Amano shrimp with nano fish / nano fish compatibility

[Chili_girl]

I have a new 20g long planted tank with Neon Tetras, Celestial Pearl Danios, White Cloud Minnows, Cherry Shrimp and 2 Nerite snails and had two questions. This is my first planted tank.

1) I've started getting hair algae. I'm thinking about getting Amano shrimp since I've read the are great algae eaters. But I've also read they are aggressive in general. Does anyone know if they are safe to keep with nano fish? How many should I get?

 

2) I'm also thinking of ordering some Blue Eye Forked Tail Rainbowfish, Rummynose Tetras or Ember Tetras. Are these compatible with the one I already have? 

[Fish Folk]

On 8/29/2023 at 7:15 PM, Chili_girl said:

I have a new 20g long planted tank with Neon Tetras, Celestial Pearl Danios, White Cloud Minnows, Cherry Shrimp and 2 Nerite snails and had two questions. This is my first planted tank.

1) I've started getting hair algae. I'm thinking about getting Amano shrimp since I've read the are great algae eaters. But I've also read they are aggressive in general. Does anyone know if they are safe to keep with nano fish? How many should I get?

 

2) I'm also thinking of ordering some Blue Eye Forked Tail Rainbowfish, Rummynose Tetras or Ember Tetras. Are these compatible with the one I already have? 

Yes. All good! I’d 6x. That’s a decent bio-load. Be sure you do not overfeed. My son keeps Amano Shrimp with Nano Rainbowfish, Pygmy Barbs, Killifish and Julii Corydoras.

[lefty o]

as shrimp, they are bold, but ive never seen them pose any danger to even tiny fish.

[JChristophersAdventures]

Sounds like a great idea... go for it. You should be fine. Thanks.

[Lennie]

You already have 3 schools in a 20g. I personally wouldnt add more schools to that setup. For all schools, the more the merrier. Might be a better idea to increase the number of your existing schools if you are willing to add fish I think

 

for amanos, other friends already shared their positive experience

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/29/2023 at 4:15 PM, Chili_girl said:

1) I've started getting hair algae. I'm thinking about getting Amano shrimp since I've read the are great algae eaters. But I've also read they are aggressive in general. Does anyone know if they are safe to keep with nano fish? How many should I get?

I've had mine in pretty much every tank and zero fish bother them apart from something like loaches. 

20G, you can easily have 10-15 if you really wanted.  More reasonable stocking is potentially 8 or so if the plants get pretty dense.  Things like otos work well as well as plecos in addition to amanos.  They all prefer and clean different surfaces.

On 8/29/2023 at 4:15 PM, Chili_girl said:

But I've also read they are aggressive in general.

There are two versions and they can be "mixed up" on the retail side.  One is the Japanese shrimp, the other is the Australian version.  One can be a bit more feisty than the other.  The ones that have dots, pale white/clear shell should be the correct ones.  Mine don't have an aggressive bone in their body at all.

[Ninjoma]

I've never witnessed amano shrimp do anything remotely aggressive.

[Hobbit]

Mine will guard or steal food, but that’s the extent of their “aggression.” 😉

[JettsPapa]

I suspect someone confused amano shrimp with ghost shrimp, which can be aggressive.

By the way, I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never seen my amano shrimp eating algae.

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/1/2023 at 8:00 AM, JettsPapa said:

I've never seen my amano shrimp eating algae.

If they are in a typical community setting they will tend to go for easy foods. Especially feeding multiple times a day. Feeding less or holding food for a few days and then you should see it.

On 9/1/2023 at 5:46 AM, Hobbit said:

Mine will guard or steal food, but that’s the extent of their “aggression.” 😉

I was feeling the neos yesterday, dropped in food and they were eating fine. Even the 2 amano I have in the tank we're good. After a little bit the amano, Gojira, realizes she can move the food and picks up the big ol stick of food intended for 20 shrimp and she's pushing neos off so she can go eat in piece.  Was too funny to watch, but yeah..... They tend to run off with a meal to try to eat in peace. That's been what I see normally.

[JettsPapa]

On 9/1/2023 at 1:39 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

If they are in a typical community setting they will tend to go for easy foods. Especially feeding multiple times a day. Feeding less or holding food for a few days and then you should see it.

Maybe I should have explained better.  When I said they weren't aggressive, I meant attacking tank mates, as opposed to grabbing food.

[Chili_girl]

ok good. Sounds like they're food aggressive but won't snatch fish. I'll just cut down fish food.

There's a Utube video by Rachel O'Leary out there who keeps a tank of only Amano shrimp, she drops in plants tangled with hair algae and driftwood covered in algae and they swarm to in within seconds and strip all the algae in a short time. Sounds like they are cleaning machines. Just what I need.