Singapore Flower Shrimp

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 3"
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons   • Water Conditions: 68-85° F, KH 3-10, pH 6.5-8.0
• Color Forms: Red, Brown, Tan, Green, Yellow   • Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Asia
• Family: Atyidae   • Species: Shrimp   • Aquarium Type: Shrimp

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The Singapore Flower Shrimp or as it is also commonly know as the Asian Fan Shrimp or Bamboo Shrimp, originates from fast moving rivers and streams within Southeast Asia. They can vary greatly in coloration, ranging from a brown body with tan stripe all the way to red, green or yellow body colors with a tan to white stripe.

They can change their coloration rapidly based on their surroundings and whether or not they feel stressed or scared. Their front six legs have fan-like appendages in which they use to filter the water for foodstuffs present within the water column. They add a very interesting element to any freshwater community aquarium, both with their diverse coloration and their unique feeding process.

Their coloration, movement and feeding and their usefulness as aquarium cleaners has made the Singapore Flower Shrimp very popular among freshwater aquarium hobbyists over the past few years.

Singapore Flower Shrimp should be housed in established freshwater aquariums of at least 20 gallons, that provide plenty of hiding places including plants and driftwood along with a mature substrate that will provide plenty of detritus and decaying plant matter for the shrimp to feed on.

It should be housed with peaceful community fish that will not pose a threat of eating or damaging the shrimp. The Singapore Shrimp is easy to sex when it becomes mature as the males will have much larger and thicker forelegs than the females, also the females forelegs are about the same size as the second pair of legs.

While this shrimp is easy to sex, it is extremely difficult to breed, as it requires brackish water for breeding and to raise the newly hatched larvae. The young exist in a drifting, planktonic state before changing into a miniature adult-like form after several molts.

The Singapore Shrimp is an omnivore that primarily consumes detritus and plant matter suspended in the water column, but will also eat algae and leftover meaty foods that are either in the water column or resting on the aquarium substrate. They use fan-like appendages located near their head to filter small food particles from the water.

Ideally this specimen should be kept in a well established planted aquarium, so that they will have plenty of decaying plant matter and algae available to them from the water column. Otherwise they can be fed sinking pellet foods that they can feed off of as they breakdown in the water near the substrate.