Vampire Shrimp (Atya gabonensis)

[lnsaneM]

I'm thinking about getting one maybe two for my 75 gallon tank. Anyone has experience with them? I know these are listed as filter feeders and isn't aggressive towards any fish or small shrimp of any kind. My 75 gallon tank would be perfect for them because I don't have any aggressive fish in there and provided, they would have enough hiding spaces throughout the tank.

 

[Slaphppy7]

What fish are in the tank presently?

 

[Elephant nose 4]

I have 3, 2 are 5yrs old. Mine are kept with shrimp, hillstream loach, chilli rasbora and snails, you don't want anything that can snack on these guys especially when they molt.

 

[lnsaneM]

What fish are in the tank presently?

1 African leaf fish (4 inches), 4 baby bichirs (longest being around 5 inches smallest around 3) I'm rehousing these when it's time, 1 silver scat (5 inches), 1 black diamond cichlid (6 inches), 1 sailfin pleco (8 inches)

The only one I would worry is probably the black diamond cichlid but he has been with angels that were about 3 inches at the time and posted no threat.

I have 3, 2 are 5yrs old. Mine are kept with shrimp, hillstream loach, chilli rasbora and snails, you don't want anything that can snack on these guys especially when they molt.

Nice, I'm thinking about getting them. How big do they grow to?

 

[lnsaneM]

I forgot to mention 5 rabbit snails (1 newborn) and around 10 nerite snails and 1 assassin snail somewhere

 

[Slaphppy7]

I wouldn't

"When considering other fish as tank mates, guppies, platies, cherry barbs, danios, neon rainbow fish, and snails are always a good fit for the vampire shrimp. Anything that is non-aggressive will live well with vampire shrimp. Corydoras are good tank mates, but might eat a baby shrimp or two, but since breeding is not really at play here, they should be ok in the tank with vampire fish. However, aggressive fish like bettas, goldfish, cichlids, and angelfish are not good tank mates. These are omnivorous and might eat the vampire shrimp. It’s best to keep the fish small so as not to attack the vampire shrimp."

Source: https://www.fishlaboratory.com/fish/vampire-shrimp/

 

[lnsaneM]

I wouldn't

"When considering other fish as tank mates, guppies, platies, cherry barbs, danios, neon rainbow fish, and snails are always a good fit for the vampire shrimp. Anything that is non-aggressive will live well with vampire shrimp. Corydoras are good tank mates, but might eat a baby shrimp or two, but since breeding is not really at play here, they should be ok in the tank with vampire fish. However, aggressive fish like bettas, goldfish, cichlids, and angelfish are not good tank mates. These are omnivorous and might eat the vampire shrimp. It’s best to keep the fish small so as not to attack the vampire shrimp."

Source: https://www.fishlaboratory.com/fish/vampire-shrimp/

Okay I will get some when I get another tank then, I've always enjoyed the looks of this creature... (sigh, the multi tank syndrome). But I did put 2 tiger prawns in there before, sad story. I bought two pounds of these guys live at an Asian food market as dinner, and I thought they looked good enough to be put in my aquarium. I tried it for about two days then these shrimps would tear through everything with their claws, including my live plants. So needless to say, I put them in my 200 gallon tank and they became dinner for my datnoids and fahaka

 

[GaryE]

It's the only shrimp I like to keep, and pretty well everything in your tank would kill and eat it.

If you do get a different set up and go for them - they are escape artists. A tight lid needed.

 

[lnsaneM]

It's the only shrimp I like to keep, and pretty well everything in your tank would kill and eat it.

If you do get a different set up and go for them - they are escape artists. A tight lid needed.

Yeah, so many cool stuff out there that I just want to get. But this time I'm definitely not spending a lot of money on an expensive meal for these fish

 

[GaryE]

Resistance is futile - you'll just need to end up like me with a roomful of tanks!

 

[ChasingFish]

I'm thinking about getting one maybe two for my 75 gallon tank. Anyone has experience with them? I know these are listed as filter feeders and isn't aggressive towards any fish or small shrimp of any kind. My 75 gallon tank would be perfect for them because I don't have any aggressive fish in there and provided, they would have enough hiding spaces throughout the tank.

I have 2 vampire shrimp in my 75 gallon, and 1 in my 50 gallon. They are perfectly peaceful, but do stay hidden much of the time. I love them anyway, it's fun to watch them hold their little "mitts" up in the air, filtering for food. I recently read that they like to live in groups, so I might try adding a couple more (to each tank) and see if that makes them more comfortable to be a little more visible for my enjoyment.

If you want a shrimp that will be "more visible" I would go with a bamboo shrimp. The only thing is, bamboo shrimp are more territorial and aggressive (toward each other - they are not aggressive toward other tank mates in my experience) so you shouldn't have more than one in a tank...but ALSO, you need to have a secure lid because they do have a tendency to try to climb out! I lost one this way, found him about 10 ft from the tank he escaped from (sadly he was dried up and dead).

 

[ChasingFish]

I have 2 vampire shrimp in my 75 gallon, and 1 in my 50 gallon. They are perfectly peaceful, but do stay hidden much of the time. I love them anyway, it's fun to watch them hold their little "mitts" up in the air, filtering for food. I recently read that they like to live in groups, so I might try adding a couple more (to each tank) and see if that makes them more comfortable to be a little more visible for my enjoyment.

If you want a shrimp that will be "more visible" I would go with a bamboo shrimp. The only thing is, bamboo shrimp are more territorial and aggressive (toward each other - they are not aggressive toward other tank mates in my experience) so you shouldn't have more than one in a tank...but ALSO, you need to have a secure lid because they do have a tendency to try to climb out! I lost one this way, found him about 10 ft from the tank he escaped from (sadly he was dried up and dead).

Also, I've seen the other comments here and just wanted to say that while it's never a bad idea to play it safe, I personally have never had a vampire shrimp climb out of a tank and both of my tanks have open areas (not FULLY enclosed)...also, my bettas and angel fish have never tried to eat my vampire shrimp. Here's a list of tankmates I have kept with my vampire shrimp (with no harm AS OF YET): dwarf gouramis, male betta, female betta, diamond tetra, serpae tetra, candy cane tetra, red tail shark, bristle nose pleco, angel fish, hillstream loaches, otocinclus, guppy fish, mystery snails, ramshorn snails, rabbit snail, amano shrimp, red thai crabs, and a bamboo shrimp (before he climbed out to his death )