, others claim shrimp are “easy” with minimal setup.

Here’s the truth: Shrimp are sensitive to water quality, but once you dial in the basics, they’re incredibly rewarding to keep.

I’ve been keeping freshwater shrimp for years—Cherry Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp, and more. This guide breaks down exactly what you need, what works, and what’s a waste of money.

Jump to what you need:

Quick Navigation: What Shrimp Species Need

  • Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina): Hardy, breed easily, tolerate wider parameters (65-80°F, pH 6.5-8.0)
  • Amano Shrimp: Excellent algae eaters, need pristine water, don’t breed in freshwater
  • Ghost Shrimp: Super cheap, good starter shrimp, some can be aggressive
  • Crystal Red/Black Shrimp (Caridina): Beautiful but sensitive, need specific parameters (70-76°F, pH 6.0-6.8)

This guide focuses on beginner-friendly Neocaridina (Cherry Shrimp varieties) and Amano Shrimp, with notes on what changes for Caridina species.

Tanks & Aquariums

My Top Pick: Aqueon Aquarium 10 Gallon

For shrimp, a 10-gallon tank is the sweet spot. It’s big enough to maintain stable water parameters (critical for shrimp) but small enough to manage easily. You can keep 50-100 shrimp comfortably in a 10-gallon.

Why 10 gallons?

  • Stable water parameters (smaller tanks swing wildly with temperature/pH changes)
  • Room for a healthy colony to grow
  • Easier to aquascape with plants and hiding spots
  • Still fits on most furniture

Can you go smaller? Yes, 5-gallon tanks work for small colonies (10-20 shrimp), but they require more frequent water changes and careful monitoring.

What about larger tanks? If you have space, a 20-gallon long is phenomenal for shrimp. More swimming space, even more stable parameters, and you can keep multiple shrimp species or add tank mates.

Budget Alternative: Any standard glass aquarium works. Avoid acrylic—it scratches easily when you’re cleaning algae.

Filters

My Top Pick: Pawfly Sponge Filter with Air Pump

Shrimp need gentle filtration. Standard hang-on-back (HOB) filters can suck up baby shrimp, which defeats the purpose if you want to breed them.

Sponge filters are perfect for shrimp because:

  • They won’t suck up babies
  • They provide biological filtration (beneficial bacteria colonize the sponge)
  • They’re cheap and nearly impossible to break
  • They double as feeding stations (shrimp graze on the biofilm)

What you need:

  1. Sponge filter (size depends on tank—small for 5-10 gallons, medium for 20+)
  2. Air pump (Tetra Whisper or similar)
  3. Airline tubing
  4. Check valve (prevents water from back-siphoning into the pump)

Alternative: Matten Filter (foam wall filter) – Advanced setup but amazing for breeding. You basically cover one wall of the tank with foam. Babies are 100% safe.

What about HOB filters? If you already have one, you can use it BUT you MUST cover the intake with a pre-filter sponge or fine mesh. Otherwise, baby shrimp will get sucked in and killed.

Internal Filters? Same rule—cover the intake. The pawply filter works well for shrimp if you want something small and hidden.

Heaters

My Top Pick: Aqueon Pro Heater (50W for 10 gallons)

Most beginner shrimp (Cherry, Amano, Ghost) tolerate room temperature just fine if you live somewhere with stable indoor temps. But if your house drops below 65°F or you’re keeping Caridina shrimp, you need a heater.

  • Cherry Shrimp: 65-80°F (can handle room temp in most homes)
  • Amano Shrimp: 70-80°F (prefer warmer)
  • Caridina (Crystal Shrimp): 70-76°F (sensitive, need precise temps)

Why I like the Aqueon Pro:

  • Accurate and reliable (cheap heaters can swing temps)
  • Fully submersible
  • Has an LED indicator so you know when it’s heating

Sizing: 50W for 10 gallons, 100W for 20 gallons.

Pro Tip: If you’re serious about shrimp breeding (especially Caridina), get a titanium heater with external controller. They’re expensive but ultra-precise. For beginners, the Aqueon Pro is more than enough.

Budget Alternative: Hygger or Freesea adjustable heaters. Cheaper but less reliable long-term.

Substrate

For Neocaridina (Cherry Shrimp): Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum

Shrimp love to forage in the substrate. You want something that supports plant growth (plants = happy shrimp) and doesn’t mess with water parameters.

