Habitat for Saltwater Shrimp

Shrimp are crustaceans that live in salt or freshwater. They live in schools, have 10 legs and have a hard outer shell for protection. Adult shrimp live at the bottom of oceans, lakes and streams and eat by filtering the food particles from water. Species of shrimp that live in saltwater include brine shrimp, blood red fire shrimp and peppermint shrimp. If you're considering creating a habitat for saltwater shrimp, there are several factors you should consider before purchasing your shrimp.

  1. Tank

    • If you plan to have several shrimp in one tank, you'll want to make sure the tank is big enough to accommodate them all. The ideal formula is one gallon for every shrimp. This does not take into consideration any additional animals you plan to put in the tank, so err on the side of caution and allow more room than you think you need. Using this formula, if you want to have 20 shrimp, you'll want at least a 20-gallon tank. If you're using a 10-gallon tank or smaller, you'll want more than one gallon for each shrimp.

    Tankmates

    • Before shelling out any money on shrimp, some of which can cost a pretty penny, make sure any other species of shrimp or fish you currently have in your tank are compatible with the shrimp. Some large fish feed on shrimp and some species of shrimp will fight with shrimp from different species. Each time you add a new species to a tank, research all the species in your tank to make sure they won't eat or fight with the new species.

    Tank Conditions

    • Saltwater shrimp need a perfectly balanced and cycled aquarium or they will die. Proper cycling will balance out nitrate and ammonia levels, which can be deadly to shrimp if they are not correct. You'll also want to make sure you're adding the proper nutrients to the tank as the nutrients are crucial to a shrimp's life cycle. Iodine, for example, is required for proper molting of blood red fire shrimp. If your tank lacks iodine, your shrimp may not molt and could die as a result. Never add antibiotics or medications to a tank containing shrimp, because shrimp are very sensitive to these chemicals.

    Habitat Requirements

    • As with any animal, shrimp need certain things in their habitat. One of the essential elements is places for the shrimp to hide while they molt. During molting, shrimp shed their exoskeletons and are extremely vulnerable to predation until they grow new shells. You'll want to make the hiding spots are large enough for the shrimp to access, but too small for your fish to get into. A possible danger to shrimp in an aquarium setting is the filter intake. Baby shrimp can get sucked into the filter. These shrimp will likely die after getting stuck. Check your filter intake mechanism and replace it or modify it if it poses a danger to your shrimp.