Ghost Shrimp A to Z Care Guide

Ghost shrimp belongs to a freshwater crustacean. It is also known as glass shrimp and is very popular with fish keepers of all levels of expertise.

They are very easy to care for and a good addition to a tropical community tank containing non-aggressive and small fish.

The life span of Ghost Shrimp is just one year, so they are not for the sentimental fish keepers; however, it makes them more affordable.

Typically they perform two roles, as an efficient tank cleaner or as feeders to larger fish.

Here we will cover everything you require to know about ghost shrimp, including diet, compatibility, care, and a lot more.

Category	Rating
Care Level:	Very Easy
Temperament:	Peaceful Nature
Color Form:	Clear
Lifespan:	Maximum 1 Year
Size:	1.5”
Diet:	Omnivore
Family:	Palaemonidae
Minimum Tank Size:	5 to 10 Gallons
Tank Set-Up:	Tropical Freshwater: Plants and Caves
Compatibility:	Peaceful Small Fish

 

Overview of Ghost Shrimp

 

Originally Ghost shrimp are from the North American region and have been very popular in home aquariums since it is being described in the year 1850.

The name ‘Ghost shrimp’ is used for some various species of shrimp and the most popular of which is the “Ghost Shrimp” freshwater genus. It belongs to the Palaemonetes family.

Here in this article, we will particularly focus on the freshwater Ghost Shrimp.

There are various ghost shrimp species belonging to the Palaemonetes genus. A lot of fish stores only use the common name ‘Ghost Shrimp’.

In these days they could be found all over the world, although a lot of populations are reared in farms to deliver home aquariums or as feeder fish.

Being used as bait by some fishermen, for the fishing industry, the wild populations could be problematic. It is because they work as pests in the aquaculture.

Ghost shrimp make your life a little bit easier in a fish tank. Being a prominent scavenger, they can clean up any unconsumed food and also keeping the level of algae down. The cleaning process will keep the aquarium looking clean. The shrimp do this activity throughout the day and are always busy and active.

The Ghost shrimp’s behavior ranges from cleaning/feeding and free-swimming all around the aquarium.

A group is not important though, an individual shrimp can perform happily in its own way.

At the time of getting your shrimp make sure to check whether they are bred for a home aquarium or as feeder fish. Feeder fish are treated in a poor manner and are unlikely to live as long.

 

The appearance of Ghost Shrimp

As the name “ghost shrimp” suggests, in order to evade predators they are mostly clear in color.

It permits the inner-functioning of their body to be viewed as its food is processed, a big reason as to why these shrimps are an attractive addition to a fish tank.

Various specimens of shrimp can have various colored dots on their backs. They can grow up to roughly 1.5 inches in length, however, the females can become relatively bigger than the males.

The Ghost shrimp possess two types of antenna, one is long and the other is short. These antennae act as sensory organs that help to detect chemical information or tactile such as food or toxins in the water. Also, the antennae have social uses, however, it is less understood.

They have a beak-like extension called a rostrum. The rostrum is between their eyes and in front of the carapace.

But what is carapace? The carapace is a protective hard shell which encases the softer organs of shrimp for defense purpose.

There are six numbers of flexible abdominal segments behind the carapace that house a couple of pleopods “swimming limbs”. The 6^th  abdominal segment connects to their tail, in the center of which is the telson. It is the final segment.

There are four other segments under the telson that embody the uropod. It is forming the iconic tail fan.

 

Ghost Shrimp Lifespan and Molting

As mentioned above, ghost shrimp can survive for around one year, however, it may change depending on the place of origin and the species.

Since they are easy to breed and so cheap, these shrimp are often used in the home aquarium as feeder fish for the bigger species. As a result, they are often kept with poor filtration and in high densities.

This causes them more likely to die while transporting and increases the rate of mortality. For some shrimps, it is common to die within a few days into life in their new aquarium, even though the aquarium is healthy.

Although they have a very short life, the specimens can molt on a regular basis as they grow and eat, becoming very big for their previous shell.

These all depend on how fast they grow and how much they eat and this becomes fairly frequent.

While their old shell is shaded, they will be especially vulnerable until the shrimp’s new shell hardens. While this must not be a reason to worry, don’t be surprised if your ghost shrimp is damaged by the rough behavior from some boisterous fish.

Make sure that your aquarium has plants or crevices for the molting shrimp to hide in.

If you notice a molted shell which is sitting on the sediment its normal to panic and assume this is a dead shrimp, however, with close monitoring, their hollow interior could clearly detect this as a discarded exterior.

