What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat? (3 PDF Guide for Fish Tanks, Freshwater, and Breeding)

When I was making the aquarium, the question in my mind was What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat? I’m sharing my experiences with you: some initial curiosity, some mistakes, and the lessons learned from them. In this post, we’ve created complete guidelines for you in PDF format. They will be very helpful.

You can see aquarium shrimp have grown in popularity among aquarists worldwide. Tiny, colorful, and highly active, species like Cherry Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp, and Bamboo Shrimp not only enhance tank aesthetics but also help control algae and clean up detritus.

Yet, shrimp feeding remains one of the most misunderstood aspects of keeping a healthy shrimp tank. Many hobbyists ask:

• What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat?
• What do shrimp eat in a fish tank?
• What do shrimp eat in freshwater?
• Do shrimp eat only algae?
• Can they survive on leftover fish food?
• Do they actually eat fish poop?
• How do you feed shrimp in a community tank or breeding setup?

In this ultimate guide ( What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat? ), you’ll learn:

1. Natural vs. supplemental shrimp diets.
2. What shrimp eat in fish tanks, freshwater aquariums, and breeding tanks.
3. The truth about algae, detritus, and fish poop.
4. Best foods for breeding shrimp.
5. Homemade shrimp food recipes.
6. Feeding strategies for community tanks.
7. Downloadable shrimp feeding PDFs and checklists.
8. FAQs to answer every shrimp feeding question.

By the end of this post, you’ll have everything needed to maintain vibrant, healthy shrimp — and downloadable content to make it easy.

What do aquarium shrimp eat? Let’s dive deeper into the main question:

Friends, now that we’ve understood the basics, let’s delve deeper into the main question: What do aquarium shrimp eat?

While shrimp are omnivorous scavengers, they generally subsist on plant matter and small pieces of protein. In the wild, they graze on biofilm, algae, debris, and microorganisms. In an aquarium, shrimp thrive on a combination of natural food and supplements.

Natural Foods Eaten by Shrimp

1. Biofilm – The thin film of bacteria, fungi, and microorganisms that accumulates on surfaces is the shrimp’s main food. Develop biofilm with small amounts of live plants, driftwood, and moss.
2. Algae – Shrimp love soft green algae and film algae, and this also helps control excessive algae growth in the tank.
3. Decaying Plant Matter – Fallen leaves, moss, and other debris provide fiber and nutrients.
4. Debris – Small organic particles on the substrate or decorations are constantly being scoured away.

💡 My Personal View: From my own experience, I’ve found that biofilm is the foundation of shrimp health – a clean, well-maintained tank still needs this natural food source.

Supplemental Foods (Human-Provided)

Even with natural foods, shrimp need dietary variety for optimal color, growth, and breeding success:

• Commercial shrimp pellets or algae wafers – Look for high-quality brands like Hikari shrimp food, Dennerle, or Shrimp King.
• Vegetables – Blanched zucchini, spinach, cucumber, and peas supply fiber and vitamins.
• Protein sources – Powdered spirulina, Shrimp calories protein, crushed flakes, or specialized shrimp sticks.

📌 Above are the artificial supplement which shrimp eat in freshwater and also eat in an aquarium.

Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat Algae?

Absolutely! Shrimp eat algae, they are natural algae grazers:

• Consume film algae, diatoms, and soft green algae.
• Limited ability to eat hard green spot algae or hair algae.

⚡ My Personal View: Use shrimp as part of an algae management plan, but do not rely on them alone. Regular maintenance is essential.

Do Shrimp Eat Fish Poop in Aquariums?

This is one of the most common misconceptions.

❌ Shrimp do not eat fish poop for nutrition. While they may investigate it, actually fish waste is not a food source for shrimp.

✅ Correct approach: Feed shrimp a mix of algae, biofilm, vegetables, and specialized food, like artificial shrimp food. This ensures health, growth, and reproductive success.

What Do Shrimp Eat in a Fish Tank?

In a community tank, shrimp share space with fish, so their diet is slightly different:

• Leftover fish food – Flakes or sinking pellets that fall to the bottom.
• Algae and biofilm – Best and Naturally occurring on decorations and plants.
• Dead organic matter – Occasional decaying plant bits or uneaten food.

⚠️ Myth-Buster: Shrimp cannot survive solely on fish food. Proper supplementation is crucial for color, molting, and breeding.

Best Shrimp Food for Breeding

The best shrimp food for breeding includes high-protein frozen bloodworms, nutrient foods, fed as a weekly treat to condition shrimp for reproduction. Breeding shrimp need extra nutrition to support egg development and healthy fry:

Recommended Foods

1. High-protein shrimp pellets – Stimulate growth and egg production.
2. Powdered baby shrimp food – Feeds tiny shrimplets in early stages.
3. Blanched vegetables – Zucchini, spinach, and peas.
4. Spirulina powder – Boosts color and general health.

💡 My Feeding Advice: Feed small amounts 2–3 times a week; remove uneaten food after 2–3 hours to avoid ammonia spikes.

