Types of shrimp: description and photo. Overview of all types of freshwater aquarium shrimp What shrimp eat

We eat this sea creature, but what do we know about it? Today we will tell you how he lives shrimp in the depths of the sea, where it lives, what species exist and much more.

Description of shrimp

Shrimp is a mollusk belonging to the decapod crayfish, with a body length of only 10-12 cm (a maximum of some individuals reach 30 cm) with a body weight of 20 grams. Life cycle of a shrimp varies from 1.5 to 6 years.

Did you know that the mollusk is a unique creature? These creatures are able to shed their shell, replacing it with a new one. But the most interesting thing is that the sea creature’s heart and genitals are located in the head area, where the digestive and urinary organs are also located! Like all crustaceans and fish, the shrimp is breathing with the help of gills, which are located next to the walking legs and are protected by a shell. By the way, no matter how surprising it may be, in normal condition the blood of a shrimp is blue! And only from a lack of oxygen does it become discolored. These creatures live in almost any body of water in the world, except for the Arctic and Antarctica, focusing on areas of the equator.

Types of shrimp

Scientists identify more than 2,000 species, which they divided into subspecies:

1. Freshwater

2. Cold water

3. Warm water

4. Brackish water

HABITAT, REPRODUCTION AND NUTRITION OF SHRIMP

Shrimp habitat

Did you know what exactly shrimp play an important role in the ecosystem of seas and oceans? These small creatures clean the bottom of reservoirs from various tubifex worms, fish and aquatic insects. In search of food, the marine inhabitant leads a fairly active lifestyle, constantly moving through bodies of water. Small cleaners cleanse the body of dead brethren and small algae, sometimes attacking large fish, but only sleeping or sick ones.

Of course, everyone species of shrimp lives in different places. Warm water, for example, live only in the southern oceans and seas, and there are about a hundred species of them. Cold water found in the Baltic and North Seas, in the Barents Sea, near the coasts of Canada and Greenland. By the way, this is one of the most common types of shrimp. You probably already realized that brackish water mollusks are inhabitants of salty seas and oceans. Freshwater They also live in Russia, Australia, and the countries of South and South-East Asia. Chilean inhabit the South American coasts, the Black, Baltic and Mediterranean Seas, and our beloved king prawns in the Atlantic Ocean.

What do shrimp eat?

Basis of shellfish nutrition– organic matter and endangered aquatic plants. Among plants, preference is given to succulent varieties, such as ceratopteris. These creatures resemble scavengers who will not disdain to feast on dead shellfish and even young fish. In shrimp There are organs of touch and smell that perfectly help in finding food - these are kind of antennas on the head. Residents closer to the equator even dig up the soil in search, running around the perimeter until they stumble upon food. As soon as mollusk found what he was looking for, he instantly and greedily pounces on food. And only blind individuals of the Black Sea eat silt with their mandibles (jaws), and cold-water ones with pure plankton.

At home, we can add to the diet animal dandelion and clover leaves, cucumbers, boiled carrots, zucchini, walnuts, chestnuts, cherries.

Shrimp breeding

As soon as the female is ready to lay eggs, she secretes a yellow-green mass with a specific smell, to which the males flock like bees to honey. Once the couple has chosen each other, they begin mate, which lasts no more than a minute. One female can lay 20-30 eggs, which develop from 10 to 30 days, depending on the environment. During the moment of formation, the shrimp in the caviar changes from 9 to 12 times! First, the legs are formed, and only then the head with all the organs located there. About 10% of the young animals die from predators, but in the aquarium you will be able to save 30%. And all because they are not able to obtain food, eating only the available food.

VIDEO: ABOUT PRAWNS

IN THIS VIDEO YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT HOW THEY ACTUALLY HARVEST PRAWNS FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA

This amazing creature has many names, the most famous of which are Macrobrachium Rosenberg, giant river shrimp and long-armed shrimp. Experts say that her meat is very tasty. And we tend to believe them. It is not for nothing that many farms have been built in southeast Asia, in other countries and even in the south of Russia, where these arthropods are bred for sale. In addition, Macrobrachium rosenbergii can become a very interesting object for display in an aquarium. They have a rather unusual appearance and habits. Read our article about how to properly keep giant freshwater shrimp in your home pond.

The areas of its distribution in nature are India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Northern Australia, the Philippines and New Guinea. Adult shrimp can be found there most often in fresh, quiet, heavily overgrown reservoirs, the bottom of which is lined with sand and stones, and littered with snags. The temperature in them, depending on the season, ranges from 24 to 32 °C. When it's time to spawn, they migrate to lower rivers or estuaries, where the water is saltier.

What does a Rosenberg shrimp look like?

The sizes of these creatures are quite large, females are approximately 28 cm, and males are 32 cm. The weight of the latter can reach 250 g, and they also have large, long, coal-colored claws. Sometimes the right and left are different sizes.

Equipment: filter, dim lighting. The current should not be strong. Daylight hours are 12 hours.

Priming. You can put dark-colored river sand with a fraction of 2-4 mm on the bottom. The surface should not be flat. Terraces and depressions are welcome.

Shelters and decor. The giant Vietnamese shrimp grows very quickly and therefore sheds often. During this period, she is extremely defenseless and can easily be eaten by her relatives. To protect it, you need to arrange a sufficient number of shelters. These can be snags, thickets, stone piles, grottoes, ceramic pipes.

Flora. It is better not to use live aquarium plants. They will be eaten. You can try planting “tasteless” cryptocoryne or ophiopogon, while feeding the shrimp with pre-scalded lettuce, dandelion, burdock, and nettle. If this does not help, then there is only one way out - to decorate the aquarium with artificial plants. It is better to place them in dense groups.

Our pets adapt quite quickly and can adapt to life under other conditions. However, if these recommendations are followed, the living conditions will be as close as possible to natural ones, and the shrimp will live longer (4-5 years).

What to feed giant freshwater shrimp

Suitable for both animal and plant food. From live food, you can give tubifex, bloodworms, coretra, cyclops and large daphnia. From time to time it is advisable to treat amphibian larvae, mollusks, and live fish. Seafood (squid, mussels, haddock, pollock, cod fillet and others) will also be used. Of course, everything must be pre-chopped. From the vegetation it will be useful to feed scalded nettles, spinach and burdock. Sometimes you can give artificial fish food like Tetra and the like.

Feed is supplied as needed when the previous one is completely destroyed. If you leave it to sit for a long time, the water may deteriorate.

Is it possible to obtain offspring in captivity?

Overall this is not a difficult task. But! Water for breeding should be brackish.

Sexual maturity occurs at 4-5 months of age. Producers must be in good physical condition, active, without injury or disease.

Preparation period. Females are placed in a container with a temperature of 22 °C. They are kept there for three weeks. Next, the temperature is increased to 28-29 °C for three days. All shrimp are given food in abundance. It is better to use live food, as well as artificial food, which contains at least 30% protein (for sturgeon and salmon).

For reproduction, a male and three to four females are placed in one container. After mating and spawning, the females take care of the eggs: ventilate them and remove dead ones.

Larval stage– the most difficult in the development of shrimp. It is characterized by a very high mortality rate. It is extremely important to control all water parameters:

• temperature 27-29 °C;
• salinity 12% (ppm);
• oxygen 5 g/l;
• acidity 8-8.2 pH;
• nitrites 0.1 g/l;
• other nitrogen compounds 0.001 g/l;
• illumination 4000 lux;
• daylight hours 12 hours.

Larval development consists of 12 stages. Each lasts approximately three days and ends with a moult.

Feeding begins on the second day, preferably fresh nauplii of arrhythmia. From the fifth day you can add the yolk of a boiled egg and minced fish.

Next comes the transformation into postlarvae. Also with rapid growth and frequent molts, the number of which decreases as they grow. Postlarvae are transplanted into a container with reduced salinity (6 o/oo). They begin to lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. The diet can be supplemented with boiled vegetables and cereals.

Juveniles can be kept in community aquariums with fish and other small shrimp. But when their size reaches 5 cm, it is better to plant them, as they will become dangerous to others. It is also better to immediately separate parents from young people to avoid cannibalism.

This is interesting

The giant oriental Rosenberg shrimp is considered one of the most delicious, which is why in many countries and even in Russia they are bred for gastronomic purposes. In Thailand, this matter is completely on stream. Treating yourself to such a shrimp is not a cheap pleasure: one piece costs about 15-20 euros. They are transported live (in special cars or boxes with wet moss) or frozen.

In conclusion, we note that keeping, and even more so breeding, giant freshwater shrimp is not an entirely simple matter, but it is very interesting. That’s why if you have some experience in aquarium keeping, and most importantly, a desire, then go for it. You will definitely succeed!

Shrimp are, without a doubt, a bright addition to any aquarium. It is a rare aquarist who, having seen this aquatic organism, will not want to have it in his collection. And then the question of the great variety of species of these arthropods arises before him. After all, there are a huge variety of shrimp species for aquarium keeping, although their diversity is often underestimated. All, without exception, types of aquarium shrimp are equally similar to each other in structure, but differ greatly; there are small shrimp (1.8 cm) and truly large specimens (up to 35 cm) from each other in size. Of course, the coloring of the shrimp deserves special attention.

Classification issues

Classification of domestic shrimp is a complex and ambiguous issue because... There is no strict certainty on this issue. Of course, you can divide these aquarium inhabitants by size, color, origin, but this will entail even greater confusion and gossip. Strictly speaking, aquarium shrimp can definitely be divided in only two ways. By belonging to one or another family: Caridina, Neocaridina, Macrobrachium, Palaemonidae. Or by habitat - marine or freshwater, the latter, by the way, will be discussed later.

Within the “crystal” shrimp variety there is its own classification based on color.

All types of aquarium shrimp

As they say, it’s better to see once than to hear many times, in our case read, so let’s get to the heart of the matter, so what types of shrimp are there and what conditions do they require?

Amano

Caridina multidentata, Caridina japonica, Amano Shrimp.

Peace-loving inhabitant of freshwater aquariums. The appearance is quite primitive - translucent coloring of gray-blue shades with dots (for males) and strokes (for females) randomly located on the sides. An excellent cleaner and simply an irreplaceable fighter against thread.

They live in both small and large groups, but because... The Amano shrimp is quite difficult to breed; it is recommended to keep a flock of at least 10 individuals.

• Natural habitat: Korea, Taiwan, Yamato River in Japan.
• The size of the female is 5-6 cm, the male is 3-4 cm.
• Water parameters – temperature 23-27C, pH 7.2 – 7.5, hardness dH 2 – 20°.

Harlequin

Harlequin Shrimp.

This shrimp is truly miniature and partly for this reason it is very shy. Leads a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle. The complexity of the character is more than compensated by its outstanding appearance - the white and red coloration, outlined in black, is reminiscent of the harlequin from DC Comics, which is what the arthropod owes its name to.

• In nature, it lives in Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi.
• Size 0.6 – 1.3 cm.
• Lives in an aquarium from a year to a year and a half.
• Suitable parameters are temperature 26-29°C, acidity pH 7.2-8.4, hardness dH 15-25°.

White Pearl

Snowball, Snowflake, Neocaridina cf. zhangjiajiensis var. White, White Pearl Shrimp, Snowball Shrimp.

This artificially bred beauty is unpretentious in maintenance and is suitable even for beginners. Its quiet and even gentle disposition makes it an excellent pet, provided that there are no predatory, very active or aggressive fish among its neighbors. Any aquarium will be decorated with a greyish-white arthropod, transparent as glass, so much so that distinguishing a female from a male is not at all difficult. In female representatives, the ovaries are visible in the light, and the caviar is completely white, reminiscent of snow, for which the shrimp received the nickname Snowflake.

They feel best in a group of 10 to 20 individuals.

• Not found in nature. Artificially bred by German breeder Ulf Gottschalk.
• Length 2 – 2.5 cm.
• Longevity of life is no more than 2 years.
• Conditions in the aquarium: temperature – 20-28°C, hardness – 6-20°, pH no more than 7.5.

Blue Pearl

Blue neocaridina, Blue shrimp, Blue Pearl Shrimp, Crystal Blue shrimp, Ice Blue, Ice blue, Blue ice.

It was bred by crossing blue neocardina with white individuals.

The color can change depending on the mood and well-being, and the more the color fades, the worse the arthropod feels. It is best to observe a pearl in a flock of 10 or more individuals in a spacious aquarium, at least 60 - 80 liters.

• China is the birthplace and region of selection.
• Standard size 2.5cm.
• 18-29°C, 6.8-7.5 Ph, dGH 2-25.
• Life cycle 2 years.

Atyidae is the common name for aquarium freshwater shrimp.

Blue neocardine

Blue neocardine, blue dream.

Brightly colored peaceful shrimp. There are difficulties regarding the reproduction of this species; the offspring often turn out to be greenish, gray-brown, or even completely transparent; the “blue” gene must be constantly fixed. Like most Atyidae, they feel best in a group of 10-20 individuals.

• The result of the work of German and Japanese breeders. First introduced to the public in the United States in 2006.
• The size of females is up to 3 cm, males up to 2.
• Lifespan is about 2 years.
• T° 18-28 degrees Celsius, pH 6.5 - 7.5, average hardness 2-25.

Blue brindle

Blue Tiger.

The most striking distinctive feature of these tigers is their orange eyes, which have not been seen in other aquarium arthropods. Despite the exotic appearance and high price, they are not whimsical in maintenance.

They require frequent infusions of fresh “blood” because due to inbreeding during the selection process they are prone to degeneration.

• Not found in nature. Bred from ordinary tiger shrimp.
• They live up to a maximum of 2 years.
• The average size is 2-2.5 cm.
• Acceptable water parameters: temperature from 15 to 30, acidity 6.5 -7.5 (they reproduce better in more acidic water), hardness from 1 to 15.

Blue aura

Aura Blue Dwarf Shrimp.

The Blue Aura shrimp is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the genus Atyidae, perhaps even the most beautiful of all blue shrimp and at the same time, as it often happens, quite mysterious. Information about the aura can be found at a minimum, this is due to the fact that it has settled in aquariums (especially Russian ones) quite recently; below is the most important information, in our opinion.

They reproduce easily and willingly; an experienced female carries up to 30 larvae under her tail. Despite the rarity, the conditions of detention are very prosaic; for a small flock, a 10-liter aquarium with high-quality water is enough, which will be changed frequently. The aura also has an unusual feature that cannot be ignored! After molting, this aquatic organism becomes almost transparent, but don’t worry, within a week the color will be restored and will delight you again.

• Origin: Thailand.
• Life expectancy is maximum 2 years.
• Size 2-3cm.
• Aquarium water parameters 23-25°, pH 7-7.5, medium hardness.

Blue-footed bee

Blue Leg shrimp, Blue Poso shrimp, Caridina ensifera Blue, Caridina Blue Tail, Peacock.

The appearance of the blue-legged bee is more than remarkable and is unlikely to leave any aquarist indifferent. The body is gray, there are blue spots on the tail (for which the crustacean was nicknamed Peacock), blue legs and bright red antennae.

Bees have a peaceful disposition and easily get along with both non-aggressive species of arthropods and peace-loving fish.

• Natural habitat: Lake Poso, Indonesia, Sulawesi Islands.
• Maximum size 3cm.
• Life expectancy is two to three years.
• Water parameters – temperature 28-30°C, pH 7.5 – 8.5, hardness dH 7-15°, effective aeration is required.

Yellow shrimp

Lemon, Yellow Pearl, Canary.

The canary's calling card is, of course, its bright yellow color. This is the only representative of aquarium arthropods with this color, however, with age, the pet acquires an orange tint, which does not make it any less cute.

If they are undernourished, they can eat all the vegetation around them.

• Not found in nature.
• The size of the yellow shrimp is 2.5 - 3 cm.
• Maximum age 2, rarely 3 years
• Optimal conditions: water 15 – 28°C, acidity 6.8-8.0 Ph.

Green shrimp

Babaulti, caridina babaulti, Green Midget shrimp.

The bright and active green babaulti shrimp was discovered in India during an expedition and described in 1918. This species has often been subjected to selection; currently 5 color variations are known - blue, white red-nosed, brown, orange. The most common color found in aquariums is green, most of which were brought from India, and only a small part was born in aquariums.

• Homeland India (small rivers and streams)
• Size up to 3.5cm
• Water: Temperature from 20 to 28, hardness – 5-20, acidity – 6.5-8. Aeration and frequent water changes of about 20% of the volume are required.

Cardinal

Cardinal Shrimp and Caridina sp. "Cardinal", Denerli, Caridina dennerli.

Many atyidae have a bizarre, memorable appearance, but even among them, the Cardinal, which recently appeared in aquariums, stands out very clearly. The color ranges from red to cherry, and the always-on-trend white polka dots on the sides. Thin and long legs and a sharp nose only add aristocracy to Cardinal Shrimp. Despite the apparent simplicity, keeping these arthropods has a lot of pitfalls and therefore this species is not suitable for beginners!

• Natural habitat: Indonesia, rocky areas of Lake Matano on the island of Sulawesi.
• Size 1 – 2cm.
• Water parameters – temperature 26 – 29C, pH 7 – 9, hardness dH 9-15.

Macrobrachnums, Macrobrachium assamense.

The ring-armed shrimp is a relatively large species for an aquarium arthropod. Females reach a size of 5 cm, males are even larger and grow up to 7. The marbled color, like many other species, depends on nutrition and soil. One claw is larger than the other, but this is clearly visible only in large male individuals.

Macrobrahnums are aggressive towards each other and towards other neighbors. Although they are predominantly nocturnal, they are ready to actively stalk prey at any time. Therefore, forget about the idea of ​​keeping ringed fish with other arthropods or small fish. For these tireless hunters, large fish of at least 5 cm, living in the middle and upper layers of a home reservoir, can become good neighbors.

• They live in nature in the Eastern Himalayas, in local mountain lakes and rivers.
• The length reaches 7cm.
• Longevity of life is 1.5 – 3 years.
• Conditions in the aquarium: temperature – 21-25°C, hardness – 10-20°, pH 7 – 7.5. Enhanced filtration and aeration are required, as well as weekly water changes; if it is cold, this will have a positive effect on life expectancy.

A minimum of 10-15 liters is required per individual. Requires school keeping - 1 male and several females.

Halocaridina rubra.

The owner of a non-trivial appearance, the red Hawaiian shrimp, in a stressful situation, ceases to be red! The color fades and the animal camouflages itself into its environment. The character is peaceful and accommodating, but the shrimp itself can become the subject of hunting for other inhabitants of the aquarium.

There are companies that sell Hawaiian red shrimp in sealed "ecospheres". The shrimp in them slowly dies before your eyes, and this process can last up to 3 years. All this time, the shrimp feeds only on its shell from molt to molt. Halocaridina rubra is a very tenacious and immensely patient creature.

• In good conditions, the maximum recorded lifespan of this baby is 20 years.
• As the name implies, it lives in Hawaii.
• The standard size does not exceed 1.2 cm.
• The life cycle is on average 8 – 10 years.
• Surprisingly, both salt and fresh water are suitable for life. With a temperature of 20 - 23 degrees, although it can tolerate a range of 15-30 ° C, pH 8.2 - 8.4.

Red shrimp

Neocardina heteropoda, Cherry, Cherry.

The most popular and widely known species of aquarium arthropod. Bright, unpretentious, readily breeding Cherries have long and happily inhabited the home ponds of aquarists around the world. Read more about Cherry shrimp on our website.

• Neocardina, the species from which cherries were bred, lives in Taiwan.
• Size up to 4 cm.
• Lifespan is about 3 years.
• T° 20 – 29 degrees Celsius, pH 6-8, hardness up to 15°dH. Be sure to have plants and mosses in which the cherries can hide.

The species obtained as a result of selection of the red shrimp is not much different from it, with the exception of a much brighter and more saturated color ranging from red to cherry.

Also bred in Taiwan from the species Neocardina heteropoda, it differs from its ancestor in that this shrimp is orange from head to toe. Orange fire fry are born lighter in color for their own protection, but as they live, the color becomes more saturated and bright.

Red crystal

Red Bee, Crystal Red Shrimp, Red Bee.

Aquarium crystals are peaceful and have a very memorable appearance, for which they have gained great popularity all over the world. Within this species, as well as among its predecessor the Bee shrimp, there is a whole hierarchy of colors of its own. Thus, some types of red bees, for example, Snow White, which will be mentioned below, are very expensive, and some have a very affordable price.

• The result of selection work. The first Crystal Red Shrimp was created by Japanese breeder Hisayasu Suzuki in 1993 while breeding classic black-striped bees.
• The size of females is up to 2.5 cm, males up to 2 cm.
• Lifespan is about 2 years.
• T° 20 -27 degrees Celsius, pH 5.5 - 7, average hardness 4-6. They are very sensitive to dirty water - do not forget about filtration and weekly replacement of at least a third of the volume of the aqua.

Caridina cf. cantonensis “Snow White”.

Snow White is a Red Crystal species.

Snow white shrimp is one of the types of red bee shrimp. Snow Whites are found in varying degrees of whiteness and, of course, the most valuable are completely white specimens, and the least valuable, in turn, are arthropods with a predominant area of ​​​​transparent body segments. The conditions for its maintenance are somewhat different from traditional crystals:

• The adult size is up to 3 cm.
• The average life length is 2-4 years.
• Required temperature - 25–30°C, hardness - 1–10, acidity - 6.0–7.5 pH.

Red ruby

Caridina cf. cantonensis “Red Ruby”.

Another representative of the crystal genus. In contrast to Snow White, it is absolutely not whimsical, withstands a huge range of acidity and hardness, but in “home” selection, the offspring may not become as bright as its parents, and so on over and over again.

• Size up to 3.5 cm, other parameters do not differ from the ancestor described above - the Red Bee.

As a rule, the higher the class of shrimp, the more difficult it is to care for.

In 2009, the Ruby Red shrimp set a record for its high price - it was bought at auction for 4,800 euros.

Caridina cantonensis sp. Red Tiger.

The red tiger shrimp in its natural habitat is perfectly camouflaged - the light beige body of the arthropod is wrapped in thin red stripes, and the bottom of its native reservoirs is covered with red stones - there the shrimp is invisible, but in an aquarium it is impossible not to pay attention to it! It goes well with peaceful small fish and contrasts beautifully with plants.

• In nature, it lives in the reservoirs of southern China.
• They live on average up to 2 years.
• The size reaches 3.5 cm.
• Acceptable water parameters: temperature from 25 to 30, acidity 6.5 -7.8, hardness from 1 to 15 dGH.

Red Noice Shrimp, Pinocchio, Rudolph, Rhino, Rhino.

I would compare the red-nosed shrimp to an arrow - thin, sharp, graceful, this ten-legged beauty will not leave you indifferent! The body of the shrimp is almost transparent, but the shade can change depending on the mood of the shrimp. Thus, a milky tint indicates illness in living creatures.

In its natural environment, this shrimp is a vegetarian, so if there is a lack of vegetation in its diet, it will happily consume aquarium plants.

• Homeland India and Southeast Asia. Reservoirs with standing water or very weak currents.
• Females reach a size of 4 cm, males 2.5.
• Necessary conditions: temperature 20-28°C, acidity pH 6.4-7.5, hardness dH 8-15°, water must be brackish 8-10 grams of table salt per liter of water, do not forget about this when choosing neighbors for the red-nosed beauty and plants for decorating the aquarium.

Macrobrachium sp. “Inle-See.”

Inle Lake is located in Myanmar (Southeast Asia), it is a truly large body of water, its size is 22 km by 10 km, and the mysterious Inle Lake shrimp lives here. This arthropod belongs to the Palaemonidae species of shrimp and is a carnivore. The appearance is modest - a transparent body with reddish stripes and strokes of various types.

• In nature they live, as the name suggests, in Inle Lake.
• The length reaches 3cm.
• Conditions in the aquarium: temperature – 25-29°C, hardness – 5-9°, pH 6-7.5.

Mandarin duck

Orange Sunkist Shrimp, Tangerine Shrimp, Caridina sp. Orange Borneo, Caridina thambipillai, Fanta Shrimp, Orange Soda Shrimp.

Peaceful and funny, just like its name, the Mandarin shrimp is a typical representative of the genus Caridina. The transparent body is orange, sometimes with reddish dots and streaks on the sides. They can only be kept in a flock, preferably at least 8 individuals.

• They live naturally on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
• Life expectancy is no more than 2 years.
• Length. Females reach 3 cm, males do not grow larger than 2.5.
• Conditions in the aquarium: temperature - 20-28 ° C, hardness -6-15 °, pH 6.5-8.

Nigerian shrimp

Nigerian shrimp, Atiya, Cameroon filter feeder.

A more than unusual aquarium shrimp Atiya. It is very large for an aquarium, its color is more than modest from grayish blue to bleached blue, but what The most interesting thing is that she has no claws! The thing is that the Nigerian shrimp lives in reservoirs with strong currents and obtains its food by filtration. A peaceful and interesting arthropod, it will never offend your fish.

• Live in western Africa
• The size of an adult female reaches 18 cm, males are smaller - a maximum of 14.
• Water parameters: T 23-28°C, pH 6.5 – 7.5.

Desmocaris trispinosa.

You can confuse the Nigerian swimming shrimp and Atia (which was mentioned above) only by name, because outwardly these arthropods are complete antipodes of each other. The NPK is small and transparent in appearance, generally inconspicuous and interesting mainly for its unusual method of movement for shrimps; it seems to hover and float above the surface.

• Homeland - Africa.
• Temperature - 25–29°C, pH - 6.0–7.5, hardness - 6–9 dGH.

Another serious difference between the NPK and the Nigerian shrimp is that the latter requires a strong current, while the former prefers completely stagnant water.

Ninja

Caridina – serratirostris, Ninja Shrimp, honey or Christmas shrimp.

Ninja shrimp have their mysterious name for a reason, and among their many nicknames, “chameleon” is missing. We have already written that some shrimp are capable of changing color during stress, fright, or, conversely, courting a female; a ninja is a completely different matter; it is an unrivaled master of camouflage. Watching a shrimp change color depending on what pebble it sits on is a real pleasure! In addition, there are no difficulties in keeping this arthropod, but the excellent resume of caridina – serratirostris is overshadowed, only by the fact that reproduction in an aquarium requires titanic efforts and, as a result, is almost impossible.

• Region of origin - Asia, more precisely Japan, Philippine, Polynesian islands, Fiji island, Madagascar island.
• Life expectancy is on average 2-3 years.
• The size of the male is up to 2.5 cm, females are 1 cm larger.
• Water parameters: temperature 22-27°C, acidity 6.4-7.3, hardness dH 6-20°.

Macrobrachium carcinus.

This article has already written about shrimp of the genus Macrobrachium, and the main thing you should remember about them is that almost all representatives of this species are predators, so you should choose their neighbors very carefully, and the long-clawed shrimp is no exception.

Males perform a very entertaining mating dance for females, but due to natural shyness, the arthropod dances only in the dark.

In their homeland in the countries of Central and South America, Macrobrachium carcinus itself is the subject of hunting; local residents eat them.

• Natural habitat is fast large streams of Central and South America.
• Average size 30 -35cm.
• Maintenance requirements are as simple as possible - warm, clean water from 22 to 27°C, and a strong current.

Bee

Caridina cantonensis sp. “Bee” – Black Bee Shrimp.

Bees include many other shrimp with different names, but the history of appearance and living conditions of these arthropod relatives are the same. Therefore, when reading about the bee shrimp, keep in mind that it talks about: striped bee, black bee, princess bee, King Kong shrimp, Panda shrimp, Bumblebee shrimp, Black Diamond (aka black tiger) and some others.

The bee has almost equal proportions of black and white, the shrimp Black Diamond, King Kong are almost black, the Panda has white areas at the junction of the cephalothorax and rostrum, as well as stripes on the abdomen.

The higher the class of black diamonds (as well as the red ones, which we have already discussed), the more complex their content, and King Kongs, for example, almost never breed in amateur aquariums.

• Country of origin: Taiwan (man-bred).
• Average life expectancy is 1.5 years.
• Size – up to 3.5 cm.
• Necessary conditions: temperature 20-26°C, acidity pH 6.0-6.8, hardness Gh 2-5 °dH.

Riley

Riley Shrimp.

The light and weightless Riley shrimp was bred from the genus Neocaridina heteropoda by the famous breeder Suzuki Hisuasu among aquarists. The red rili were the first to appear and they were so loved by the aquarium community that soon orange, blue, yellow ones appeared... The value of the Rili Shrimp depends on how large a part of the shrimp's body is transparent. This active little one searches for food all day, swimming around the aquarium.

• Launched in Taiwan in 1996.
• Average length 2 cm.
• Water: temperature 18-28°C, acidity pH 6.4 – 7.6, hardness dH 4-14°.

Indian, Asian, Thai, Herb shrimp. Ghost, GLASS SHRIMP, Palaemonetes paludosus.

There are 2 types of relatively large glass shrimp, extremely similar in appearance, so we will divide them according to their habitat into Asian and North American. Both are transparent, for which they were nicknamed “glass”; the Asian one has the nickname Grass Shrimp, and the American one is often called the Ghost.

Both of them can build their own shelters if sand or very fine gravel is used as soil. Large individuals can show aggression during the breeding season; to avoid this, stick to the proportion of 1 shrimp: 4 liters of water or more.

• The average lifespan is 1-2 years, rarely longer.
• Size up to 5 cm females, males maximum 4 cm, both in good conditions.
• But the view on good living conditions for these shrimp is different:
• Asians. Water temperature 20-28 degrees, acidity pH 6.5-7.5, hardness does not matter.
• Americans. Temperature 18-29 degrees, acidity pH – 6.5-7.5, hardness GH – 5-8.
• For both, it is necessary to have high-quality filtration and aeration, as well as weekly water changes of up to 20% of the aquarium volume.

Filter Anopsis

Atyopsis moluccensis, banana, bamboo, forest shrimp.

The appearance of Anopsis is unlikely to make you fall in love with it. Brown stripes on its yellowish body make it invisible in nature, but this crustacean does not intend to hide in an aquarium. He will definitely occupy some peak and begin to catch food with his paws - fans (which replaced claws). This is a very interesting and even bewitching sight. If the filter feeder begins to spend more time at the bottom in search of food, it means that it is malnourished, because its feeding method is not entirely normal and it is more difficult for it to get enough than others.

• Homeland - Southeast Asia.
• Maximum age 2 years.
• Length 6-10cm.
• Comfortable parameters: temperature 23-29C, acidity pH: 6.5-7.5, hardness dH: 6-15.

Leander modestus.

This is perhaps the only aquarium shrimp whose native reservoirs are located, including on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The appearance of the Leander is not very expressive - an almost transparent body and very long antennae, sometimes exceeding the length of its owner. But you can watch this shrimp around the clock, because, unlike many of their counterparts, they are active even during the day. They live in peace and harmony with the fish, they play the role of a cleaner perfectly, picking at the ground with small claws. Conflicts within the group are possible if there is not enough space in the aquarium. One Khankai shrimp should contain at least 7-10 liters.

• Region of natural residence – Far East, Lake Khanka, etc.
• The body size of females is 3-4 cm, males, as is most often the case with arthropods, are smaller; their length varies from 2 to 2.5 cm.
• Hankaika requires very clean water, so you can’t skimp on a filter. 24-hour aeration is required. The temperature is tolerated at 15-30 °C, although it is better, of course, not to take it to extremes and stay in the range of 20 -24 °C. The ideal option would be if the water temperature in the aquarium drops in winter and rises in the spring, closer to summer, in order to get closer to the natural annual cycle. Hardness no less than 10. No special requirements for acidity.

Caridina Simoni Simoni.

The small, transparent Ceylon shrimp is interesting, first of all, for its active behavior - it actively scurries around the aquarium all day in search of food and does not at all try to hide anywhere. Color varies from brownish and greenish to blue.

• Homeland Malaysia, Philippine Islands, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Java.
• Length 1.8-2.5 cm.
• Maintenance requirements: strong aeration and filtration, weekly water changes of at least 1/3. water temperature 20-30°C, acidity pH 5.5-8, hardness dH 3-15°.

Macrobrachium nipponense.

A very elegant Japanese shrimp resembles a glass figurine - a transparent, slightly brownish body with a contrasting black stripe a third of the length, brick-red claws for males and orange for females, and beady eyes complete the picture.

The character is nasty and even aggressive, so the only neighbors of this species can be arthropods of similar size and fish that will not give themselves any offense.

In the group, maintain a balance of 1 male -2.3 females.

• They live naturally in Japan, which becomes obvious from the name.
• Size 6-8cm.
• Water temperature 26-30, acidity pH 6.4-6.8, hardness does not matter.

Bottom line

Whatever type of shrimp you choose for yourself, remember a few simple rules that will help you and make the life of your pets easier:

1. Copper is contraindicated for any type of shrimp. Be careful, because it is contained in many medicines for fish.
2. Any arthropod (and fish will be grateful) must live in a clean environment, so think about the issue of filtration and water changes in advance.
3. The presence of plants in the aquarium is mandatory. It is better if these are mosses and small-leaved ones for small species and larger ones for large-sized arthropods.
4. If you are planning to do breeding, theoretically the crossing is possible as follows: Caridina + Caridina, Macrobrachium + Macrobrachium, Neocaridina + Neocaridina, etc. Shrimp belonging to different families not only do not interbreed, but can also conflict when kept together. However, one should not conclude that any species can be crossed within one family. The issue of shrimp reproduction is delicate and individual, but if you decide to start breeding these animals, you will not regret it.

The world of aquarium shrimp is more than diverse and everyone can find a shrimp to suit their taste.

The commercial shrimp or chilim or shrimp, unlike their fellow decapods, have adapted to life in the water column. This affected the structure of the shrimp.

The shrimp has an elongated body, while it is flattened on the sides. The body is divided into 2 main sections - the abdomen and the cephalothorax, which is almost half the length of the body.

At the beginning of the cephalothorax shell there is a pair of compound eyes located in special recesses.

Each eye is formed from a large number of facets, and their number increases with age. Facets separate age spots from each other. Each facet perceives only those rays that fall perpendicular to the cornea. Some facets see only a small part of the object that the shrimp is looking at, and the remaining parts are seen by other facets. That is, shrimp have mosaic vision. At night, the pigments diverge to the bases of the eyes, due to which oblique rays reach the retina, and the shrimp begins to see objects in full, but they are blurred.

The cephalothorax is protected by a durable chitinous shell, which is formed from two plates and attached to the gills. The lower part of the chitinous shell is soft and thin.

Shrimp have 19 pairs of limbs, all of which are responsible for certain actions. The antennae are used as organs of touch; with the help of the mandibles, the shrimp crushes prey, and it holds it with its jaws. Thin long legs, at the end of which there are small claws, play a special role - with the help of them the shrimp clean their bodies, they also insert these legs into the cavity of the toads and clean them if they are clogged. The remaining legs are used to move along the ground; they are longer and thicker in size than the other legs. The abdominal limbs are used during swimming.

It is interesting to monitor the behavior of shrimp while snorkeling in the warm waters of the Sea of ​​Japan. If you move the lush algae, the shrimp begin to jump out of them, like grasshoppers in a meadow.

It has a wide and strong caudal fin. Shrims bends him sharply and moves with thrusts. When the shrimp stops, it straightens its small oar legs under its tail and begins to quickly move them, swimming between the algae. In this case, the pectoral legs and antennae are pressed to the body. When a shrimp lands on algae and freezes, it moves its long antennae to the sides.

Chilims have orange legs. The eyes are violet. When the sun's rays pass through the shrimp's body, it shines through and gives off an emerald tint. The chilim reaches 18 centimeters in length. There are dark stripes along the body that serve to camouflage the shrimp among marine plants. Only when you get close can you notice the shrimp.

If you lure a shrimp with a piece of meat or fish, they gather in small groups near the prey. At the slightest movement, they jump to the sides, while swimming away backwards, sharply bending their abdomen and pushing off the water with their caudal fin and abdominal legs.

What do shrimp eat?

The shrimp diet consists not only of animal food (plankton), but also algae and soil. A large number of shrimp accumulate near fishing nets, and they eat the fish so quickly that if the fishermen do not get the net in time, they will be left with only naked skeletons.

They find food using their senses of touch and smell. If a shrimp loses its eyes, then it can find prey in 4-5 minutes, and if the first pair of antennae is lost, this time increases to 20 minutes; if both pairs of antennae are lost, the shrimp find prey even longer, while they use the toes of walking legs and bristles of the oral appendages, characterized by high sensitivity.

Far Eastern shrimp

Shrimp are bisexual organisms, but their female and male gonads form at different times. When sexual maturity occurs, the shrimp first transforms into a male, and in the third year of life it transforms into a female. Females glue eggs to the hairs of the abdominal legs and carry them with them until larvae emerge from them.

Palemon shrimp

Shrimp are fished in the Pacific, Atlantic and Northern seas. These are the most sought after commercial creatures; up to a million tons of shrimp are caught annually.

Shrimps- this is one of the seafood, which is considered a delicacy in many countries of the world remote from the sea. Shrimp are a subspecies of marine crustacean creatures and can reach sizes of up to thirty centimeters. On average, the size of a shrimp is about ten to twelve centimeters (see photo). There are also about a hundred different types of shrimp, which differ mainly in size. Shrimp are caught in the seas, but sometimes they can be raised in farms.

An interesting fact is that at birth shrimp are hermaphrodites, and throughout their life they change sex from male to female in order to bear offspring.

Shrimp are often sold in stores in fresh-frozen, frozen and boiled-frozen forms. Can be sold both in packages and by weight. Fresh shrimp are dark green or pinkish-transparent in color, while cooked shrimp are bright pink or red.

If you go to the store and want to buy shrimp, then you should know how to choose them correctly so that they bring you only positive emotions.

The highest quality shrimp are those that have been frozen fresh, as they contain the largest amount of useful elements.

