We would like to help you settle the Amano Shrimp Vs Ghost Shrimp dilemma. Many aquarium lovers have a different kind of liking for shrimps.
Shrimps can be included in aquariums just like many species of fishes and other sea animals. But some precautions are needed to be taken before just having them inside.
Please also take note, not every type of shrimp can be put inside an aquarium as not every type can survive inside. People have been seen having only shrimps in their aquariums and also have been seen having shrimps mixed with several species of fish that are safe for the shrimps to survive in an aquarium.
If you are an aquarium lover and also are considering shrimps in an aquarium, you should be looking at two species of shrimps namely; Amano shrimps and ghost shrimps.
Although there are other species also who can be put inside an aquarium, these two are the best for aquariums. One cannot just leave the shrimp inside like normal fishes, instead, there should be various precautions undertaken to ensure the survival of your shrimp.
There are some differences between the two species of shrimps which should be known by people who are confused between the two shrimp species and want to include one of them in their aquarium.
Amano Shrimp Vs Ghost Shrimp
Characteristics of Amano Shrimps
Amano shrimps are generally small in size and range from one to two inches long. Also, smaller shrimps are considered the most optimum to be included in an aquarium.
One should not be worried about the small size of shrimps as they don’t stay the same size always and grow fast. One usually finds shrimps of small size at aquarium stores.
The Amano shrimps are not just of one colour but can range from a red colour to brown and grey colour also. Their body texture includes dots and stripes. Their body comprises eyes, legs and antennae. Amano shrimps are those kinds of species which can live without much requirements and attention needed from you.
These species of shrimps can survive up to two to three years if they lead a normal life. Upon being transferred to various types of water, again and again, the lifespan of this particular shrimp can decrease accordingly. This particular species of shrimp need specific survival conditions.
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Characteristics of Ghost Shrimps
Ghost shrimps are also known as glass shrimps as they have a body which is somewhat between transparent and translucent. These species are heavily purchased by people who have an aquarium in their house for a variety of reasons.
They are considered a useful species of shrimps because of their cleaning capabilities. Being one of the most active aquarium species, they can eat away unwanted elements in an aquarium which demonstrate the cleaning capabilities equipped by them.
The ghost shrimps also make them useful by turning out to be a good food option for various types of fish species.
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Ghost shrimps are considered attractive species to be included in a fish tank or an aquarium. This is because of their transparent body type which makes it possible for people to see inside them and also sometimes see through them. The length of a ghost shrimp generally ranges from one inch to one and a half inches.
Ghost shrimps may not survive for more than one year at all. As a shrimp which is popular to be fed to other aquarium species, these species are likely to have a lifespan of a few days only. Moreover, these types of shrimps are not adaptable to new environments which is also a reason for their short lifespan.
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Differentiating Between Amano Shrimp And Ghost Shrimp
The following points mark the most common differences between Amano shrimp and ghost shrimp and can give you the best result for Amano shrimp vs ghost shrimp.
1. Size
Talking about the size of these two species, Amano Shrimps are much larger as compared to the latter one. Amano shrimps can grow up to 2 inches in size while the latter cannot grow more than 1.5 inches in size.
Also, there is a size difference between male and female Amano shrimps. The female ones can grow a bit more than male while there is nothing of that sort seen in Ghost shrimps and both males and females have some tendencies to grow.
2. Water Conditions
Amano shrimps are seen to be able to survive even in slightly salty or alkaline water conditions.
To be specific, they can survive in water with pH, between 8 and 8.5, while Ghost shrimps require freshwater conditions to be able to sustain themselves. They cannot survive in salty or alkaline water.
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3. Diet
Amano shrimps are generally fed with algae which are available in shops. The aquarium algae are the most preferred diet for the Amano shrimps, while Ghost shrimps can feed on anything consumable and available in the tank.
Hikari First Bites fish food would be an excellent choice. That is why they are known as aquarium cleaners.
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4. Lifespan
Amano shrimps can survive for a maximum of 3 years. Generally, these species are seen to live healthy for 2-3 years, while the ghost shrimps can survive for a maximum of 1 year.
Both these shrimp species are considered aquarium cleaners but Amano shrimps have a much faster consumption rate if algae but lack in consuming other unwanted substances, while Ghost shrimps cannot consume algae as fast as the Amano shrimps but are capable of consuming various other unwanted elements in an aquarium.
We do hope this guide will make you make an informed decision on ghost shrimp vs amano shrimp
Reference
The Shrimp Farm University USA: Shrimp caresheet: Ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.)
Aquatic Community: Amano Shrimp