Amano shrimp

Caridina multidentata

FreshwaterBrackishShrimp

Care at a glance

Temperature: 59–81°F; 15–27°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2 in; 5 cm
Minimum tank: 8 gal; 30 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Beginner
Breeding: Egg carrier · Hard
Rarity: Very common
Family: Atyidae
Origin: Japan

Overview

The Amano shrimp is a peaceful algae grazer for the bottom and plants of a freshwater community tank. It is a beginner shrimp.

Did you know

The Amano shrimp is named after Takashi Amano, the aquascaper who used it to keep his planted layouts free of algae. A handful of full-grown Amanos will graze hair algae faster than almost any other freshwater shrimp.

Caring for the Amano shrimp

Keep Amano shrimp in 8 gal (30 L) or larger, in a planted tank with good filtration and plenty of surfaces to graze. They stay on the bottom and on plants, grazing constantly on algae and biofilm.

They tolerate a wide range of temperatures, from 59 to 81°F (15 to 27°C), and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Keep the water stable within that range. Amano shrimp clean up leftover food and soft algae, and you can top up their diet with algae wafers and blanched vegetables.

Keep a few together, since they are social and more confident in a group. They are completely peaceful and safe with fish and other shrimp, though large fish may eat them.

The female carries her eggs under her body until they hatch. The larvae need brackish water to develop, so Amano shrimp almost never breed in a normal freshwater tank. Breeding them is hard.

Good to know

The Amano shrimp belongs to the family Atyidae, and it is large for a freshwater dwarf shrimp. Its body is translucent, with rows of dots along the sides.

In the wild

Amano shrimp come from clear, oxygen-rich streams and rivers in Japan. They live among plants, rocks and leaf litter in cool, flowing water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Amano shrimp is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an Amano shrimp need?

An Amano shrimp needs at least 8 gal (30 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Amano shrimp need?

An Amano shrimp is comfortable at 59–81°F (15–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an Amano shrimp eat?

An Amano shrimp grazes constantly on algae and biofilm, and it cleans up leftover food and soft algae. Top up its diet with algae wafers and blanched vegetables.

How big does an Amano shrimp get?

An adult Amano shrimp reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How does an Amano shrimp breed?

A female Amano shrimp carries her eggs under her body until they hatch. The larvae need brackish water to develop, so breeding is hard and almost never happens in a freshwater tank.