Reference
The Best (and Worst) Ghost Shrimp Tank Mates
6 min read · Updated November 2026
Tank mates · Ships Mon-Wed from Florida · Live arrival guaranteed
Shop the Clean-Up CrewThe rule is blunt: if a fish's mouth can fit a shrimp, eventually it will. Ghost shrimp are prey animals with no defenses beyond speed and camouflage, and they spend several hours after every molt with neither.
Safe tank mates
- Neocaridina (cherry) and amano shrimp
- Nerite, mystery and ramshorn snails
- Small tetras, ember, neon, green neon
- Rasboras and celestial pearl danios
- Corydoras and otocinclus catfish
- Guppies, endlers and platies
- Kuhli loaches
Risky but sometimes fine
Bettas, dwarf gouramis and larger rasboras vary by individual temperament. If you try it, stock the tank heavily with moss and cover, add the shrimp first, and accept that you may lose a few. Adult shrimp fare better than juveniles.
Will eat your shrimp
- Any cichlid, including rams and apistogramma
- Angelfish and larger gouramis
- Goldfish
- Tiger barbs and other large barbs
- Crayfish and freshwater lobsters
- Loaches larger than kuhlis
If they are meant to be feeders
That list of predators inverts. Oscars, larger cichlids, bass, axolotls and turtles all take ghost shrimp readily, and ghost shrimp are one of the better feeder options because they are hard to overfeed and do not carry the disease load associated with feeder fish. Gut-load them first and keep them in a separate holding tank.
Quick compare
| Ghost shrimp | Cherry shrimp | Amano shrimp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Clear body | Red or colored | Clear to brown |
| Breeds in a home tank | Rarely, larvae need special care | Yes, babies look like adults | No, larvae need brackish water |
| Hair algae | Soft algae and biofilm | Soft algae and biofilm | Better at tougher algae |
| Common use | Cleanup and live food | Colony display | Algae control |
Frequently asked questions
Small tetras, rasboras, danios, corydoras, otocinclus, guppies, endlers, platies and kuhli loaches.
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