TankBud

Bamboo shrimp

Atyopsis moluccensis

Also known as Singapore Shrimp

FreshwaterShrimp

Bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis)
Kacper Aleksander · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–84°F
22–29°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
13 gal
50 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Filter feeder
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Atyidae
Origin
Southeast Asia

Overview

The bamboo shrimp is a gentle filter feeder that perches in the current with its fan-shaped front limbs open. It is easy to keep in a peaceful community tank.

Did you know

The bamboo shrimp has no claws for grabbing food. It unfolds four feathery fans and holds them into the flow like little nets. Then it draws each one to its mouth to comb off the catch.

Caring for the bamboo shrimp

Give bamboo shrimp a mature tank of at least 13 gal (50 L) with steady flow from a filter or powerhead. Add smooth stones, driftwood and plants they can grip while they face into the current. Good oxygen and stable, clean water matter more to them than any decoration.

Keep the water at 72 to 84°F (22 to 29°C) with a near-neutral pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Keep it free of copper, which is toxic to all shrimp.

Bamboo shrimp catch tiny food particles from the flow, and still water leaves them hungry. If the tank is too clean, feed powdered or crushed foods into the current so the fans have something to catch. Like all shrimp, they grow by molting and hide while the new shell hardens.

They do best in a small group. They are peaceful and safe with small, calm fish that will not pester them.

Males grow a little larger than females, with heavier limbs. Breeding them at home is very hard, and captive-bred stock is rare. In nature the tiny larvae drift down to brackish water, and they cannot develop in fresh water.

Good to know

Atyopsis moluccensis belongs to Atyidae, the family of fan or filter-feeding shrimp. It is also sold as the Singapore shrimp.

In the wild

Bamboo shrimp cling to rocks and wood in fast, well-oxygenated streams and rivers across Southeast Asia. They face into the current, where food drifts past.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The bamboo 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 a bamboo shrimp need?

A bamboo shrimp needs at least 13 gal (50 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a bamboo shrimp need?

A bamboo shrimp is comfortable at 72–84°F (22–29°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a bamboo shrimp eat?

A bamboo shrimp filters tiny food particles from the flow with its fans. If the tank is too clean, feed powdered or crushed foods into the current.

How big does a bamboo shrimp get?

An adult bamboo shrimp reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How can you tell a male bamboo shrimp from a female?

Males grow a little larger than females and have heavier limbs.

How does a bamboo shrimp breed?

Bamboo shrimp are very hard to breed at home, and captive-bred stock is rare. Their tiny larvae drift down to brackish water in nature and cannot develop in fresh water.

Related species