Homemade Food for Shrimp

You don’t always need commercial food. Homemade options are safe, nutritious, and cost-effective. Home made diets for aquarium shrimp can include boiled or steamed green vegetables such as spinach, or more complex recipes made with ingredients such as spirulina, oats, small pieces of fish, bee pollen and calcium powder.

Easy Homemade Options

• Blanched zucchini, spinach, peas, cucumber Vegetables
• Nettle leaves (blanched or dried)
• DIY Shrimp Gel Food – Agar-based mix with spirulina and fish flakes

📥 Download Free PDF: Homemade Shrimp Food Recipes

💡 My Personal View: Freeze portions to maintain freshness. Rotate veggies to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

How to Feed Shrimp in Community Tanks

Feeding shrimp alongside fish requires strategy:

1. Use sinking pellets – Ensures shrimp get food before fish eat it all.
2. Target feeding – Drop food near shrimp clusters with a pipette.
3. Feed 2–3 times a week – Only supplement if biofilm/algae is scarce.
4. Night feeding – Feed shrimp at night when fish are less active.

What Kind of Food Do You Feed Your Shrimp?

In my openion Shrimp need a balanced diet:

• Natural foods: algae, biofilm, detritus
• Supplemental foods: algae wafers, shrimp pellets, blanched veggies
• Occasional protein treats: bloodworms, brine shrimp

This combination promotes vibrant color, healthy molting, and successful breeding.

Shrimp Feeding Mistakes to Avoid

When i was beginner, i used to do overfeeding. Same any one can do. Following are the few common mistakes that one should avoid while feeding the shrimp in aquarium.

1. Overfeeding → causes ammonia spikes, water quality drops.
2. Relying solely on fish food → poor nutrition.
3. Ignoring algae/biofilm → don’t over-clean the tank.
4. Feeding one food type only → lack of variety = nutrient deficiencies.

💡 My View: While feeding observe shrimp behavior, you can feed them each odd day or 3-4 times a week — Observe lethargy or color fading indicates dietary issues. For more insight on this, you can check this pdf for feeding shrimp.

What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat? [Downloadable 3 PDFs]

To make feeding easy, we’ve prepared 3 downloadable PDFs:

• Shrimp Feeding Guide PDF – Safe foods, feeding schedule, tips for all tank types.
  📥 Download Free PDF: Shrimp Feeding Guide

Contents:

• Daily/weekly feeding schedule for shrimp
• Safe natural foods and supplements
• Species-specific tips (Cherry, Amano, Ghost)
• Color-coded sections for easy reading
• FishioHub branding + emojis for engagement

• Homemade Food Recipes PDF – DIY shrimp meals with prep instructions.
  📥 Download Free PDF: Homemade Food Recipes

Contents:

• 5 easy DIY shrimp foods:
  1. Blanched zucchini mix
  2. Spinach-pea medley
  3. Nettle leaf treats
  4. Agar-spirulina gel
  5. Shrimp protein bites (powdered flakes + spirulina)
• Step-by-step prep guide
• Storage tips

• Community Tank Feeding Checklist PDF – Step-by-step strategy for feeding shrimp with fish.
  📥 Download Free PDF: Community Tank Feeding

Contents:

• Feeding strategy for shrimp with fish
• Sinking pellet instructions
• Night feeding tips
• Target feeding guide (pipette method)
• Checklist format for easy reference
• FishioHub branding + engagement emojis

FAQs About What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat?

Q1: Do shrimp eat dead fish?
Yes, shrim may scavenge small dead fish, but this is not their main food.

Q2: Can shrimp survive without feeding?
It depencs on condition, If the tank has sufficient algae and biofilm, they can survive for weeks. In a clean tank, feeding is necessary.

Q3: Do shrimp clean the tank?
Yes, They eat algae and detritus but do not replace regular maintenance.

Q4: Can shrimp eat fish food?
Yes, they can eat leftover flakes/pellets but balance with shrimp-specific foods.

Q5: Can shrimp eat snail eggs?
Yes, occasionally, but they should not rely on this as a protein source.

Q6: How long can shrimp survive without food?
Up to 2–3 weeks if biofilm/algae is abundant. It doesn’t mean that you should not feed them for that long duration.

Q7: Can shrimp eat moss balls?
Yes, they nibble on the biofilm growing on moss balls, not the moss itself.

Q8: Is spirulina safe for shrimp?
Yes, spirulina boosts color and overall health of shrimps.

Q9: What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat?

Aquarium shrimp eat algae, biofilm, leftover fish food, decaying plant matter, and specially formulated shrimp pellets or wafers.

Conclusion

We all know Shrimp are very attractive scavengers but their diet is more complex than most beginners realize. If you finally summarize What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat? They thrive on a combination of natural and home made food:

• Biofilm and algae (natural food)
• Blanched vegetables (fiber and vitamins)
• High-quality commercial shrimp food (pellets, wafers)
• Protein supplements (for breeding and molting)

✅ Keep their diet varied to promote color, activity, and breeding success.
✅ Use our downloadable feeding guides to simplify tank management.