Profile of the Amano shrimp

In this case, however, the Amano shrimp must be considered absolute pioneers, since they were the first of a whole series of freshwater shrimp that won the hearts of aquarists and began their triumphal march in home aquariums. The crayfish became famous thanks to the Japanese photographer and passionate aquarist Takashi Amano, who included it as an algae eater in his breathtaking aquatic landscapes and captured it photographically there. It is thanks to him that Amano shrimps were able to establish themselves in the aquarium hobby and in homage to this they took his name.

Female Amano shrimps reach 6 cm in size and are therefore significantly larger than freshwater shrimps of the various Neocaridina species. The wild form of the Amano shrimp shimmers from transparent to dark with a speckled pattern that can be used to distinguish the sexes. However, newer breeding lines have also produced colorful specimens, so that snow-white, fiery red or sunny yellow Amano shrimps now appear more and more often in our aquariums. The different colors have now proven to be hereditary: the demands and needs of the colored breeding lines and the wild form do not vary when it comes to breeding them.

We have collected all the information you need to know about the origin, behavior, housing, care, feeding, reproduction and breeding of Amano shrimps in our profile, where you will also find the most important answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Origin

The Amano shrimp is one of the freshwater shrimp, classified as a common family in the order Decapods. However, the name freshwater shrimp is a bit misleading, especially for Amano shrimp, as they rely on brackish or salt water to reproduce. Although it spends much of its life in freshwater, it cannot complete its life cycle there.

The homeland of Amano shrimp is located in the southern part of central Japan. Here it particularly loves to live in the middle and upper reaches of the rivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean. Since the Amano shrimp is rather shy and nocturnal, during the day it likes to hide under rocks or among plants – but in the home aquarium it may happen that it gives up its shyness and likes to show itself during the day.

Behave

Amanos are sociable and sociable animals that depend on the community of their peers – together they are agile and lively aquarium inhabitants who are constantly on the move and are usually in search of food. Algae is practically one of their favorite foods, so your enthusiastic Amano shrimp will also help you rid your underwater world of unwanted algae.

Animal-friendly hospitality and care

Adult Amano shrimps prove to be quite simple, adaptable and robust creatures, so they can be easily raised even by beginners in aquatics. Because I’m perfectly capable of forgiving the occasional little beginner’s mistake. It is important that Amano shrimp are group animals and definitely need the company of others of their kind: they should therefore always move around your underwater world in a larger group of at least six, preferably ten like-minded people.

However, it is important to know that Amano shrimp are extremely sensitive to copper. This can be a problem, especially in older homes that still have copper pipes installed. So, when in doubt, it’s best to play it safe and check your tap water for traces of copper.

Fertilizers, medications and other additives may also contain copper, so you should always check their contents before use. Regarding water values, Amano shrimp are considered extremely tolerant, but prefer a stable water quality, which requires regular partial water changes – it is normally a good idea to change around 30 – 50% of the water weekly, although the exact amount of water to change obviously depends on the size of your aquarium and its population. In general, however, more frequent and smaller partial water changes have a better impact on the well-being of your Amano shrimp than more frequent and more extensive ones. The temperature in your underwater world should be between approximately 22 and 26 °C, the overall hardness between 2 and 20 °dH and the pH value between 5.8 and 8. Amano shrimps also prefer oxygen-rich water.

Your Amanos will definitely like a lush plantation because it serves as a shelter and food source for them. Because your Amanos like to look for something to eat among the numerous leaves and stems and reliably eat even unwanted algae.

^{A thriving aquarium will be yours Caridina multidentata var. Orange definitely liked it.}

Incidentally, Amanos also feel comfortable in a community aquarium, as long as the roommates are neither too small nor too large, frenetic or aggressive. Because for example. B. Very small fish, which are often recommended for nano aquariums, might also be seen as a snack by the Amanos in your aquarium, while very large fish might attack your own Amano shrimp.

Nutrition

Algae are the favorite food of Amano shrimp. The menu should not only include seaweed, but also regular shrimp foods and cooked vegetables such as spinach and peas.

Reproduction and breeding

Female and male Amano shrimp are easily distinguished from each other by size and shape – both animals are transparent and have pinpoint spots – in smaller males the bluish spots on the lower part of the abdomen are round and irregularly arranged, while in females they are linear. Females also have slightly more voluptuous proportions around the belly. However, in colorful breeding lines, males and females are often distinguished only by size and the dark egg spot found only on females.

Amano shrimp farming is relatively difficult and requires a lot of effort to provide the young animals with the conditions necessary for their survival. In nature, Amano females lay their eggs in the mouths of rivers that flow into the sea: the larvae are then washed in the brackish or salty sea water, where they spend the first one or two months of life and become young animals. Only when they reach a body size of around 1.5 cm do they ascend rivers and from then on they live exclusively in fresh water. This means that an Amano shrimp cannot complete its life cycle in freshwater alone, so breeding requires a special breeding tank with brackish water and special food for the tiny larvae.

Questions and answers about Amano shrimp

1. How many Amano shrimp should you keep?

Amano shrimp are gregarious, social animals that rely on the company of other species to feel completely comfortable. Therefore, a larger group of at least six – preferably much more – Amano shrimp should always move into your underwater world.

2. How long do Amano shrimps live?

If cared for well, the Amano shrimp in your aquarium can reach an astonishing lifespan of seven to ten years and are often older than the smaller dwarf shrimp of the various Neocaridina species.

3. How many water changes do Amano shrimp need?

Although Amano shrimp are considered rather insensitive and adaptable, regular partial water changes are necessary to avoid excessive pollution of the aquarium water. To keep water values ​​as stable as possible and avoid large fluctuations, it is advisable to carry out multiple smaller partial water changes rather than large, less frequent partial water changes. When it comes to the frequency and extent of partial water changes, animal density and feeding also play an important role, because the more animals live in the tank, the more often the water should be changed. As a rule, a partial weekly water change of 30 – 50% is completely sufficient.

4. What do Amano shrimp like to eat most?

Conveniently, algae is one of the favorite foods of Amano shrimp, so it can provide you with the perfect support against these unpleasant parasites in the aquarium. However, not only seaweed should be on the menu, but also special crayfish food. Of course your Amanos will also be happy with some cooked vegetables such as: e.g. spinach or peas.