Best options:

  • Fluval Stratum – Lightweight, plant-friendly, looks natural. It will slightly lower pH (good for Caridina, fine for Cherry Shrimp).
  • Eco-Complete – Heavier, nutrient-rich, doesn’t affect pH as much.
  • Play sand or fine gravel – Budget option. Works fine, but doesn’t support plants as well.

For Caridina (Crystal Shrimp): Active Substrate (buffering soil)

Caridina shrimp need soft, acidic water (pH 6.0-6.8). Active substrates like ADA Amazonia or Controsoil actively buffer the water to maintain low pH and soft water. They’re expensive but essential for Caridina.

What to avoid:

  • Crushed coral or aragonite (raises pH—bad for most shrimp)
  • Sharp gravel (can damage shrimp when molting)

Depth: 1-2 inches is plenty for shrimp tanks.

Water Parameters & Testing

My Top Pick: API Freshwater Master Test Kit

Shrimp are sensitive. You NEED to test your water regularly, especially in the first few months.

What to test:

  • pH – Cherry: 6.5-8.0 | Caridina: 6.0-6.8
  • Ammonia – Must be 0 (toxic to shrimp)
  • Nitrite – Must be 0 (toxic to shrimp)
  • Nitrate – Keep under 20 ppm
  • GH (General Hardness) – Cherry: 4-8 dGH | Caridina: 4-6 dGH
  • KH (Carbonate Hardness) – Cherry: 3-6 dKH | Caridina: 0-2 dKH

API Master Test Kit covers pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. For GH/KH, you’ll need separate tests (API GH & KH Test Kit).

TDS Meter (Total Dissolved Solids): If you’re keeping Caridina, get a cheap TDS meter. Caridina need TDS between 100-200 ppm. Cherry Shrimp are more flexible (150-300 ppm).

How often to test:

  • First month: Every other day
  • After tank is cycled: Once a week
  • Once established: Every 2 weeks or if shrimp start dying

Food & Nutrition

My Top Pick: Hikari Shrimp Cuisine

Shrimp are scavengers. They eat algae, biofilm, decaying plant matter, and leftover fish food. But if you want a thriving, breeding colony, you need to supplement their diet.

Best shrimp foods:

  1. Hikari Shrimp Cuisine – Sinking pellets, balanced nutrition, doesn’t cloud water
  2. Bacter AE – Powdered bacteria/biofilm booster (AMAZING for baby shrimp survival)
  3. Blanched vegetables – Zucchini, spinach, cucumber (remove after 24 hours)
  4. Algae wafers – Omega One or Hikari
  5. Protein treats – Bloodworms or brine shrimp (once a week max)

Feeding schedule:

  • Feed small amounts 2-3 times per week
  • Only feed what they can consume in 2-3 hours
  • Overfeeding = ammonia spike = dead shrimp

Pro Tip: Drop a small piece of blanched zucchini in the tank. If 20+ shrimp swarm it within minutes, they’re hungry. If they ignore it, you’re feeding enough.

What about calcium? Shrimp need calcium to molt properly. Add cuttlebone or Wonder Shells to the tank. They’ll slowly dissolve and provide calcium. You can also feed Shrimp King Mineral occasionally.

Plants & Decorations

Best Plants for Shrimp Tanks:

Shrimp LOVE heavily planted tanks. Plants provide hiding spots, grazing surfaces (biofilm), and help keep water clean.

Top picks:

  1. Java Moss – Shrimp breeding heaven. Babies hide in it. Easy to grow.
  2. Java Fern – Low-light, hardy, provides shade
  3. Anubias – Indestructible, shrimp graze on the leaves
  4. Marimo Moss Balls – Cute, easy, shrimp love them
  5. Hornwort – Fast-growing, absorbs nitrates, provides cover
  6. Dwarf Hairgrass or Monte Carlo – Carpeting plants for foreground

Driftwood & Rocks:

What to avoid:

  • Sharp decorations (shrimp molt and are vulnerable)
  • Anything that leaches chemicals (painted rocks, cheap plastic)
  • Driftwood that hasn’t been cured (can spike tannins too high)

Breeding Supplies

If You Want to Breed Shrimp (and you probably will—they breed like crazy):

What you need:

  1. Sponge filter (already covered—essential to keep babies safe)
  2. Indian Almond Leaves or Alder Cones – Release tannins that promote breeding and prevent bacterial infections
  3. Biofilm boosters – Bacter AE is gold for keeping babies alive
  4. Hiding spots – Java moss, cholla wood, leaf litter

Breeding happens automatically if:

  • Water parameters are stable
  • Temperature is in range
  • Plenty of food and biofilm
  • Mature shrimp (3-4 months old)

Cherry Shrimp are the easiest to breed. Amano Shrimp need brackish water for babies to survive (most beginners skip this). Caridina will breed if you maintain precise parameters.

