Furry Diary

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Whisker Shrimp

Macrobrachium lanchesteri

Also called Riceland prawn, Indian whisker shrimp

SpeciesShort profile

From Southern Asia, recorded from Thailand, in shallow fresh and brackish water.1

At a glance the quick version

Length2.5 to 5 cm2
Lifespan1 to 2 years2
Sizesmall

Fishkeeping World's whisker shrimp profile gives 1-2 inches; it lists the shrimp as M. lamarrei.

Bold, confident hunter
Long, elegant feelers
Hardy and easy to feed
2

Looks how to spot one

Exoskeleton (freshwater prawn)

A greyish, see-through shrimp with very long feelers, bigger than a ghost shrimp. Like other Macrobrachium, males grow a long, enlarged second pair of legs.23

ColoursGreyTransparent2

Personality what they are like

A lively, confident shrimp that is mostly active at night and claims its own patch of the tank. It is a natural hunter and will catch small fish and shrimp, so it suits a dedicated tank.24

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Active after dark; give it caves and plants to patrol.2

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Easy to feed and keep. Avoid crowding and keep it well fed so it stays relaxed with its neighbours.2

Home where they are happiest

A tank of at least 10 US gallons (about 38 L), or 5 gallons for a whisker-only group; temperature 22-28 C and pH 7.0-7.8.2

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivorous scavenger; takes sinking foods, vegetables such as cucumber and spinach, and other organic matter.2

Company who they like around

Best in a species tank. If mixed, pick larger fish that stay in the upper and middle water rather than bottom dwellers.2

The story where it all began

De Man described the species in 1911. It belongs to Macrobrachium, a large genus of tropical freshwater prawns that also includes big farmed species.13

Fun facts for the dinner table

  1. 1

    Males of its genus are known for a hugely enlarged second pair of legs.3

  2. 2

    Eggs hatch in about three weeks.2

  3. 3

    Its genus is found in tropical fresh and estuarine waters on almost every continent.3

  4. 4

    Some Macrobrachium prawns eat so many snails that scientists study them as a natural snail control.3

Recognised by the official bits

Taxonomy (De Man, 1911)
A freshwater prawn in the genus Macrobrachium (Palaemonidae). The trade name 'whisker shrimp' is also used for Macrobrachium lamarrei.1
IUCN
Not evaluated per SeaLifeBase.1

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Whisker Shrimp. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

Start a free diary

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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.

  1. Macrobrachium lanchesteri - SeaLifeBase sealifebase.seused for author/year, common name, range, habitat, IUCN status
  2. Whisker Shrimp - Fishkeeping World fishkeepingworld.comused for size, lifespan, appearance, behaviour, water parameters, tank size, diet, tank mates, breeding
  3. Macrobrachium - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for genus traits, distribution, fun facts
  4. Macrobrachium lamarrei - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for whisker shrimp naming, nocturnal habit

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.