🦐 How to Set Up a Freshwater Shrimp Tank
Dwarf shrimp like cherries thrive in a small, fully cycled nano tank — even 5 to 10 gallons is plenty for a colony. The catch is that shrimp are sensitive: the tank must be cycled and stable before they go in, with no ammonia spikes.
Use a sponge filter. A gentle sponge filter keeps the water clean without sucking up shrimp or babies, and the sponge itself grows tasty biofilm they graze on. Add lots of live plants and moss for cover and grazing.
Two big rules: never use products containing copper (many fish medications do, and it is toxic to shrimp), and change water slowly and in small amounts to avoid shocking them. New to aquariums? Our freshwater aquarium setup guide walks through cycling step by step.
🛒 Recommended supplies
Hand-picked gear for this guide. Affiliate links — we may earn a commission. The $/$$/$$$ badges are a rough budget guide, not live prices.
🧽 Cleaning & maintenance
The main job is regular water changes. Each week, use a gravel vacuum (siphon) to remove about 20–30% of the water along with waste from the bottom, then refill with fresh water treated with a dechlorinator so it is safe. Scrape algae off the glass as needed and rinse the filter media in old tank water — never tap water, which kills the good bacteria. Test the water so you can catch problems early. Never do a full strip-down that wipes out the filter bacteria; steady partial maintenance keeps the water stable and your shrimp healthy.
Cleaning supplies for this habitat. Affiliate links — we may earn a commission. The $/$$/$$$ badges are a rough budget guide, not live prices.