When the shell of a shrimp is shed you don’t require to separate it from your fish tank immediately, the reason is they typically become food for another shrimp in your aquarium.

Tropical Fish Care: How to look after tropical fish in your fish tank?

Taking care of fish is not as easy as it sounds, but it can be a wonderful hobby. It is quite different while answering the question ''how to look after tropical fish' then say, having a dog. 

You see a dog can live in an environment quite similar to ours, and does not require a lot of adjustment. 

Now could you imagine a fish walking into your house and being comfortable? Of course not! If you want to take care of fish, you are going to have to do your best to simulate a comfortable home for them.

 

Creating an aquarium environment where they can thrive and be happy doesn't have to be difficult, you just need to be prepared. Aquariums have advanced greatly over the past years and can be practically self sufficient, once they are setup. 

Of course you also need to be well aware of the type of fish that you will have in your environment. Every species is different from each other and has different requirements.

 

I hope you will enjoy our site, we would like to help you get on your way with proper fish care. Please feel free to browse our articles, and be sure to check out Fish Care Secrets Revealed.

 

How do I avoid hardening the water?

If you want to harden your aquarium water, be sure not to add limestone. Limestone is commonly included in aquarium kits. Make sure you avoid it if hardened water is a concern.

 

I Need Help with my pH Test Readings

You will need to be testing your water, to make sure the environment is suitable for your fish. If the pH number is below seven, then the water is acidy. If the figure is higher than seven then the water is alkalinity or alkaline. 

The neutral pH figure is pH7. If the condition of your tank water are higher or below than this figure then your aquarium’s water is extremely alkalinity and/or acidity. If you maintain a right balance of water and temperature, your plants and fish will live long, healthy and strong.

 

Always keep in mind while testing your tank water that tap water has pH7 or pH8 reading generally. If the testing kit reads lower or else higher, this means that the tank water is too acidy or alkaline. 

Always remember that discus from symphysodon aequifasciata specimen enjoys a lot of acidy waters. If you own cichlids from the Rift Valley, these fish mostly prefer alkaline.

 

How do I test the water?

You will need to purchase a test kit. Fortunately, you can purchase test kits online or preferably at your local pet store. Though purchasing online certainly is a lot easier, but if you are not familiar with the types, it is best to purchase at a pet store. 

These kits will tell you what you need to know about the various balances in your water, such as chlorine. should not present in your tank waters; but, the tap water may have chemicals like chlorine. 

Water conditioners are ideal for your tank. You should use water conditioners when you setup your aquarium and every time you refill your tank.

 

Tip: If you use a heater in your aquarium, keep the volume low.

 

Living Room:

This is important to know, especially since this was the first place I wanted to set my aquarium up. A living room is NOT recommended. Since most of the living rooms are highly warm, the fish can feel agitated. 

There is some good news though if you absolutely want them there if you have tropical fish as well as plants you will have fewer problems. Fish and plants from the tropical regions are intended to adapt well to higher room or water temperature. 

To preserve your fish, using a heater in the aquarium can help you, yet you should keep the aquarium heater on a very low volume. Maintaining a decent volume of heat is important to prolong the life of the heater.

 

If you are heating the fish tank, take a simple way out. Heater stats are included in some heaters. It will help you control the heat. The Heater stats thermostatically control the devices, which are attached to the corners of a fish tank. Suction cups can be used to mount the heater. 

A small lamp is present in a heater, which can click on every time the heater is activated and started. If you do not have a regulated heater, make sure to check the temperature every time. Fish are most sensitive to sudden temperature changes.

 

 

Proper Fish Tank Care

There are several pet stores that sell aquariums that include the complete kit for easy set up for customers to simply fill up the tank with water and let the fishes out. 

As aquarium water clouds up a few days, a major cleanup on the aquarium is necessary.

 

With fish tank care, many find the practice of using a vacuum and changing the water by 20-25% effective. But cleaning them this way is not really enough. 

A major clean up on the aquarium is needed to ensure its perfect condition. This even requires taking off the pieces of your aquarium and putting them all back again together.

 

To get started, you have to transfer the fish first to another tank or container that has the same water inside your aquarium so you do not disrupt the temperature setting that the fish is used to. This way, your fish will not be stressed from the transfer.

 

Next, using a pail, slowly drain some water from your aquarium to another holding area and gently start cleaning its parts. This is your sure way that filtration is handled very carefully. 

