Not furry either, still lovely.
Ghost Shrimp
Palaemon paludosus (syn. Palaemonetes paludosus)
Also called Glass shrimp, Eastern grass shrimp
From South-eastern United States, east of the Appalachian Mountains, in fresh or slightly brackish lakes with water plants.1
At a glance the quick version
Wikipedia gives up to 2.5 cm; Fishkeeping World gives about 3.8 cm for males and up to 5 cm for females.
About one year per Fishkeeping World.
Looks how to spot one
Exoskeleton (freshwater shrimp)
An almost fully transparent shrimp, so clear you can watch food moving through it. It can shift tiny pigment cells to blend in with its surroundings.12
Personality what they are like
A calm, peaceful shrimp. In the wild it feeds mostly at night; in tanks it is often out and about by day, scavenging the bottom or swimming mid-water.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Active scavenger that roams the whole tank and may dig a little in sand.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Easy to keep. Add calcium if the water is soft to support moulting.2
Home where they are happiest
A planted tank of 5-10 US gallons (about 19-38 L) or more; temperature about 18-28 C (65-82 F), pH 7.0-8.0 and moderate hardness.21
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Omnivore that eats algae, tiny aquatic insects and diatoms in the wild; in tanks it takes algae, leftovers and sinking pellets.12
Company who they like around
Fine in groups; gets on with small, gentle tank mates such as cherry and amano shrimp, kuhli loaches and corydoras.21
The story where it all began
Gibbes described the species in 1850 from the south-eastern United States. Cheap, hardy and easy to keep, it has long been a popular aquarium shrimp and a common choice for first-time keepers.1
Fun facts for the dinner table
Recognised by the official bits
- Taxonomy (Gibbes, 1850)
- First described as Hippolyte paludosa; later placed in Palaemonetes and now in Palaemon (Palaemonidae).1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Ghost Shrimp. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amountsevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeSmall, gentle water changesevery week
- Water testevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Whisker Shrimp
Amano Shrimp
Cherry ShrimpLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Palaemon paludosus - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for names, taxonomy, range, habitat, size, appearance, diet, breeding facts
- Ghost Shrimp - Fishkeeping World fishkeepingworld.comused for size by sex, lifespan, water parameters, tank size, diet, tank mates
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.