Hey there, fellow fish enthusiasts! After keeping aquariums for over 8 years and specifically breeding guppies alongside various shrimp species, I’ve got some interesting insights to share about whether shrimp will eat guppy fry. Let me cut straight to the chase – in most cases, shrimp won’t actively hunt or eat healthy guppy fry!
The Quick Answer
Peaceful aquarium shrimp like Cherry shrimp, Amano shrimp, and Ghost shrimp are extremely unlikely to harm guppy fry. These shrimp are primarily:
- Herbivores
- Scavengers
- Algae eaters
- Detritus feeders
Why Shrimp Usually Don’t Eat Guppy Fry
From my personal experience keeping shrimp and guppies together, here’s why shrimp rarely pose a threat
-
Size & Speed Mismatch
- Guppy fry are surprisingly quick swimmers
- Shrimp are slow and clumsy hunters
- Fry can easily escape if threatened
-
Peaceful Nature
- Most aquarium shrimp are non-aggressive
- They prefer easy meals like algae and leftover food
- Hunting live prey takes too much energy
-
Feeding Habits
- Shrimp primarily eat:
- Algae
- Biofilm
- Decaying plant matter
- Leftover fish food
- Dead organic material
- Shrimp primarily eat:
Tips for Keeping Shrimp & Guppy Fry Together
If you’re planning to keep shrimp and guppy fry in the same tank (like I do), here are some tried-and-tested tips:
1. Tank Setup
- Minimum 10-gallon tank size
- Lots of live plants (especially floating ones)
- Plenty of hiding spots
- Good filtration system
2. Feeding Strategy
- Feed shrimp regularly with:
- Algae wafers
- Shrimp pellets
- Blanched vegetables
- Commercial shrimp food
- Well-fed shrimp = peaceful shrimp
3. Tank Maintenance
- Regular water changes (20% weekly)
- Keep water parameters stable:
- Temperature: 72-78°F
- pH: 6.8-7.5
- Hardness: Moderate
Common Myths & Misconceptions
Let me bust some common myths I’ve heard:
❌ “Shrimp will hunt down fry”
- False! They’re too slow and passive
❌ “Ghost shrimp are aggressive predators”
- Mostly false! Only very large specimens might rarely attempt it
❌ “You need separate tanks”
- Not necessary if setup properly
Best Shrimp Species to Keep with Guppy Fry
From my experience, these shrimp species work great with guppy fry:
-
Cherry Shrimp
- Super peaceful
- Great cleaners
- Beautiful colors
-
Amano Shrimp
- Excellent algae eaters
- Completely harmless to fry
- Hardy species
-
Ghost Shrimp
- Inexpensive
- Good scavengers
- Generally peaceful
When Things Might Go Wrong
While rare, there are some situations where problems might occur:
-
Overcrowding
- Too many fish/shrimp
- Limited resources
- Increased stress
-
Poor Tank Conditions
- Dirty water
- Bad parameters
- Lack of food
-
Wrong Species Mix
- Some larger shrimp species might be risky
- Avoid Macrobrachium species
- Watch out for misidentified “ghost shrimp”
My Personal Success Story
In my 20-gallon planted tank, I’ve successfully raised countless guppy fry alongside a colony of cherry shrimp. The key? I’ve made sure to:
- Maintain dense plant growth
- Feed varied diet
- Keep water clean
- Provide hiding spots
- Monitor behavior
Final Thoughts & Recommendations
After years of keeping shrimp and guppy fry together, I can confidently say they make excellent tank mates. The benefits actually outweigh any minimal risks:
Benefits:
- Shrimp clean up excess food
- They help maintain tank cleanliness
- Add interesting behavior to watch
- Create a more natural ecosystem
Quick Setup Checklist:
- 10+ gallon tank
- Lots of plants
- Regular feeding schedule
- Good filtration
- Regular maintenance
Remember, success with any aquarium setup comes down to proper research and maintenance. Don’t stress too much about your shrimp eating fry – focus instead on creating a healthy, balanced environment for all your aquatic friends!
