Looking for an algae eater for your aquarium? Skip the fish, choose a shrimp! The Amano shrimp is one of the most efficient algae eaters you can add to your tank. This species is 100% beginner-proof, peaceful, and doesn't require a lot of space. Could it be any more perfect?
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about keeping Amano shrimp, one of The Shrimp Farm's long-time favorite types of freshwater shrimp.
Amano shrimp are naturally found in Taiwan and Japan. Some sources also report them from places as far away as Fiji and Madagascar, but those sightings have been mostly debunked — they were probably different species of shrimp.
In their natural range, Amano shrimp can be found in the upper to middle reaches of small to medium-sized streams and rivulets. Imagine coastal hill streams like this one on Google Maps , with a good flow level, plenty of dissolved oxygen, and a mix of sand and large boulders on the bottom. There usually aren't any aquatic plants, but the margins can have a lot of overhanging vegetation.
Did you know? Amano shrimp were scientifically known as Caridina japonica until a taxonomic revision in 2006 . Although they're now called Caridina multidentata , you might still find them for sale under their old name.
Usually, not much is known about how a fish or invertebrate species ended up the aquarium trade. Today's subject is an exception, and it's a fun little story! The Amano shrimp has been a staple in the aquarium hobby ever since it was first introduced on a large scale by legendary aquascaper and photographer Takashi Amano.
Known in the hobby as the father of the "Nature Aquarium", an aquascaping style that employs natural rocks and wood as well as live plants, Amano was experimenting with different shrimp species for algae control when he observed that a then pretty obscure species performed much better than the others. The shrimp in question was then known as Yamato-numaebi (Yamato marsh shrimp/pond shrimp). According to Japanese sources , it was already present in the aquarium trade, but no one had quite realized how much of an appetite for algae it has.
According to Practical Fishkeeping Magazine , Amano promptly asked his regular supplier to gather a few thousand(!) of these wonder shrimp for him. The supplier in question hadn't had much luck selling the species before and was therefore not enthusiastic about the venture, but Amano insisted. His use of what is now known as the Amano shrimp in some of his most legendary aquascapes meant its popularity quickly soared around the globe.
Did you know? The IUCN Red List considers Caridina multidentata to be a species of Least Concern. This means it's not currently threatened in the wild.
Its appearance isn't what made the Amano shrimp famous: this shrimp is pretty plain-looking. Transparent with a pattern of dark brown to black dots and dashes along its sides, it grows to a maximum size of around 2", making it a good bit larger than common dwarf shrimp like Neocaridina . Another characteristic that sets Amanos apart from most other shrimp kept in the aquarium is that they start their lives as larvae rather than as tiny copies of their parents. We'll go further into this in the section on breeding.
When purchasing from pet stores or online, it's common to receive Amano shrimp around 1 inch in size. Purchasing a smaller shrimp doesn't mean it is undesirable or unhealthy, as they'll grow quickly in an established, healthy aquarium.
2026 update: Methods for breeding Amano shrimp on a large scale have been steadily improving, and the first captive-bred morphs are now taking the market by storm. Asian (particularly Taiwanese) breeders have already brought us the "Snow" or " White Amano shrimp ", which is milky in color rather than transparent. There are also a bronze-colored "Orange" form and a golden-hued "Yellow" or "Lemon". We can't wait for blue, red, and more colors to pop up!
It's pretty easy to tell male and female Amano shrimp apart. First off, if you keep a larger group, you'll notice that the males are much smaller than their female counterparts. The lowest line of dots on their body is more separated (it looks more like a broken line in females) and the part of the exoskeleton covering their back legs is straight rather than curved.
Lastly, you may see a yellowish to greenish organ behind the females' heads—this is called the saddle, and it contains undeveloped eggs. Once these are fertilized, they move to the back legs, more correctly known as the pleopods. If you see a big mass of tiny eggs between an Amano's legs, you can be sure you've got a girl on your hands.
Tip: You may also see a shrimp labeled the "Australian Amano" for sale at your local aquarium store. As the name suggests, this isn't the same species as the regular Amano shrimp we're discussing here (although it does have a similar taste for algae!). Its correct name is Caridina typus . Although it really looks very similar to C. multidentata , it has fainter side markings and can be more rusty in color. It's naturally found not just in Australia, but throughout much of the Indo-Pacific.
Amano shrimp don't ask for much. We recommend an aquarium with a volume of at least 5 gallons (10+ gallons would be ideal) for these prolific algae eaters. The tank should be filtered and, unless the ambient temperature is always stable, heated with a thermostat heater.
As we've discussed in the section on habitat, Amano shrimp originally hail from riverine biotopes. Luckily for us aquarists, though, they're highly versatile and can thrive in almost any type of aquarium. Just make sure there's plenty of cover in the form of rocks, driftwood, live plants , and shrimp flats .
One of the reasons Amano shrimp make such a good choice for the beginning aquarist is that they're not just unfussy about tank décor, but also don't care much about specific water parameters. As long as your tank is fully cycled , your Amanos can survive in a wide range of pH values, temperatures, and hardness levels. In our years of keeping Amano and other shrimp, we've found that the most important thing is stability rather than hitting exactly the right numbers.
For the best results, acclimate your Amano shrimp carefully when you introduce them into a new tank. Keep up with weekly water changes and regularly check the water quality using a liquid water test kit.
