Do ghost shrimp eat algae?

They graze soft algae and biofilm and are excellent at cleaning uneaten food out of substrate. They will not clear a serious hair algae or black beard algae outbreak on their own — amano shrimp are better at that.

Are ghost shrimp and glass shrimp the same thing?

Usually yes. 'Ghost shrimp' and 'glass shrimp' are both common names for Palaemonetes paludosus in the US aquarium trade, though 'glass shrimp' is occasionally applied to imported species too.

Why is my ghost shrimp turning white?

A clear empty shell is a molt and is normal. An opaque white tail on a living shrimp is muscular necrosis and indicates a serious water quality or stress problem.

Can ghost shrimp live with a betta?

Sometimes. It depends entirely on the individual betta. Heavy planting and adult shrimp improve the odds, but treat it as a risk rather than a plan.

Do ghost shrimp need a heater?

Only if the room drops below about 65 °F or swings. Stability matters more than the exact temperature.

How long can they stay in the shipping bag?

Comfortably 48 hours, and often longer in an oxygen-charged bag. Still, open the box on arrival — every extra hour raises ammonia in the bag.

What happens if my shipment is delayed?

Contact us with the tracking number. Carrier delays are covered by the same guarantee as arrival losses; we do not treat a carrier failure as your problem.

Do you ship to every state?

We ship throughout the continental United States. Hawaii and Alaska are restricted for live freshwater invertebrates, and a small number of states restrict specific species — check at checkout.

Can I order ghost shrimp in winter?

Yes. Winter orders travel with a 40- or 72-hour heat pack in an insulated box. We hold shipments during extreme cold snaps rather than risking the animals.

Reference

Ghost Shrimp Frequently Asked Questions

7 min read · Updated June 2026

The questions our customers ask most, answered without padding. Each one links out to a longer guide where there is more to say.

Keeping them

Ghost shrimp need a cycled tank of at least five gallons, hard-ish water, stable temperature and somewhere to hide while they molt. Everything else is refinement.

Frequently asked questions

One to two per gallon in a cycled, planted tank. They have a tiny bioload, so filtration and cover matter more than volume.

Keep reading

Care

Ghost Shrimp Care: The Complete Guide

Shipping

How Live Shrimp Are Shipped — and How to Acclimate Them

Reference

The Best (and Worst) Ghost Shrimp Tank Mates