You have to do this with extra care so you will not destroy the breed of aerobic bacteria in the water that is essential to the life cycle of plants and fishes these species developed in the aquarium. Surely, you do not want to upset its ecosystem.

 

As for your fish tank care accessories, take them out one by one and clean them with soap and water. 

For the glass in the aquarium, use a sponge. Make sure they are all rinsed well and air-dried for 30 to 60 minutes before putting them back into your aquarium.

 

Now that you are almost done cleaning all the pieces, it is time to put everything back together. Start with the filter and then gradually put in the rocks, gravel, and plants. 

For clean freshwater, pour bottled water inside. The remaining water that held the filtration system can be poured back in also so long they are clean and free from floating sediments.

 

Once done, the last thing to do is to put the fish back into the aquarium. But before you do so, check first the temperature of the water with a thermometer to see if the water is of the same degree the fishes are adapted to. 

When the water temperature of the newly cleaned aquarium is the same with the container holding the fish, you can now let the fishes swim back in.

 

Giving your aquarium an overhaul cleaning every two to three months is important. A major clean up of the aquarium usually takes a couple of hours to do if you have a 10-gallon tank. The bigger your aquarium, the more time it takes to clean them up.

 

Fish Tank Sizes: What are The Best Tank Sizes You Need For Your Marine Aquarium?

So, you are amazed at the attractive beauty of a marine aquarium, with the tank's spectacular range of invertebrates and reef fishes thriving in a crystal-clear aquatic world which is the ecological atmosphere of these beautiful creatures.

 

But how will you put up one of these marine aquariums at your residence? Up to recent times, freshwater aquariums are considered the beginner’s choice as they are much easier to set up and maintain than marine tanks.

 

 

However, with advances in technology and breeding methods, even a novice can now try his/her hand at a marine aquarium. To start off, a bigger tank is always better — consider a 40 to 50 gallon tank to begin with.

 

 

A large tank provides much water to allow easier stabilization of water composition, a critical factor for the survival of marine life. In addition, marine fishes generally need more space as they can be quite territorial.

 

 

Here’s a quick way to calculate the volume of a rectangular tank:

1.    Measure the tank’s height, width and depth in inches.

2.    Multiply these 3 numbers together, then multiply the result by 0.0036 to get the tank’s volume in gallons.

3.    Take off about 10% of the calculated volume to compensate for space taken by rockwork and other aquarium decors. To do this, multiply the volume by 0.9.

 

If you are working with measurements in centimeters, multiply the height, width, and depth together, then divide the result by 1000 to arrive at the tank’s volume in liters. Again, take away 10% from this calculation.

 

 

To achieve that spectacular marine aquarium look, opt for a glass tank instead of acrylic. Although acrylic is much lighter and thus the tank is easier to lift, this material is prone to scratches. Always ensure your glass tank is not cracked and properly sealed.

 

 

Lastly, ensure that the tank is seated on a leveled stand that is sturdy. Locate your aquarium near a wall with power sockets to provide easy electrical connections for lighting, pumps, etc. Ensure that there is sufficient space between the wall and the back of the tank for access during maintenance of your marine aquarium.

Setting up a marine aquarium requires careful planning for long term success. You can’t be in a hurry; instead, you’d need to commit enough time to take care of the marine fishes and their environment.

 

 

Take your time to learn about marine life — the fishes, the invertebrates, and the environment — and also related aquarium equipment. A good resource to consult is the guidebook “Ultimate Secrets to Saltwater Aquarium Fish and Invertebrates”.

 

 

Here’s to a good start in your quest to create your very own marine aquarium.

 

 

 

Natural Seawater vs Synthetic Seawater

Saltwater fishes require water that resembles seawater, which is their natural environment. However, it is not necessary for your marine aquarium to be filled with ocean seawater as a synthetic concoction of freshwater and a salt mix can work well.

 

 

Ocean water may actually be unsafe for your home aquarium. If collected from shorelines near urban areas, this seawater often contains pollutants, parasites, and bacterial cultures which will make the aquarium environment unstable for the marine creatures.

 

 

Even if one goes further out, the untreated ocean water may still require filtration and aging in the dark; most likely, it will require chlorination, filtering, and de-chlorination before it can be used in your tank.

 

 

For starters, synthetic seawater is not merely water containing dissolved sodium chloride, i.e. table salt. Marine fish will not survive in this “salty” water as it lacks the complex composition of ions and trace elements that is found in ocean seawater.

