Which shrimp eat algae, and what will they not solve?

Amano and Neocaridina can graze algae and surface growth. Neither is therefore a guaranteed solution to every algae outbreak. Bamboo and vampire shrimp are filter feeders; do not choose them as a substitute for removing thick algae from plants or glass.

What the comparison does establish

• Amano: husbandry accounts describe active grazing and feeding. Choose them if adult housing and additional food suit your setup. Their reputation as algae eaters does not establish how much of your algae will disappear.
• Neocaridina davidi: grazing is documented; a short laboratory experiment found differences in consumption among tested algae. This is not an aquarium cleaning rate.
• Fan shrimp: particles must reach their fans. Even when particles include algae, that differs from grazing growth off leaves.

Decide whether new animals fit first

Record where the growth occurs, its appearance and how quickly it returns. Check light, plant development, food leftovers and maintenance. Remove troublesome bulk where this can be done without damage. Do not add animals while water quality or housing is unsuitable.

If you want shrimp after the algae phase as well, compare Amano housing and a Neocaridina colony. Account for tank mates and, for Neocaridina, possible colony growth.

Do not starve shrimp to force them to eat unwanted algae. A shrinking patch may also reflect pruning, changed light or other grazers; it does not establish that one species will remove all algae. Plan food and care for the animal even if the hoped-for cleaning effect does not occur.

Sources and scope

• The Shrimp Farm: Amano shrimp, diet and observed feeding behaviour
• UF/IFAS: Cherry shrimp, Neocaridina davidi
• Consumer species richness and nutrients interact in determining producer diversity
• Liao and colleagues (2023): High stability in filtration apparatus of African shrimp

Evidence supports grazing and consumption of particular algae, not a universal ranking for every home aquarium. The filtration study examines food capture. Our purchase assessment separates that evidence from expectations of a clean tank.