Instructions
Purchase a large aquarium. Due to shrimps' high mortality rate, the more space you have the better. Do not purchase your shrimp at the same time you buy the aquarium -- you need to have the aquarium fully set up before adding the shrimp.
Cover the bottom of the aquarium with a layer of gravel. Make it slightly thicker than for a fish tank -- between 2cm and 4cm is usually sufficient. The gravel can be any color, but clean it before use: Tip the gravel into a sieve and run water through to clean it.
Set up the filtration system. Most aquariums come with a basic filtration system that will be sufficient providing you maintain it regularly. Make sure the filtration system is the correct size -- the packaging will tell you the maximum amount of water it will clean successfully, and this needs to match or be bigger than the amount of water the aquarium holds. Plug the filtration system in but do not turn it on. Set up the pump if it requires extra work -- many pumps and filtration systems are in-built.
Attach an aquarium heater to the side of the tank. If your aquarium is very large, you may find you need to use more than one heater to maintain a consistent temperature across the aquarium.
Add thermometers to the tank. Ideally, you should have one on either side of the tank, so you can ensure the temperature is consistent across the tank.
Fill the tank with freshwater. Treat it a chlorine treatment. Turn on the heater, pump and filter so the water begins to cycle. You require a temperature of around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so adjust the heater until the water is consistently this temperature.
Purchase some prawns. You can often purchase juvenile prawns or heavily pregnant prawns from breeders. Pregnant prawns carry black-and-grey eggs. If the eggs are bright-colored, they will be laid in a few days.
Float the bag of prawns on the water for an hour, to regulate the temperature. Carefully cut the bag after this time, and provide the prawns a way out. To begin with, they may all fall to the floor and hide. This is a perfectly normal reaction to stress.
Feed your prawns once per day. Many pet shops sell a complete salmonid fish diet, which contains all the nutrients the shrimp will need to thrive.
How Do I Raise Prawns?
Freshwater prawns require special conditions in order to thrive - many other types of fish will eat smaller prawns, and prawns themselves are also very territorial and will fight. You can raise a colony of prawns together, however; and once you have established a colony, you can keep it healthy with minimal effort.