 

 

Based on studies by marine biologists, seawater contains both major ions (e.g. chloride, sodium, sulfate, magnesium, etc) and minor ions (bicarbonate, bromide, borate, etc). In addition, many trace elements crucial to the health of aquatic life are present, such as flouride, zinc, copper, phosphorous, chromium, etc.

 

 

Thus, to replicate seawater the synthetic way, a good salt mix is important. Avoid cheap brands as these could be deficient in certain essentials and tend to give inconsistent results. Do not compromise quality here as the health of your aquarium inhabitants depends on it.

 

 

Never add dry salt mix directly into an aquarium tank that is already populated. Doing so can damage the gills of fishes and shock the delicate invertebrates. Always prepare synthetic seawater upfront, allowing it to aerate for a day before introducing it during a water change.

 

 

Keep your saltwater aquarium beautiful and thriving with aquatic life with good aquarium fish care tips and lots of patience. The resulting enjoyment and satisfaction are often the best rewards.

 

 

Learn more saltwater aquarium tips and secrets from the “Ultimate Secrets to Saltwater Aquarium Fish and Invertebrates” guidebook and create the marine aquarium you’ve always wanted.

 

The Beginners Guide For Surgeonfish or Tang Fish

 

Are you totally new to Tang fish? It would be good to find out what kind of Tangs is easier and simple to keep in your tropical fish tank. This will definitely provide you confidence and permit you to gain experience with Tang fish care and know their “secrets”.

 

Beginners will do well to add the following surgeonfish’s to their saltwater aquarium:

 

·         ✔ the Yellow Tang (scientific name: Zebrasoma flavescent)

·         ✔ the Hippo Tang / Yellowtail Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)

·         ✔ the Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)

 

Affordability of these Tangs decreases roughly in the order listed.

 

 

How the Tang Fish Got Its Name

 

Fancy the Yellow Sailfin Tang? Just imagine how lovely this Tang will look in your marine aquarium. Are you missing out on this beauty?

 

 

Tangs are the smaller members of the Acanthuridae family, otherwise called the Surgeonfish group because of the scalpel-like spines located near the tails of these fish.

Since the Tang feeds mostly on algae, its name was coined from the German word “seetang”, which actually means kelp or seaweed. There is somewhat a nice ring to this name, I must say.

 

 

So now you know how the beautiful Tang got such a fine name.

Tangs have lots of beneficial bacteria in their alimentary tracts to assist in the breakdown of plant food. Therefore, medications, especially those containing copper, must be administered with great care. Doing so will avoid wiping out these good bacteria in the Tang and compromise its digestive ability.

 

 

Interestingly, color can tell you the mood of your Tang fish. For example, the popular and appealing Yellow Sailfin Tang (pictured above) — also known as Zebrasoma flavescent — will develop a vertical white band on its body during the day when it has been frightened. Be mindful of such signs to understand the health of your Tangs in your marine aquarium.

 

 

Taking care of Tang fish can be slightly daunting for those who are not familiar. You can learn how to care for Tang fish with fish care guides such as the “Saltwater Aquarium Secrets” eBook.

 

 

 

 

Acanthuridae, Surgeonfishes, Tangs

 

The Tang fish belongs to the Acanthuridae family and is also called a surgeonfish — it got the “surgeon” name because the sharp spine at the base of its tail looks like a surgeon’s scalpel. A large Tang can use this spine in defense to inflict a nasty albeit non-poisonous cut.

 

 

Hobbyists often face problems with keeping Tangs, mainly due to their size and vulnerability to parasites. Most Tangs mature into quite large adults, which would mandate a 75 to 100-gallon aquarium tank just to provide the swimming space they need. And even with such a big tank, it can be difficult to keep more than one Tang of the same species as they tend to be very territorial.

 

 

In case you have a large enoughfish tank (at least 100 gallons) and would like to keep a few Tangs of the same kind, remember to introduce them into the aquarium all at the same time. Doing this can alleviate the aggression associated with the “new fish on the block”, so to speak.

 

 

The parasite issue with Tangs occurs most often when the Tang fish is being shipped and introduced into the captive environment of a marine aquarium. Should this be seen, careful quarantine measures must be exercised to prevent other fishes in the aquarium from being infected.

 

 

Surgeonfishes or Tangs require a diet high in vegetable content and need to be fed several times each day due to their high metabolism rate. Suitable food includes nori, Spirulina algae, and spinach. Fresh Caulerpa algae can also be given for a change, once in a while.

 

 

To ensure that your aquarium is thriving with those good looking Tangs, learn more about them from the Tang Fish Secrets Official Website.

