Looking to add some life to your aquarium? Shrimp may be just the thing. But... be sure to choose the right species! Both whisker shrimp and ghost shrimp are commonly sold in aquarium stores, but despite their very similar looks, there are some important differences.
Wondering which one is better for your tank between whisker shrimp vs ghost shrimp? Or maybe you bought a shrimp and are now doubting its identity? The Shrimp Farm explains all the (physical) differences!
"Whisker shrimp" is a common name for Macrobrachium lanchesteri , a hump-backed, medium-sized freshwater shrimp or prawn naturally found in Southeast Asia. It's also sometimes used for another species in the genus, Macrobrachium lamarrei , although that one's usually called the Indian whisker shrimp .
Whisker shrimp are considered aggressive. They can make a fascinating addition to your aquarium, but it's important to make sure they're compatible with the rest of your fish and invertebrates. The shrimp may not look very dangerous at first, but it will start trying to catch its tankmates once it reaches maturity and its claws are large enough to do so. Slow-moving fish are very much at risk, and we've also seen whisker shrimp catch quicker species when they slow down to sleep at night.
"Ghost shrimp" is a somewhat confusing denomination that's commonly used for a range of small to medium-sized, hump-backed and translucent freshwater shrimp. True ghost shrimp belong to the genus Palaemon ; the peaceful, easy-care species we love to keep in our tanks is Palaemon paludosus . It's also known also known as the American glass shrimp or eastern grass shrimp.
The problem is that common names don't always say much. Aquarium store staff often rely on their suppliers to identify their stock, and the shrimp don't always come with the proper label. Whisker shrimp are one of the species commonly mislabeled as ghosts — it happens so often we felt the need to write this article to warn unsuspecting (new) shrimp keepers!
So: whisker shrimp and ghost shrimp are not the same. It's important to know the difference so you don't end up buying the wrong shrimp. Unfortunately, whisker shrimp in particular are often mislabeled as ghost shrimp, which can cause serious headaches as they mature and start causing mayhem in your previously peaceful community tank. So how do you tell them apart?
No worries: it's easy once you know what to look for.
Between whisker shrimp vs ghost shrimp, it's the whiskers that grow the largest. They can reach a length of up to 2.5", whereas ghost shrimp rarely grow to 2". If the shrimp in question looks very chunky, it's probably a whisker shrimp! Still, don't rely on size alone, because aquarium shrimp are often sold as juveniles that still have a lot of growing to do.
Unsure whether you're dealing with a ghost or whisker shrimp? Take a look at its claws or arms for an easy tell. All shrimp have a pair of special arms with claws on the end they use to pick up food (called the chelae). Ghost shrimp are scavengers that mostly feed on detritus, biofilm, and algae, so they have no need for big chelae. Theirs are only slightly larger than their other legs.
Whisker shrimp, which will catch small prey if they get the chance, are a completely different story. Their chelae are significantly longer and feature larger claws. The difference is visible even in non-mature specimens. If your shrimp has long grabby hands that surpass the length of its legs, it's likely a member of the genus Macrobrachium rather than Palaemon .
Both ghost and whisker shrimp are mostly translucent, which explains why they're so commonly mixed up. However, there are some differences that allow you to easily assess which shrimp you're dealing with. Most importantly, if your shrimp sports bright orange bands on its legs and/or antennae, it's a true ghost ( Palaemon paludosus ). In addition to this, ghost shrimp usually have a fine dotted pattern across their bodies, as if they were sprinkled with ground pepper.
Whisker shrimp lack both the orange bands and the sprinkled pattern. Instead, they usually have a few more solid, uneven lines behind the head. Their back hump may also be lined.
Did you know? There's another popular translucent aquarium shrimp out there: the Amano shrimp. It lacks the back hump and is the most peaceful of the three. Find out more in the post on Amano shrimp vs ghost shrimp .
As we've mentioned, one of the reasons it's so important to be able to tell whisker shrimp vs ghost shrimp apart is that there's a big difference in their personalities. Funnily enough, ghost shrimp actually have somewhat of a reputation for being aggressive. We think mislabeled whisker shrimp are likely to blame for most of their "misdeeds".
True ghost shrimp, Palaemon paludosus , are really quite peaceful. Of course, their larger size means they're a little more feisty than Neocaridina dwarf shrimp. There's some discussion about whether they should be kept with long-finned species like betta fish or guppies, but overall, they're very unlikely to bother their neighbors. They make a good choice for peaceful community aquariums.
Whisker shrimp are definitely not suitable to keep with long-finned tankmates like betta fish, and guppies. They'll also catch slow-moving invertebrates like snails. Those long claws are perfect for grabbing all sorts of prey! Macrobrachium lanchesteri is best kept only with larger and quicker species, like barbs (though you should avoid fish that are large enough to eat the shrimp). Some other Macrobrachium varieties, like the huge M. rosenbergii , need to be treated like large crayfish and kept entirely on their own.
Whisker shrimp don't make a good choice for a general community aquarium. Heck, they don't even like their own kind much, so you should count at least around 5 gallons of water volume for each shrimp to help prevent squabbles from escalating.
Both whisker shrimp and ghost shrimp will do well in aquariums with a water volume of 10 gallons or more. However, the number of shrimp you can keep varies. While a 10-gal should easily be able to sustain up to 10 ghost shrimp, it's best not to go for more than 2-3 whisker shrimp in a tank this size.
Male whisker shrimp are more territorial than females. Unfortunately, though, it's only really possible to tell the difference between the sexes when a female is carrying eggs (berried). You'll have to wait for the shrimp to mature for this to happen.
Although whisker shrimp will be more interested in live prey than ghost shrimp, both species are omnivores. They're the local janitors in their respective habitats, and with the exception of live plants, will eat pretty much anything organic they come across.
You can feed both ghost and whisker shrimp a varied diet of shrimp food, frozen food, and sinking fish food. The ghosts will appreciate a higher percentage of plant-based foods like algae tablets or nori in their diet, though. Whisker shrimp benefit from regular servings of (thawed) frozen foods like bloodworms.
Although the two look similar and are frequently mixed up, it is possible to visually tell the difference between whisker shrimp vs ghost shrimp. Knowing which species you're dealing with is important, because although whisker shrimp are certainly fascinating, they're also not quite as good-natured as ghost shrimp.
Did you know? You can buy ghost shrimp online at The Shrimp Farm. Perfect for your aquarium cleaning crew, and confirmed to be Palaemon paludosus a