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 Amano Shrimp VS Ghost Shrimp | How They Differ?

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 Amano Shrimp VS Ghost Shrimp

Amano Shrimps and Ghost Shrimps are popular species of shrimps that one can keep in their aquarium. Having shrimps in a tank proves to be beneficial as well. They are harmless to your fish and can clean your tank. They are excellent in keeping unwanted things away from the tank and keeping algae at bay. 

But choosing one for your tank can be confusing at times. So here is an article explaining the differences between the two shrimps. 

Starting with a big difference between the two is where they swim in the tank looking for food. Ghost Shrimps spend most of their time around the upper layers of the water column in search of food. Whereas, Amano Shrimps prefer looking for food in the bottom of the tank. So now, let us move on to the major differences. 

Lifespan 

In terms of lifespan, Amano shrimps live longer than Ghost Shrimps. Amano Shrimps have a lifespan of about 2 to 3 years. 

Whereas, Ghost Shrimps can live for about one year. Amano Shrimps have a more speedy growth rate than Ghost Shrimps.

Size 

When it comes to size Ghost Shrimps are smaller compared to Amano Shrimps. Ghost Shrimps can grow up to the length of one inch. 

On the other hand, Amano Shrimp can grow up to the length of about 3 to 4 inches. 

Diet and Feeding

Ghost Shrimp

Ghost shrimp require food at all times. This differs from Amano Shrimp which can thrive without nourishment. Ghost shrimp cannot survive without food for longer than two days. Ghost Shrimp prefer meaty foods in their diet. The ghost shrimp diet is more than simply what they consume. It is also critical to offer the proper quantity of calcium in your aquarium for their shells to develop robustly. 

So you can feed Ghost Shrimp bloodworms, leaves, and other meaty foods like insects. Life foods and frozen foods are also enjoyed by them. You can give them baby shrimps, mosquito larvae, and flakes and pellets as well. 

Amano Shrimp

On the other hand, Amano Shrimps don’t fiddle around the choices too much. They will eat whatever they will come across. Amano Shrimps are omnivores and can fill themselves with nutrients by eating whatever they can fit in their mouth. It ranges from plants to animals to decaying organisms. Feeding them is a bit easy than the Ghost Shrimp.

Although, you should pay attention to what you have been feeding them. They will eat almost anything you give, but don’t make the mistake of giving them one type of food all the time. If you give them the same food over and over again, they will not have access to other nutrients and probably die of inconsistency. 

You can give the Amano Shrimp plants, veggies, worms, aphids, and many more. A calcium supplement is also required to make their shells strong. 

Tank Size 

Ghost Shrimp

In terms of tank size, Ghost Shrimps have no specific tank size. Owing to their small size a Ghost Shrimp can be kept in a smaller tank. But if you wish to pair them up with fish they need to be in a larger tank

Amano Shrimp

Whereas the Amano Shrimp require a larger tank compared to the Ghost Shrimp. Their size is bigger than the Ghost Shrimps, so an Amano Shrimp must be kept on a 10-gallon tank. 

Temperature and Water Parameters 

The water parameters of every species is important. It is crucial to maintain the tank as it is the primary requirement for the survival. They also help with the paring of the species with other species. 

Amano Shrimp

Amano Shrimps do well and thrive in temperature ranging around 72℉ to 78℉. The pH levels that they require are between 7.2 to 7.5. 

Ghost Shrimp

Ghost Shrimps prefer temperatures between 68°F and 82°F. The pH levels preferred by them is between 7.0 to 8.0. 

Tank requirements 

Amano Shrimp

For Amano Shrimps, you will have to add some rocks, caves, plants, and other similar things. These shrimps like to find solitude or hide under such things. Oxygenation is also important for Amano Shrimps.

Amano Shrimps thrive in waters with high oxygenation. They are also not tolerant of ammonia in a tank, they will get affected by even a little amount. So an effective filtration system is a must. In terms of lighting, moderate lighting is enough. 

Ghost Shrimp

Ghost Shrimps do well in a tank with sandy substrate. They don’t require strong filtration and like living around plants. So get plants in your tank. For filtration, a sponge filter will be enough for Ghost Shrimps. An air pump is also essential as Ghost Shrimps find solace in swimming around the bubbles. Too much water movement is also not good for them.

Breeding

Ghost Shrimp 

Ghost Shrimps come off as easier to breed than the Amano Shrimps. To breed Ghost Shrimps all you have to do is provide them with the right environment. Get the water parameters to the optimal range and make sure the tank is free of predators. All this and your Ghost Shrimp can be easily bred. 

Keeping the number of females less than the males can help with breeding. Raising the temperature to up to 80℉ helps catalyze the breeding as well. The females under the right and optimal parameters will lay eggs in a few weeks. Once the eggs have been laid the male will fertilize them in a few days. Getting calcium in your tank helps make sure the eggs will hatch. Although after fertilization, move the females to another tank for the eggs to hatch. This is because Ghost Shrimps are known to eat their young.

Amano Shrimp

Breeding Amano Shrimps is difficult and only people with a lot of experience can do it. Read on to find out why it is difficult to breed them. 

You will have to set up a breeding tank for the Amano Shrimp. A 20-gallon tank is enough. Add several things such as plants, decors, rocks, etc to the tank. 

After the female lays the eggs, the male fertilizes them, and the female holds on to the eggs for 6 weeks. During that period, the female will oxygenate the eggs with her tail. As the six weeks are over, the female releases the larvae into the saline water. But as the larvae grow, the requirement of the water becomes fresh water. So as it grows freshwater is what is needed. 

But you have to remove the parents from the tank as saline water is not good for them. So once you begin to increase the salinity, removing the adults is the priority.

Ghost Shrimp or Amano Shrimp

The answer to this question depends on what you wish with your shrimp. If you are thinking of keeping a shrimp and raising it in your aquarium, Amano shrimp is the better choice. Amano shrimp are hardier than Ghost Shrimp. They can handle changes better than Amano Shrimps. They are also good at cleaning the tank as they love dwelling on the bottom of the tank. 

But if you wish to breed shrimps, then Ghost Shrimps are the one for you. They are easier to breed. But if you are an experienced one and can take on breeding Amano Shrimps then you have no reason to no breed them.

Conclusion

Amano shrimp or Ghost Shrimps entirely depends on why you want a shrimp. So knowing why you want is your answer. These two shrimps are different from each other and have different preferences for tank parameters and requirements. The difficulty of breeding is entirely different as well. Although think first before choosing one for yourself.

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