What you should know before buying these types of shrimp, if any of you are thinking of buying these on impulse they need certain conditions to do well and not recommend for beginners (especially Vampire shrimp ) both types of shrimp are taken from the wild and are nearly impossible to breed in captivity a few manage to get their conditions suitable for mating and get them berried, but only a handful in the world get past this stage so please only buy when you know you can meet their specifications as this is particularly important with the Vampire Shrimp, as it is a fragile timid creature as well as a picky eater. If you are serious about prolonging the lifespan of your Vampire Shrimp, providing it with its ideal conditions is critical .
Atyopsis moluccensis...
Bamboo shrimp, Singapore shrimp, flower shrimp, wood-shrimp, fan shrimp, rock shrimp are all names this shrimp go by, bamboos are orange/brown or beige even green in colour they can also have a strip down their back , I’ve also seen mine a purple/brown colour their colour can change based on where they were caught and if they have moulted
Atya gabonensis ...
Vampire shrimp , armoured shrimp ,giant African fan shrimp , Cameroon shrimp, blue rhino shrimp again lots of difference names they go by these can be grey, dark grey ,dark blue, light blue, white/cream pink/peach they can change their colour 2/3 times a year also (unlike the bamboo) they will change colour depending on mood, ( as in going darker/lighter in colour ) both these shrimp are filter feeders using their fan-shaped legs to filter water and capture microorganisms, plant remnants, algae and other bits of small waste , as well as the natural stuff in your tank I recommend feeding ( it’s a must to keep them healthy ) Dennerle Shrimpking Atyopsis food which you should mix in a cup of tank water and get a turkey baster and spray close to them at least 3/4 times a day,(depending on how many you have) I also feed squashed snails and bug bites ,your tank should be at least 9 months old and no smaller than 17 gallon before buying these shrimp
For the bottom you can have sand or gravel , but try to use small rounded gravel as this protects their fans when feeding off the bottom ,and it is ok for them to feed off the bottom around 25% of the day , especially if you feed some of the foods I mentioned above, as long as it isn’t more than 25% of the day.
They need a .Temp 24c/28 c 75f/82f any lower and it can affect their health ,
Ph 7ish bamboo
Ph 6.5/7.5 vampire
Ammonia 0
Bamboo need a moderate flow
Vampires a strong flow
Both species need a good filter as they like a good quality water
Bamboo can grow to around 4inchs 10cm vampire 5/6 inches 13/15cm if conditions are right.
Now bamboo shrimp can be kept in a community tank as long as the fish are peaceful and there are no aggressive ones in there, Vampire shrimp can also be kept in a community tank ,but if you want to see them at their best ( like my own ) you should keep them in a set up with just a few very small fish and dwarf corydoras to keep the bottom clean, they both like a well planted tank , plants don’t need to be planted what I have done is attach Ex Lg java ferns to giant lava rocks this creates lots of hiding places ( making vampire shrimp feel secure ) and added internal filters on the sides of tank to keep them at the front of my tank
All bamboo & vampire shrimp are Taken from the wild ,as they are very difficult to breed & raise in captivity , I see people say well It didn’t have a strong flow in the pet shop or well planted tanks , no they don’t and this puts them under a lot of stress and combined with what they go through in the post a lot of people lose them in the first 3/6 months of putting them in their tanks.
Bamboo shrimp can differ in colour depending on where they were caught
And vampire change depth of colour depending on their mood.
Bamboo shrimp live around 3yrs , Vampires up to 5yrs if their needs are met correctly
I have been keeping both these shrimp around 4 yrs and have around 30 and this is based on my own experience and has I have both species berried I know they are living in the best conditions I can provide for them in captivity . My Vampire shrimp were /are berried approx 48/50 days before releasing their larvae