A small tank is cheap and easy to take care of. However, it can only hold a limited number of occupants. So, how many shrimp in a 5-gallon tank?
The answer may vary depending on several factors. Let’s check our post and determine how to use your aquarium in the best way!
Contents
How Many Shrimp Can A 5-Gallon Aquarium Safely Hold?
The answer depends on which kind of shrimp you raise and whether they have tank mates. The rule of thumb for raising this species in a 5-gallon tank is:
- Cherry shrimp: 20 to 30
- Amano shrimp: 5 to 10
- With other fish: 3 to 5
Cherry and Amano are the most popular choices for nano tanks. However, since they are different in size and have specific requirements, they need different numbers of tank mates.
Cherry shrimp
Cherry shrimp should be the first consideration for your aquarium because it offers a lot of benefits:
- Size
These tiny creatures can fit perfectly in nano tanks. An adult Cherry is only 1 to 1 ¼ inches. This size allows you to keep up to 30 shrimps in the same container.
- Color
The vivid color makes these creatures stunning and attractive despite their small size. They come in color variations; the Red Cherry ones gain more attention.
If you want to put Cherry shrimps in your aquarium, go for one color. Cross-breeding is possible, but the offspring carry their parents’ wild genetics.
Cherry shrimps are famous for their vivid colors
Amano shrimp
If you don’t like the bright color of the Cherry, the translucent light gray hue of the Amano species may win your heart.
The advantage when raising this species are:
- Size
An Amano shrimp can grow up to 3 inches in size. If you have a 5-gallon aquarium, put 5 to ten of them in there.
- Tank cleaner
Amano shrimps are excellent eaters. They can consume almost any algae type and work nicely as an aquarium.
These pets are good cleaners
With other fish
Some fish can live with shrimps. However, since fish are generally bigger, they take up more space.
If you want to raise two of them in the same container, you may need to decrease the number of shrimps.
Are Shrimp Easier To Keep Than Fish?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question because each variety of fish and shrimp demands specific living conditions.
Some can quickly adapt to environmental fluctuations, while others are sensitive to sudden changes.
Before putting any species in your aquarium, make sure to understand their living standard, including:
- Water temperature
- pH level
- Breeding
- Diet
- Tank mates
- Behaviors
Besides, you may notice some differences in raising the two species:
Reaction to environmental changes
Shrimp are more sensitive to rapid changes in water than fish. If you notice your shrimps wandering about the tank right after you change the water, they may not be happy with the replacement.
It’s necessary to perform water changes every week to avoid waste accumulation. Then, check for your pets’ reactions to see if they like it.
Ability to live in groups
Shrimp are tiny and produce less metabolic waste than most types of fish, allowing them to stay well in smaller tanks with higher population densities.
You can learn some tips for setting up a tank for shrimps right here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovqOu2B0MtA
Shrimps can live better in a group
What Fish Can Go In A 5-Gallon Tank With Shrimp?
There are three criteria to consider when choosing your shrimp’s tank mates:
- Size: Since a 5-gallon aquarium is a small space, only small fish can live and swim freely in there.
- Behaviors: Ensure that your pets don’t act violently toward each other.
- Conditions: It would be best if all your pets had the same requirements for their living conditions.
After checking all the factors, we have come up with these three species that can coexist with your shrimps.
Betta fish
Bettas usually coexist peacefully with shrimp. However, some bettas are pretty competitive and violent.
So, the temperament of each betta is the key to keeping the aquarium calm.
Clown killifish
Although clown killifish and shrimps have different demands, they can cohabit in the same ecosystem. Make sure that your setup can fit both.
The ravenous appetite of killifish is famous. Not every killifish, however, will cause chaos in your aquarium, and the most significant factor in prioritizing is the size of your pets.
Tetra fish
Shrimps and tetras may cohabit in the same aquarium because they have the same water needs, such as pH level, hardness degrees, and temperature.
Furthermore, their size gaps aren’t significant, reducing the chances of them being aggressive toward the other.
Tetra fish are good tank mates
What Plants Should You Put In The Tank With Shrimp?
In smaller tanks, limit to two to three live plants that give both food and shelter for the shrimps without becoming so big that nothing but leaves are visible.
You can choose some nano and dwarf plants, such as Amazon Swords and Anubias. Moss can also work because your pet can eat them.
Anacharis is another popular choice, but please note that it will float in the aquarium unless you put pressure on it.
Conclusion
You can keep about 20 to 30 Cherry shrimps in a 5-gallon aquarium. If you like Amano species, put 5 to 10 of them in your tank.
Shrimps can coexist with some varieties of fish. Remember to check if they can become tank mates and how to care for them beforehand.
Hopefully, you will find this article helpful. For any further information, please feel free to ask. Thank you for reading!
