Ghost Shrimp Co. guides
Everything you need to know about live ghost shrimp
Ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus) are small, clear freshwater shrimp native to the southeastern United States. Hobbyists use them as live food, tank cleaners, pond residents and bait. These guides cover each use, one question at a time.
Puffer food
Ghost Shrimp for Pufferfish: How to Feed Live Shrimp to Puffers
How to use live freshwater ghost shrimp as food for pufferfish: which puffers take them, portion sizes, holding feeders, beak wear and freshwater vs brackish puffers.
Read guide →Cichlid food
Ghost Shrimp for Cichlids and Oscars: A Live Food Guide
Using live ghost shrimp as food for oscars, Jack Dempseys, angelfish and other cichlids: portioning, enrichment, conditioning for breeding and safe feeding.
Read guide →Live bait
Ghost Shrimp as Bait: How to Buy, Rig and Keep Live Ghost Shrimp
How to use live ghost shrimp as bait for bass, crappie, bluegill and panfish: where to buy them, hooks and rigs, keeping them alive, and legal checks.
Read guide →Seahorse food
Feeding Ghost Shrimp to Seahorses: What Works and What Doesn't
Can seahorses eat freshwater ghost shrimp? An honest guide to using live ghost shrimp as an occasional treat for seahorses, with gut-loading, salt water limits and safety.
Read guide →Ponds
Ghost Shrimp in Ponds: How to Stock a Backyard Pond with Ghost Shrimp
Can ghost shrimp live in a pond? How to stock live ghost shrimp in backyard and koi ponds: plants, predators, temperature, winter and legal checks.
Read guide →Clean-up crew
Are Ghost Shrimp Good Cleaners? What They Actually Clean in Your Tank
Do ghost shrimp clean your aquarium? What ghost shrimp eat in a planted tank, what they won't clean, how many to add and which tank mates are safe.
Read guide →Florida natives
Florida Ghost Shrimp: Meet Palaemonetes paludosus
All about Palaemonetes paludosus, the native freshwater ghost shrimp of Florida and the southeastern US: identification, habitat, diet, life cycle and how it differs from saltwater grass shrimp.
Read guide →Breeding
How to Breed Ghost Shrimp at Home
Step by step guide to breeding ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus): sexing, berried females, a larvae tank, feeding tiny larvae and raising a colony of feeders.
Read guide →Stocking
How Many Ghost Shrimp Per Gallon? A Stocking Guide by Tank Size
How many ghost shrimp to put in a 5, 10, 20, 29, 55 or 75 gallon tank, with stocking advice for community tanks, shrimp-only tanks and feeder holding tanks.
Read guide →Comparison
Ghost Shrimp vs Amano Shrimp: Differences, Pros and Cons
Ghost shrimp vs Amano shrimp compared: origin, size, algae eating, breeding, temperament, feeder use and which one suits your tank.
Read guide →Lifespan
Ghost Shrimp Lifespan: How Long Ghost Shrimp Live and Why Some Die Early
How long do ghost shrimp live? Expect 12 to 18 months in a stable tank. Learn what shortens a ghost shrimp's life and how to help yours live longer.
Read guide →Molting
Ghost Shrimp Molting: What to Expect and How to Prevent Problems
How ghost shrimp molt, how often, how to tell a molt from a dead shrimp, why molts fail and how water and diet support healthy molting.
Read guide →Container ponds
Ghost Shrimp for Ponds and Container Ponds: A Patio Pond Guide
How to keep native ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus) in patio, barrel and container ponds: temperature, stocking, plants, algae and detritus cleanup, and winter care.
Read guide →Molt or dead
Ghost Shrimp Molt or Dead? How to Tell the Difference
Found a still, white ghost shrimp? How to tell an empty molt from a dead shrimp, what molting looks like, how often it happens, what to do next and warning signs.
Read guide →Berried females
Ghost Shrimp Breeding and Berried Females: Eggs, Larvae and Fry
Is your ghost shrimp pregnant? How Palaemonetes paludosus carries eggs, why its larvae can grow up in fresh water, when to separate berried females and how to feed baby shrimp.
Read guide →Feeder shrimp
Feeder Ghost Shrimp: Live Food for Puffers, Cichlids, Axolotls and Bettas
Feeder ghost shrimp for puffers, cichlids, axolotls and bettas: which fish take them, how many to buy, gut-loading, and the 100, 250 and 500 counts with free shipping.
Read guide →Seahorse food
Live Seahorse Food: Feeding Grass Shrimp to Seahorses
Live seahorse food explained: why saltwater grass shrimp suit seahorses, how to acclimate and gut-load them, how often to feed, and mistakes to avoid.
Read guide →Commercial buyers
Wholesale and commercial buyers
Pages for public aquariums and zoos, pet stores and fish shops, research labs and schools, and weekly or biweekly standing orders. Listed bulk pricing is 250 for $223.99, 500 for $448.99 and 1000 for $848.99, down to $0.85 per shrimp, all with free shipping. Request a quote on our wholesale form.
Aquariums and zoos
Wholesale Ghost Shrimp for Public Aquariums and Zoos
Wholesale ghost shrimp for public aquarium and zoo feeding programs and exhibit cleanup crews. Packs from 250 to 1000, down to $0.85 each. Quote within 24 hours.
Read guide →Pet stores
Bulk Feeder Ghost Shrimp for Pet Stores and Fish Shops
Bulk feeder ghost shrimp for pet stores and fish shops. 250, 500 and 1000 counts with free shipping, down to $0.85 each. Quote within 24 hours.
Read guide →Research and teaching
Palaemonetes paludosus for Research Labs, Universities and Schools
Live Palaemonetes paludosus for research labs, universities and biology classes. Used in teaching and aquatic toxicology work. Quote within 24 hours.
Read guide →Standing orders
Standing Orders: Weekly or Biweekly Wholesale Ghost Shrimp
Weekly or biweekly wholesale ghost shrimp shipments with locked pricing. Packs from 250 to 1000, shipped Monday to Wednesday from Florida. Quote within 24 hours.
Read guide →