Amano Shrimp, also known as Caridina multidentata, is a type of shrimp found in Japan and Taiwan.
They belong to the Atyidae family and are known by other names like Yamato Shrimp, Japanese Shrimp, and Algae Shrimp.
Appearance of Amano Shrimp
Amano Shrimp have a see-through body with reddish brown dots on their sides, forming a broken line.
They have a white stripe on their back, from head to tail, and their eyes are black.
It’s easy to tell a female from a male because the females have a longer row of dots on their lower side.
Living Conditions for Amano Shrimp
Amano Shrimp do well in water with temperatures between 64.4°F to 82.4°F (18°C to 28°C). They are more active in warmer water, but they might not live as long.
Amano Shrimp like water with a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5. Just like other crustaceans, they don’t like copper because of their blood type, which is called haemocyanin.
Life Cycle of Amano Shrimp
Amano Shrimp mate in freshwater streams and marshes.
The female shrimp let the male shrimp know they are ready to mate by sending out special scents, called pheromones, into the water.
After the eggs are fertilized, they go through different stages in salty water as they drift toward the sea.
When they reach their final growth stage, the young shrimp return to freshwater and stay there for the rest of their lives.
Amano Shrimp in Captivity
History in Aquariums
Takashi Amano brought Amano Shrimp into the world of fish tanks in the early 1980s.
People like to have them in their aquariums because they eat algae, helping to keep the tank clean.
These shrimp used to be called Caridina japonica, but their name was changed to Caridina multidentata after a study in 2006.
Diet and Care
Some people think Amano Shrimp can live just by eating the algae in a fish tank, but that’s not true.
They do best when they eat algae along with other foods, like algae wafers, spirulina flakes, and sometimes animal-based protein like pellets, flakes, or frozen or live daphnia and mysis.
It’s also important to make sure there is calcium in the water for the shrimp to keep their outer shell, called the exoskeleton, strong and healthy.
Breeding Amano Shrimp in Captivity
It’s very difficult to breed Amano Shrimp in a fish tank because their eggs need saltier water than the grown-up shrimp do.
This is why almost all the Amano Shrimp that people buy for their aquariums are caught in the wild, instead of being born in a tank.
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Family: | Atyidae |
| Genus: | Caridina |
| Scientific Name: | Caridina multidentata |
| Also Known As: | Amano Shrimp, Yamato Shrimp, Japanese Shrimp, Algae Shrimp |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |