Shrimp tank size?

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Hello all! I was curious...how much space do shrimp need? I have a three gallon tank that I was hoping to stock with shrimp of several species, and wanted to get an idea of which shrimp I could use. For example...would a fire shrimp be too big?

[mndfreeze]

It  really is species specific.  Most shrimp are small and need minimal space.  Make sure you research each one specifically though because quite a few of them have very special requirements that are either hard to maintain, or hard to maintain in a small tank.  Harlequin shrimp are a good example.  Space wise they don't need much at all, but food wise they eat living starfish tube feet, and make quite a mess with the water quality as they try to keep the host starfish alive for as long as possible.  So a small tank becomes a real water quality nightmare.

 

 

I don't think any of them have specific "space" requirements really though except maybe mantis shrimp.  skunk cleaners and fire shrimp don't really need exercise per say, fire shrimp tend to hide most of the day in a cave until you feed or the lights turn off.  Skunk cleaners are fairly active little pain in the asses but you probably wouldn't want one in a tank that small unless thats the only shrimp going in.  Just so there isn't any turf wars due to small space availability.

 

Sexy shrimp make great pico pets.  Anemone shrimp as well if you have small nems or some specific corals they will host.  There are lots of others too depending on if you plan on having coral or not and what kinds, as some shrimp are not very reef safe or have specific types of coral they might munch on.

 

[Red_Blenny]

42 minutes ago, mndfreeze said:

Skunk cleaners are fairly active little pain in the asses but you probably wouldn't want one in a tank that small unless thats the only shrimp going in.  Just so there isn't any turf wars due to small space availability.

 

I have a pair of skunk cleaner shrimps (no fishes) in my 12gal tank and yea, they are a pain in the ass sometimes (they like to harass my corals for giggles). They don't fight each other when I bought one each a month apart and it's pretty interesting to how they interact with each other.

 

Still a pain in the ass though.

[mndfreeze]

I was more concerned with the tank being only 3 gallons, how large skunk cleaners get, and mixing it with other species that it might pick on or be picked on by.  Normally they don't mess with other crabs and shrimp, but in such a small space with shrimp much smaller than it like sexy shrimp it might harass them to death or something.  Never know with those neurotic little asshats.

 

Coral banded shrimp are cool, there are a few species that stay fairly small (but not all, make sure you check into them first OP) but they definitely are aggressive towards other shrimp and some inverts.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

OK! Thanks. I was thinking of bumblebee shrimp and sexy shrimp, but was open to other options. PS...will shrimp eat pellet foods?

[sublunary]

Bumblebees shrimp would be great for a 3 gallon. They are tiny and peaceful and can be kept in groups.  I had few in my 12 gallon and loved them.   The sexies might be easier to keep track of, since they host things, and bumblebees will roam in and out of hiding spots.

[A Little Blue]

1 hour ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

OK! Thanks. I was thinking of bumblebee shrimp and sexy shrimp, but was open to other options. PS...will shrimp eat pellet foods?

Most will.