 

 

Look after your Tangs well and you’d be rewarded with the beauty and grace of these colorful and playful fish. Enjoy your aquarium!

 

Choosing Best Aquarium Backgrounds and Other Essential Things

Aquariums do not just mean a normal tank, fish, and water. They should possess the required gadgets or equipment to make for a livable and safe atmosphere for your fish. 

The system of filtration is the most important aquarium equipment that all aquarium enthusiast must possess. It ensures that your aquarium is full of crystal clean water which is most important for all the aquatic species to live a complete stress-free life.

As essential as it is complex, the filtration systems for fish tanks perform the best service in flushing out the waste materials that are dissolved in the aquarium water. Different designs match various levels of filtration system.

Also, other filtration instruments or devices are available like protein skimmers which remove waste and proteins from your aquarium.

The usual filtration system has the following:

a. The inlet system for unclean water to come inside
b. Biological filtration which removes harmful bacteria and bad organisms that might strike the fish
c. Chemical filtration that flushes out waste that contains phosphates and nitrogen in the water
d. The mechanical filtration system strains floating unnecessary residue in the aquarium water
e. An outflow is required for filtered water to flow back again into the tank.

Aside from the filtration process, air pumps are also required to provide enough amount of oxygen for the fish to keep them alive. Again, these pumps provide carbon dioxide to the aquatic plants inside your fish tank.

If the fish tank is laden with plenty of plant forms, these aquarium air pump helps a lot. Another important aquarium equipment is the aquarium heater. This keeps the temperature of the water inside the tank perfect for the fish.

Fishes in the aquarium are more likely to die without enough oxygen because the water in the tank is stagnant that depletes the oxygen level. It’s the reason why air pumps play a crucial role and it must be put in place to maintain the actual level of oxygen in the aquarium.

Fish tanks, especially the tropical aquariums with exotic fish that require tropical water temperature to survive or live, absolutely require a tool to support and help keep in the heat. For this type of aquarium, heaters are most suitable. 

These heaters have thermostats that perfectly adjust the water temperature of the aquarium to the desired level making the water ideal for fish to live in.

While there are aquarium heaters, there are also aquarium coolers, another essential aquarium equipment. These equipment are most preferably used in those places where water temperature needs cooler degrees rather than room temperature for your fish to keep survive. This permits your fish to live a more comfortable life.

Of course, the fish need to feel at home! Be sure to pick out an aquarium background that is a good and natural fit for the environment you are trying to create. Your fish will be more comfortable, and it will be more pleasant to look at.

 

Aquarium Light and Other Basics

If you are the type who is an aquatic enthusiast who totally adores aquarium, you have surely read up quite a good deal about the subject and acquired tremendous knowledge of them that makes it very easy for you to make and maintain an aquarium. 

As you would advise those fellow fish keepers who want to make a hobby of keeping and creating a fish tank, it is necessary to read up on some basic things related to them. You should learn as much as to make this hobby last for your lifetime.

When learning about aquariums, the best way to start is to understand the basics of it before getting lost with all the information out there. There are a lot to learn: temperature, aquarium light, environment, and more. 

The first way to start is to determine what kind of aquarium you wish to create. Ask yourself how you want your aquarium to be. The condition of the fish tank and the life of your aquatic species will mostly depend on the aquarium setting that you will create.

There are so many environments to take into consideration for your fish tank. You may want to have a freshwater environment, brackish water, or saltwater environment. If you are just starting to get into this hobby, you may choose to settle with a freshwater aquarium first since this requires easier maintenance compared to others.

When deciding on a freshwater environment, you can look upon what form of aquatic life can live and coexist in an aquarium tank filled with fresh water. 

You cannot put incompatible species all in one tank since they might just be harmful to one another. When you have read about the species you want in your fish tank, resist the impulse to purchase them just yet.

You have to prepare your tank first and condition it to the habitual setting of your chosen aquatic species. Usually, you begin with an empty aquarium, no fish at all. Then gradually set up water for the fish and other water life forms in your aquarium. 

Getting the right size for your aquarium is necessary if you have a number of fish. For every gallon tank, 1 inch of fish capacity is the rule of thumb for fish tank buffs. Not following this by-rule can result in disappointing outcomes, which can dishearten aquarium first-timers.

Live plants should be put in your aquarium to make your aquarium healthy since they consume elements that are harmful to fish. Plants also serve as playgrounds for the fish and provide a good supply of oxygen in the tank. To maintain plant life, enough aquarium light source mounted on top of your fish tank is also required.