Red Cherry
Shrimp Feeding
Red Cherry Shrimp are considered omnivores. That means
they will eat both plant matter as well as meaty foods.
When keeping Red Cherry Shrimp in the aquarium the three
most common foods are algae, blanched vegetable, and
prepared aquarium foods. Supplemental feeding is often not
necessary, but when it is be sure not to over feed the
aquarium as this leads to poor water quality.
Algae is a natural food source for Red Cherry Shrimp. They
will eat many types of algae found in the aquarium, and
often times, the algae found naturally in aquariums is
enough food to support a moderate Cherry Red Shrimp
population. Unfortunately they will not eat string / hair
algae so they are not a good control measure for those
types of algae.
Blanched vegetables make an excellent food for Red
Cherry Shrimp. Vegetables such as Zucchini, Lettuce,
Spinach, and Carrots are commonly used. When preparing
these vegetables, place them in boiling water until they
are soft, 2-3 minutes for leafy vegetables and longer for
carrots and zucchini. Small amounts of each should be fed
at a time and make sure never to leave rotting food in the
aquarium.
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| Juvenile
Cherry Red Shrimp eating a blanched zucchini slice |
A
bright red female eating an algae waffer. |
Foods that are prepared for aquarium animals are often
a great supplement to algae for Red Cherry Shrimp. There
are a few foods that are manufactured specifically for
invertebrates, such as Hikari Crab Cuisine, and these
foods are readily accepted. Any sinking pellet type food
works well as a food source. Also, any common flake fish
food that falls to the bottom will be eaten and for this
reason, many aquarist use Red Cherry Shrimp as a clean up
crew. Be sure to read the ingredients label carefully, any
food containing copper should not be used. (Copper Sulfate
is a common ingredient in fish foods)
While modest populations of Red Cherry Shrimp will often
not need supplemental feedings, there are many options
when it becomes necessary. Cherry Red Shrimp do not
require a lot of food, and heavy feeding tends to degrade
water quality.
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