The ghost shrimp is an inexpensive, nearly transparent North American freshwater shrimp sold both as a cleanup invertebrate and as live feeders. Hardy and entertaining to watch, it is a great beginner shrimp, though it is slightly larger and a bit more opportunistic than dwarf Neocaridina.
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About 3-4 cm (1.2-1.6 in); transparent body with a faint orange/yellow spot pattern.
Lifespan
1 years
Social needs
group
Native region
Native to the freshwater rivers, lakes, and swamps of the southeastern United States.
Origin
New World
Climate
⛅ Subtropical
Water type
💧 Freshwater
Family
Palaemonidae
Genus
Palaemonetes
Part of the Freshwater shrimp
Small atyid and palaemonid shrimp kept in planted aquariums as peaceful algae-grazers and colorful colony animals. Care ranges from beginner-friendly Neocaridina to demanding species like the Sulawesi shrimp that need precise, stable water chemistry.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Planted nano tank
5 gal (≈ 19 L), cycled, planted
Palaemonetes paludosus ('ghost shrimp') are hardy but slightly larger and more predatory than Neocaridina — they will hunt small tankmates. Keep in groups of 10+ in a cycled planted nano.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Planted 10–20 gallon
10–20 gal, planted, sponge filter
A planted 10–20 gal with hides, mosses, and sponge filtration. Compatible with peaceful fish too big to eat; not for nano fish or other dwarf shrimp.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Aquascape colony
20+ gal, planted
A larger planted aquascape with dense cover; ghost shrimp breed best in brackish (larvae) but tolerate freshwater long-term as adults. Generous footprint reduces inter-shrimp aggression.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Larva
Most marine invertebrates hatch into microscopic planktonic larvae (such as the zoea of crustaceans or the bipinnaria/veliger of echinoderms and mollusks) that drift and feed in the water column. The larva looks nothing like the adult and undergoes major reorganization.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
After settling out of the plankton, the juvenile takes on a recognizable miniature of the adult body plan — a tiny shell, a small star, or a translucent shrimp. Crustaceans grow by molting, shedding the exoskeleton to enlarge.
Adult
Adults reach full size and reproductive maturity with the species' mature shell, shape, or coloration. Many continue to molt or grow throughout life, and some show sex differences in size or claw/appendage shape.
Habitat & enclosure
A cycled tank of 20 L (5 gal) or larger suits a small group. They are adaptable to typical community conditions: temperature 20-26 C (68-79 F), pH 7.0-8.0, GH/KH moderate. Gentle to moderate flow is fine, and they appreciate plants, leaf litter, and hiding places, especially while molting. As a true freshwater species they do not need salt, though wild populations tolerate slightly brackish coastal water.
Substrate
Inert sand or fine gravel works well, planted with mosses and stems and topped with leaf litter and driftwood for grazing and molt cover. A dark substrate makes their transparent bodies and internal organs easier to observe.
Equipment & setup
Use a sponge filter or sponge-guarded intake so shrimp aren't drawn in, plus a heater for stable temperature. Standard low-to-moderate aquarium lighting is sufficient, and no CO2 is required. Good biological filtration keeps the water clean enough for molting.
Diet
Opportunistic omnivores that scavenge algae, biofilm, detritus, leftover food, and decaying plant matter. Offer sinking pellets, algae wafers, blanched vegetables, and occasional protein; they will also pick at the substrate constantly. Because they are larger and more food-driven than dwarf shrimp, ensure smaller tankmates and shrimplets are not harassed when food is scarce.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful, busy scavengers best kept in groups of 5-10+. Generally safe with calm community fish, but they may pick at very small or weak/sick fish and at ornamental dwarf shrimp shrimplets, so choose tankmates that won't eat them either (avoid cichlids, large gouramis). They are commonly used as live food, so survival as pets improves greatly with cover and a no-predator setup.
Health
Hardy but sensitive to ammonia/nitrite, copper, and abrupt water changes; many die soon after purchase due to the stress of being kept as cheap feeders. Molting issues from poor mineral content occur, and the species can carry an internal trematode visible as a small spot, which is generally harmless to the shrimp and tank. Quarantine and gentle acclimation greatly improve survival.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Drip-acclimate over 30-60 minutes, especially with store feeder stock that may be stressed. Breeding is harder than with dwarf shrimp because larvae of this species generally develop in fresh water but are tiny and easily eaten or filtered out, so use a separate rearing tank with sponge filtration if you want fry. They make an excellent, low-cost natural cleanup crew for community tanks.