Varieties of shrimp

Today, there are about a hundred varieties of shrimp that are sold in stores and markets, however, the most popular of them are:

• royal;
• brindle;
• northern (Chilims).

King prawns, which are caught in the seas, are significantly different from their counterparts, which are grown on special farms. Shrimp not grown in the wild are capable of reaching sizes of up to twenty-five centimeters in one year, while they have a much more massive back part relative to the head, which makes them more tasty. Most often, the color of king prawns is greenish or even bluish. This type of shrimp is most often sold fresh frozen or boiled-frozen.

Tiger prawns are distinguished by their particularly large size, as well as the characteristic dark stripes on the shell, which is why they get their name. Tiger shrimp can reach up to forty centimeters in length, in addition, they contain much more meat than other types of shrimp. This type of crustacean can be both caught in the seas and bred on farms, so there is always an abundance of these shrimp on the shelves.

Several types of tiger shrimp are available for sale: frozen, fresh-frozen, chilled, boiled-frozen, and canned.

Northern shrimp, otherwise called chilims, are the smallest representatives of their species. The maximum size of such shrimps usually does not exceed eleven centimeters. Northern shrimp are caught or farmed in the Atlantic completely legally. An interesting fact is that, unlike their relatives, only northern shrimp carry eggs under their abdomen. Other types of shrimp throw it directly into the water.

On the shelves you can only find boiled and frozen types of northern shrimp, since only this method of transportation allows them to be kept as fresh and juicy as possible.

How to clean and cook?

Before I tell you about how to properly cook different types of shrimp, it is necessary to clarify that you can cook them both in the shell and without it. If you want to cook shrimp without the shell, then you need to know how to peel it. In our article we will tell you in detail how this can be done.

1. The first step is to defrost the shrimp. To do this, it is best to place them on a plate and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so that they thaw gradually. If you're in a hurry, you can place the bag of shrimp in room temperature water, changing it as it cools.
2. When the shrimp are defrosted, place them on a wooden board and then sprinkle them thoroughly with salt. This way they will be salted, and it will also be much easier to remove the shell.
3. Now you should take the shrimp in your hands, in one of which you should hold the head, and in the other the tail. After this, you need to carefully unscrew the head, and then tear off the legs.
4. Then, starting from the head, gently pull the scales of the shell up, thus removing the entire shell. The tip of the tail should be carefully removed by pulling it towards you.
5. If you see a dark line along the back, it will need to be removed as it is the esophagus.
6. After you clean the shrimp, you will need to rinse them thoroughly under running water and then start cooking.

Now that you know how to properly peel shrimp, you can move on to the cooking process. First, let's look at the method by which you need to cook boiled-frozen shrimp. However, it is not necessary to clean them. The first step is to defrost them. For boiled frozen shrimp, the boiling water method is suitable: they need to be placed in a colander and doused with water from a just boiled kettle. After this, you should transfer the shrimp to a saucepan and pour boiling water over them so that it completely covers the shrimp. You can add herbs, dried cloves, salt and black pepper to the water to taste. The shrimp should be cooked in this way for about two minutes, after which they can be placed on a plate and served.

If you are going to cook raw shrimp, then you should know that they need to be cooked much longer, and it does not matter whether they are peeled or not. To cook raw shrimp, you need to wait until they defrost on their own. After this, pour water into the pan, add salt, bay leaf and lemon juice and wait until it boils. Now you can put the shrimp in there. They should be cooked for at least 10 minutes, but the time may vary in each case. You can tell when the shrimp are ready when they float to the surface and turn pink. After this, you can turn off the water and transfer the shrimp to a plate.

How to cook?

As you know, shrimp can be cooked not only by boiling. In many restaurants around the world, shrimp are fried and baked, which only makes their taste even brighter.

If you want to boil shrimp, then you can add herbs and various spices to the water for them, which can make the taste of the shrimp richer and the aroma stronger. Boiled shrimp are perfect for seafood salads; you can make sandwiches, canapés with them, or eat them just like a snack.

Fried and baked shrimp have a great taste, but if they are not fried in olive oil, they will not serve as a dietary product. But they are wonderful for sandwiches and cream soups. In addition, you can prepare such an amazing dish as shrimp pasta. There are a huge number of recipes for preparing and using shrimp on our website; you can always choose what you like, and also see photos of ready-made dishes.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of shrimp are undeniable, since they, like many other seafood, contain a huge amount of useful elements. Shrimps has long been used as a powerful aphrodisiac, which increased the libido of both men and women.

Shrimp are a very low-calorie product, so they can serve as a dietary dish. At the same time, shrimp contain a whole range of vitamins, which is undoubtedly a plus for those who are forced to deny themselves high-calorie foods.

Regular consumption of shrimp helps eliminate allergenic cells, thereby reducing the risk of allergic reactions to any products. Shrimp also contains a large amount of antioxidants, which is why regular consumption helps destroy cancer cells.

If we talk about whether eating shrimp can be harmful, the answer is clear: it can. But only in two cases: in the case of excessively frequent consumption of shrimp, and also if they were caught in bodies of water contaminated by radiation.

Composition of shrimp

The chemical composition of shrimp is very diverse. The most important thing is that they contain a large amount of protein, which supplies the body with energy. Shrimp also contain beneficial Omega acids, which have a positive effect on the condition of human blood vessels, as well as on the elasticity of the heart muscle. Shrimp also contains a large number of useful microelements that fill the body and take care of it: manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, iodine, and many others. There are also plenty of vitamins in shrimp, and they are especially rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, E and D.

Thus, one small shrimp can rightfully be considered a storehouse of useful components.