Common Name(s): Singapore Flower Shrimp, Wood Shrimp

Scientific Name: Atyopsis moluccensis

Family: Atyidae

Origin: Asia

Maximum Size: Up to 3 1/2 inches

Minimum Aquarium Size: 20 gallons

Care: The Singapore Flower Shrimp should only be added to your tank after it is well established. They prefer a planted tank and hiding places. They can be shy and usually are found hanging out near the intake grate of your filter. The two I have stay there almost continually. They range in color from red to brown and are very peaceful. They have a light stripe down their back and can quickly change color. Be careful to not add them to your tank if you have aggressive fish or fish that will eat invertebrates.

Feeding: The Singapore Flower Shrimp has specialized legs that beat the water and collect food in the water column, hence, they are filter feeders. I crush up some flake into fine particles when feeding the other fish and I don't drain off any liquid from frozen food. You should drop pellets if your water tends to be extremely clean. They will eat infusoria, bacteria in the water column and floating algae but not algae that clings to tank surfaces. As mentioned above, they tend to hang out near the intake grate of your filter as this is where all the food gets siphoned. Be careful when you do your monthly maintenanced on your filter that you don't injure your shrimp when you pull out the intake.

Breeding: This shrimp can be sexed by looking at size. The male is larger than the female. A tank without fish reportedly will induce breeding more than a fully stocked tank. Offspring are born live and do not last long in the tank if not removed.

One of the other common names often sold under in the UK, is Bamboo (Fan) Shrimp.

Lovely & docile and also get along (or rather completely ignore) my Amano Shrimp.

Here is mine



This post has been edited by Lateral Line: Feb 16 2006, 07:14 PM

Good call Bloo, it seems Wood Shrimp and more commonly Bamboo Shrimp are more "proper" common names. Petsmart now carries this species under the name "Marble Shrimp."

There are two other species I know of that can be found on the pet trade, one of which can grow over six inches. It is often stated that members of this family can use their fans, when closed, to "poke" potential predators/harassers. I still wouldn't recommend keeping it with things that could harm it, even if it does have some meager defensive measures.

-Jonathan