Now, if you’re ready to start your own shrimp and guppy community, go for it! Just remember the tips we’ve covered, and you’ll be watching your little underwater family thrive in no time.
Got any questions about keeping shrimp with guppy fry? Drop them in the comments below – I’d love to help out fellow aquarists with their setups!
Will Guppies Prey on Shrimp?
Guppies are hardy livebearers that originated in South America but have become one of the most widely distributed tropical fish in the world. Captive-bred species come in a wide array of colors and patterns that have been achieved through selective breeding. They’re prolific breeders, known to reproduce quickly with little involvement from the hobbyist.
In the wild, guppies feed on a variety of foods, and they don’t tend to be picky in the home aquarium. A balanced diet for guppies includes commercial flakes and pellets as well as live, frozen, or freeze-dried small foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp. Guppies may graze on algae in the tank from time to time.
Like many fish, guppies are opportunistic feeders and may eat small invertebrates in the tank like shrimp. Though adult shrimp may be too large to fit in a guppy’s mouth, baby shrimp might not be. Whether your guppies will eat shrimp in the tank depends on how well-fed the guppies are and whether the shrimp have places to hide.
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When stocking a new aquarium, it’s important to choose species that can safely cohabitate. Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are popular for community tanks because they’re small, peaceful, and easy to breed. They also bring a great deal of color and vibrant activity to the tank. But can they get along with freshwater shrimp, do guppies eat shrimp?
It’s possible to keep guppies and shrimp in the same tank but you’ll need to take certain precautions. Here’s what you need to know.
Guppy Fish and Cherry Shrimp – Can you Keep Them in Same Aquarium ?
FAQ
Can I put guppy fry with shrimp?
Can You Keep Guppies With Shrimp? Absolutely! Keeping thriving shrimp colonies with male guppies is often easier than you might think. I’ve successfully maintained healthy shrimp populations in tanks as small as 25 liters (6.6 gallons) and as large as 150 liters (40 gallons), all with minimal issues.
Can guppies and shrimp stay together?
it depends on the guppies. some will bother the shrimp, and think their feet and antenna are food and may pick at it and bother the shrimp. some guppies might ignore them all together. generally fish stress out shrimp and make them want to hide, in my experience.
Can guppies eat shrimp?
One of the best sources of live foods for guppy fry is little brine shrimp. That is because these shrimps not only taste great for the fish, but they are also full of nutrients that can speed up the growth of your guppies. And they are very edible from the fry point of view, as the baby brine shrimp are easily digestible for the fry.
Can baby guppies eat brine shrimp?
After a day or 36 hours, baby brine shrimp will start to develop. Once that happens, you can scoop the brine shrimp from the dish and put it into the aquarium where your baby guppies are. They will love this food, as it is one of the most popular diets for guppy fry. It also has all the nutrients needed to let them fully develop. 2.
What are the best live foods for guppy fry?
Here are the best types of live foods for guppy fry. One of the best sources of live foods for guppy fry is little brine shrimp. That is because these shrimps not only taste great for the fish, but they are also full of nutrients that can speed up the growth of your guppies.
Are guppies hard to breed?
Breeding them might not be that hard, but tanking care of the guppy fry might not be that easy. You will have to take great care of the fry if you will want to have healthy guppies. The truth is that their parent don’t take care of the fry, on top of that the fry get eaten by the adults most of the time.
Can guppies eat flakes?
This source of food is perfect for top and mid feeders, which the guppies are. Not only is it appropriate for the fry, but you can also use it for grown-up guppies. These flakes are very natural and are made in such a way that they pollute the water as little as possible.
Are guppy fry ready to eat?
The guppy fry will be very greedy at the start, and it will seem like these fish are ready to eat at any time. But this is not good, especially if you want to avoid overfeeding (which you should). A guppy fry will be ready to eat after a few minutes after they have ended their last meal.