Water Treatment

My Top Pick: Seachem Prime

Tap water contains chlorine and chloramine (both toxic to shrimp). You MUST use a water conditioner during water changes.

Why Seachem Prime?

  • Removes chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals
  • Detoxifies ammonia and nitrite (lifesaver during cycling)
  • A little goes a long way (1 capful treats 50 gallons)

Alternative: API Stress Coat (also adds aloe to reduce stress)

RO/DI Water for Advanced Keepers:

If you’re serious about Caridina shrimp, consider using RO/DI (reverse osmosis) water and remineralizing it with Salty Shrimp GH/KH+ or SL-Aqua. This gives you 100% control over water parameters.

For Cherry Shrimp, tap water + Prime is fine.

Maintenance Tools

What you need to keep your shrimp tank clean:

  1. Turkey baster or pipette – Spot-clean waste and uneaten food without disturbing shrimp
  2. Small aquarium vacuum – For gravel/substrate cleaning during water changes (be gentle—shrimp can get sucked up)
  3. Algae scraper – Keep glass clean
  4. 5-gallon bucket – For water changes
  5. Thermometer – Stick-on or floating

Water change schedule:

  • First month: 10-15% weekly
  • Established tank: 20-30% every 2 weeks

Pro Tip: ALWAYS match temperature and pH when doing water changes. Sudden swings = mass molting = dead shrimp.

Complete Shopping List (Priority Order)

Must-Have (Start Here):

  1. 10-gallon glass aquarium
  2. Sponge filter + air pump + tubing
  3. Heater (if needed)
  4. Substrate (Fluval Stratum or similar)
  5. Seachem Prime
  6. API Master Test Kit
  7. LED light (clip-on or hood)

Important (Add Next):

  1. Plants (Java Moss, Anubias, Java Fern)
  2. Hikari Shrimp Cuisine
  3. Bacter AE (for breeding)
  4. Indian Almond Leaves
  5. Cuttlebone or Wonder Shell (calcium)
  6. Thermometer

Nice to Have:

  1. GH/KH Test Kit
  2. TDS Meter (Caridina keepers need this)
  3. Cholla wood
  4. Turkey baster
  5. Marimo moss balls

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not cycling the tank first – Shrimp are sensitive. Cycle your tank for 4-6 weeks before adding shrimp.

2. Using a filter that sucks up babies – Always use a sponge filter or cover intakes.

3. Overfeeding – More shrimp die from overfeeding (ammonia spike) than underfeeding.

4. Drastic water changes – Never change more than 30% at once. Match temperature and pH.

5. Mixing incompatible shrimp – Neocaridina (Cherry) and Caridina (Crystal) have different needs. Don’t mix them.

6. Adding shrimp to an uncycled tank – They’ll die within days from ammonia poisoning.

My Maintenance Schedule

Daily:

  • Check temperature
  • Observe shrimp behavior (are they active? hiding? molting?)

Every 2-3 days:

  • Small feeding (1-2 pellets or small veggie piece)

Weekly:

  • Remove uneaten food
  • Check water parameters (first month)

Every 2 weeks:

  • 20-30% water change
  • Test water parameters

Monthly:

  • Clean sponge filter (rinse in tank water, NOT tap water)
  • Trim plants
  • Replace Indian Almond Leaves

Final Thoughts

Shrimp keeping is simple once you nail the basics:

  1. Stable water = happy shrimp
  2. Don’t overfeed
  3. Use a sponge filter
  4. Keep it planted

Start with Cherry Shrimp—they’re hardy, breed easily, and come in amazing colors (red, blue, orange, yellow). Once you’ve got a thriving colony, you can branch out to Amano or try Caridina.