Like most freshwater aquarium shrimp, Amanos are peaceful and won't bother their neighbors. You can also add a few Amano shrimp to most peaceful aquariums. Because they're larger than dwarf shrimp and don't breed in freshwater, they can make a better choice for communities that also have fish. Still, make sure there are no tankmates present that are large enough to fit the shrimp into their mouths: if a fish can eat a shrimp, it will do so.
Here are some of our favorite tankmate options for Amanos:
Be sure to avoid larger species with a taste for scampi, like cichlids, pufferfish, large catfish, and similar.
As for the Amanos themselves, we recommend getting at least a few. A 5-gallon tank can sustain a trio, and you can add another shrimp for every gallon after that. Their bioload is almost zero, so there really isn't much of a limit on how many you can keep. This also makes them a good addition to dwarf shrimp tanks, like set-ups with red cherry shrimp or crystal reds .
The Amano shrimp is easy to feed. The species is omnivorous and will eat pretty much anything, but is often referred to as "Algae Eating Shrimp" due to its reputation for being an excellent aquarium cleaner. That's why it's in our top 3 of best algae-eating shrimp ! Amano shrimp enjoy feeding on many types of algae. They even go for some that other shrimp won't touch, such as black beard algae .
Aside from algae, aquarium plants provide microorganisms and continuously shed edible plant matter, which the Amano shrimp consume, preventing it from accumulating on the substrate. Although we recommend supplemental feeding with shrimp-specific foods or blanched veggies for small or very clean tanks, it may not be necessary in larger and "wilder" set-ups.
Amano shrimp have a unique approach to eating compared to other shrimp. As soon as a food pellet is dropped into the aquarium, they quickly sense it and immediately gather the food. They've got a reputation for stealing meals from smaller shrimp or even sometimes from larger fish!
Breeding Amano shrimp is considered possible, but highly challenging. This is due to the fact that these are lower-order shrimp, meaning they pass through a larval stage rather than hatching as tiny copies of the adults. The larvae require brackish water conditions. After metamorphosis, however, they need to be gradually transitioned from brackish to freshwater. This complexity is why most Amano shrimp available in pet stores or online are wild-caught.
After mating, the female shrimp carries the developing eggs under her pleopods for 4-6 weeks until they hatch. You can transfer her to a separate hatching container in the last week. Then, when the eggs hatch, you can use the light from a torch to attract the larvae to the water surface so you can siphon them out.
You have 4-7 days to move the larvae to saltwater, although it's best to just do it immediately. According to a 2021 study , the larvae will grow best between 1.012-1.019 specific gravity (salinity) and 73.4-84.2 °F.
Tip : If after reading all this you still have no idea how to breed your Amano shrimp, that's not surprising. It really is quite complicated. That's why we also created a dedicated full Amano shrimp breeding guide . Don't forget to check out the comments at the bottom of the post—many aquarists have responded sharing their experiences and insights.
You should be able to find these shrimp at any chain pet store, mom-and-pop aquarium store, and online. We also sell high-quality, healthy Amano shrimp here at The Shrimp Farm! Order your shrimp today to have them shipped directly to your doorstep with live arrival guarantee.
Amano shrimp lifespan is pretty decent: usually about 3-5 years. We've had Amanos live longer than that, though! If yours died shortly after buying it, you may not have acclimated it properly. You should check the water parameters in your tank to ensure they're still in order, because this is not normal.
Shrimp molt their exoskeletons regularly; the Amano shrimp is no exception to this. If you find an empty shell, don't worry—your shrimp isn't dead. That's just its shed, and the shrimp itself is likely hiding until its new exoskeleton hardens and it feels safe enough to come back out into the open. Molting occurs about once every 1.5 months. To make sure your Amano shrimp can molt successfully, be sure to feed a diet rich in calcium.
A dead Amano shrimp will turn a bright orange-red color and, if left in the tank long enough, will turn white. It's normal to see other shrimp and even snails feeding on the dead shrimp's shell. They're opportunistic feeders, and their departed brethren actually contain many of the essential nutrients they need. It's just the circle of life. You can remove the dead shrimp immediately or wait until the other shrimp stop showing interest in the carcass. Don't leave it too long, or it may cause an ammonia spike in small aquariums.
黃友城、陳宣翰、與李周儒。（2019）。初步大和藻蝦的繁殖 [Preliminary breeding of Yamato algae shrimp]［第59屆全國中小學科學展覽會作品］。國立臺灣科學教育館。 https://www.ntsec.edu.tw/science/detail.aspx?a=21&cat=12951&sid=15920
Cai, Y., Ng, P. K., Shokita, S., & Satake, K. (2006). On the species of Japanese atyid shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea) described by William Stimpson (1860). Journal of Crustacean Biology , 26 (3), 392-419.
Kondo, S., Hamasaki, K., & Dan, S. (2021). Larval performance of three amphidromous shrimp species in the genus Caridina (Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae) under different temperature and salinity conditions. Crustacean Research , 50 , 41-54.
Saito, M., Yamashiro, T., Hamano, T., & Nakata, K. (2012). Factors affecting distribution of freshwater shrimps and prawns in the Hiwasa River, southern central Japan. Crustacean research , 41 , 27-46.
Yamada, R., Munakata, K., Dan, S., & Hamasaki, K. (2024). Occurrence of amphidromous atyid shrimps in a small stream on the Boso Peninsula, Japan. Aquatic Animals , 2024 , AA2024-3.