The Ghost Shrimp is a rather fascinating creature to keep and observe. Their maintenance is quite undemanding, and, with their transparent bodies and unique activities, these Shrimp can make interesting additions to many aquariums.

Although Ghost Shrimp are normally peaceful creatures, they may not be a good choice for all aquariums. If you keep fish in your aquarium that eat small animals, you may find that they will eat your Ghost Shrimp. To prevent this, you should add lots of hiding places to your aquarium to help the Ghost Shrimp escape such a fate, or, you may wish to keep them alone or with animals that will not prey on them. An opposite problem seems to occur in aquariums where waters remain particularly warm. These warm temperatures speed up the metabolisms of the Ghost Shrimp, making them more active. Unfortunately, along with this increased activity, some people have reported an increased aggressiveness. It has been observed that Ghost Shrimp may attack fish at higher temperatures. Ghost Shrimp normally feed on algae or any food material that sinks to the bottom of their aquarium. They can be useful by assisting in cleaning minute amounts of food or plant materials out of substrates like gravel.

Ghost Shrimp are small and transparent, normally reaching lengths of about 0.5 inch to 1 inch (1.3 - 2.5 centimeters) at maturity. Because they are clear or transparent white, you can see their digestive systems and it is possible to see food in their stomachs. In the center of the tail, a small yellow to orange colored spot is visible. The bodies of Ghost Shrimp are highly segmented and ten pairs of legs are present. The first four legs out of these 20 have tiny claws on the ends.

Some varieties of Ghost Shrimp are native to brackish or coastal waters. Others are native to freshwater environments. Ghost Shrimp are quite popular as interesting display animals or pets. However, they are also stocked by some people as nourishment for other aquatic animals.

Ghost Shrimp seem to be tolerant of a wide range of temperatures. They do well in warmer temperatures, though they can survive in waters that are as cold as the upper 50 degree Fahrenheit range. It has been observed that in very warm temperatures, Ghost Shrimp become much more active, and they have been reported to become so aggressive as to attack fish in warm temperatures. In cooler temperatures, they are quite peaceful and it is the Ghost Shrimp who are in danger of fish attacks. Ghost Shrimp should have some plants to hide in, particularly if they are kept with fish that might eat them. Freshwater Ghost Shrimp can tolerate lower pH and salinity levels, although Ghost Shrimp native to brackish areas cannot survive long in aquariums that do not benefit from the addition of iodide salts. Normally, Ghost Shrimp will feed on soft algae in tanks and any fish food that falls to the bottoms of their aquarium. They have been known to do well on flake fish food, as well.

Normally, healthy Ghost Shrimp will breed with little encouragement when kept in groups. Female freshwater Ghost Shrimp carry their eggs underneath their swimmerets while the eggs are developing. Movement of these legs helps to oxygenate the eggs, which are visible as tiny dark balls. Ghost Shrimp native to brackish waters produce larvae that are basically planktonic, and this type seems to be more difficult to raise. Other animals in their aquariums often eat newborn Ghost Shrimp, so you may wish to keep egg carrying freshwater females by themselves. The newborn shrimp look much like insect larvae, and are usually too small to catch in a net; hence, the necessity of moving them while the larger female still retains their eggs. Provide plenty of plants or other small hiding places in the aquarium for the young Ghost Shrimp. It is generally believed that baby Ghost Shrimp should be kept in aquariums with dark or covered sides, as many breeders have observed a propensity in these animals to swim toward light, usually ramming themselves into the glass walls of their aquariums and perishing. An overhead light is, however, found to be useful. After the babies have hatched, the parent Ghost Shrimp should be removed. Normally the young Ghost Shrimp will feed off of rotifers and other small organisms living in plants in their aquariums, though they can also be fed artemia, or hatchling brine shrimp, in addition to liquefied food or minute algae. Brackish water Ghost Shrimp often benefit from brackish aquariums heavily grown with algae, where they can feed off of algae and microorganisms. By the time they are large enough to look like the adult Ghost Shrimp, they can be fed the same food as adults.