Green lace shrimp

Atyoida pilipes

Also known as Atyopsis pilipes, Green lace filter shrimp

FreshwaterShrimp

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Island streams of the Philippines, Indonesia, and the western Pacific
Family: Atyidae

Overview

This is a filter-feeding fan shrimp, smaller than the common bamboo shrimp but kept in the same way. It is peaceful and sociable, so keep several together, and give it a spot in steady current where it can perch on stone or wood and spread its fan-tipped front legs to strain food from the flow. It will not bother fish or dwarf shrimp. The catch is diet: it feeds on fine suspended particles, so target-feed powdered foods, crushed flake, and dusts of frozen baby brine or daphnia into the current, and never rely on pellets alone or it slowly starves. A tank of around 54 liters or larger with strong flow and high oxygen suits it.

In the wild

Green lace shrimp come from clear, fast island streams in the Philippines, Indonesia, and the western Pacific, where they cling to boulders in swift, oxygen-rich riffles and fan the passing current for food. Recreate that with strong flow from a powerhead or spray bar, plenty of surface movement, and smooth stones or wood to perch on. Keep the water warm at 23–28 C and close to neutral, around pH 6.5–7.5, and keep it clean and well filtered.

Good to know

Atyoida pilipes belongs to Atyidae, the fan and dwarf shrimp family, and reaches about 7 centimeters. It is still sold under the retired name Atyopsis pilipes. Rather than pincers, its front legs end in folding bristled fans that sweep drifting particles from the water, the tool of a true filter feeder. Breeding in the home tank is hard: the tiny larvae need brackish or salt water to develop, so colonies do not build up in fresh water.

Did you know

Its color is not fixed. The same shrimp can shift between moss green, olive, and a dull brown over the course of a week, tracking its mood and molt cycle rather than any change in the tank.