Ghost Shrimp Foods: A Guide to Feeding Your Shrimp Delicious Meals [2023]

The ghost shrimp is a fun and practical addition to any aquarium.

Let me tell you WHY –

Once you’ve decided to keep them in your aquarium, it’s better to know what they eat.

In this article, I’ll go over some of the best foods that ghost shrimps love to eat so you can get the most out of your little critters.

If you’re keeping Ghost shrimps as a pet, you must fulfill their nutrient requirements.

And Algae helps you in this regard as it’s a good source of protein, vitamins A, B, C, and iron for ghost shrimp.

Green or red algae provide the most nutrients, while brown algae provide little nutrition.

If you want to feed your ghost shrimp with brown algae, make sure it’s finely ground up before feeding them, so they don’t have to work too hard swallowing it!

Hair algae is the 2nd food I’m listing for ghost shrimp.

It’s made up of thin strands and can be added to the tank or chopped into smaller pieces if preferred.

You can find snail eggs in the shells of snails.

Or you can also buy them from a local pet store or online.

They’re a great source of calcium, protein, and iron for your pregnant ghost shrimp.

Snail eggs are also an excellent source of zinc for your ghost shrimp, which helps to prevent hypovitaminosis (deficiency in vitamin D and E).

In addition, you should be aware that snail eggs are so small that they have no nutritional value when eaten on their own.

They must be mixed with other foods as they cannot provide all the nutrients the shrimp requires on their own!

Ghost shrimp like to eat a specific type of algae known as diatoms.

Diatoms are a type of plankton and one of the most common phytoplankton in freshwater aquariums.

Diatoms occur naturally in lakes and ponds; they’re also found in salt water but not as abundant as in freshwater.

Farmers use them on vegetable farms as fertilizer because they contain nitrogen, which is essential for plant growth (this is why farmers sometimes throw some animal manure into their fields).

Diatoms plays an essential part of the food chain as they make one of the best foods for organisms like Ghost Shrimps and more.

Ghost shrimp also loves to eat dead plants.

If you have a pet ghost shrimp, it is vital to ensure that you feed the dead plants in the tank.

If you want your pet ghost shrimp to be healthy, ensure that there is lots of dead plant matter around so that they can eat it when they want or need to.

Ghost shrimp are omnivores and will eat other shrimp when fed to them.

Cherry shrimp are freshwater shrimp that is popular in the aquarium hobby.

They are small and easy to breed, which makes them an excellent choice for newbie aquarists.

Bloodworms are one of the best foods for ghost shrimp.

They are high in protein and fat, making them a great energy source for your ghost shrimps.

You can find Bloodworms quite easily in the wild, as they often hang around the plants’ roots or hide under rocks in your aquarium’s substrate.

As the ghost shrimps grow, the probability of your baby fish becoming food for them grows simultaneously.

However, if you want to remain safer, it’s better to have baby mollies, guppies, plays, and swordtails.

Baby goldfish are also good options if you can have them.

Ghost shrimp are not known to prey on baby fish, but they may opportunistically feed on them if given the opportunity.

Cucumbers are a good source of vitamin C, which helps your pet shrimp’s immune system stay healthy.

They’re also high in fiber and water to help digestion.

Cucumber is low in calories, fat, and sodium, making them a healthy snack for your shrimp.

Cucumbers are also a good source of potassium and magnesium—two nutrients that help regulate blood pressure levels in humans and pets alike!

Brine shrimp are a great source of protein and calcium.

They’re also good sources of phosphorous, iron, and iodine.

These little guys are straightforward to find at your local grocery store or bait shop and come in dried form.

You can feed them to your ghost shrimp by sprinkling them into the tank or crushing them into tiny pieces so that your ghost shrimp can gobble them!

Biofilm is a slime that grows on the sides of tanks.

Biofilm is also a food source for ghost shrimp and other aquarium inhabitants.

Ghost shrimps like to eat biofilms because it can help them get the nutrients they need, such as calcium.

When cleaning your aquarium tank, clean off all the biofilm from your walls so the food supply isn’t reduced for your ghost shrimp!

Algae wafers are a great food for ghost shrimp.

They’re made from algae and provide the nutrients that ghost shrimp need to survive.

Algae wafers can be fed to baby ghost shrimp, but it’s best to wait until they’re older before feeding them these wafers.

Ghost shrimps love eating algae wafers as they come with many nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which help their growth and development.

Your ghost shrimp also love detritus worms, a type of worm that lives on the substrate of your tank.

They’re also known as bottom-feeder worms and are another food source for your ghost shrimp.

If you have a sandy substrate in your tank, you may find that detritus worms make their way to the top.

This is great!

It means your ghost shrimp can feast on them without having to go hunting for them on their own.

There are many types of snails, ranging in size from microscopic to several inches long.

Snails are another natural food source for ghost shrimp.

Their shells provide a great habitat for baby snails to hide in and grow up in.

Baby fish and mollies also eat tiny baby snails and the algae that grow on their shells.

So be sure you have enough hiding places for your little guys if you plan to keep them all together!

Marimo moss balls are algae that grow in cold water lakes and ponds.

They are soft and spherical and can be white or green.

The marimo moss ball diet is low in protein, so it’s essential to supplement the food with extra calcium if you plan on feeding them to ghost shrimps.

Because they are slow-growing algae, these plants aren’t suitable for most aquariums.

However, if you have a large tank filled with cool water temperatures (the ideal temperature range for marimo moss balls is 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit), this plant might work for your shrimp tank!

You can introduce Carrots to their diet along with other Ghost shrimp food.

But when feeding them carrots, ensure you’re not leaving them for hours inside the tank. Otherwise, you may see a sudden ammonia spike in it.

Live plants will be a favorite with your shrimp.

If you have the space and the time, live plants can be planted in the substrate or a separate tank.

In either case, plants help control algae growth by removing excess nitrate from the water.

They also provide a hiding place for ghost shrimp to rest out of sight from predators.

The ghost shrimp is an amiable, peaceful animal. It is also starving and loves to eat.

The ghost shrimp will eat anything that it can find in your home.

If you want your shrimp to be healthy, make sure you feed it a wide variety of foods.

You should not just feed them one thing repeatedly as this can lead to health problems later on!

Plant debris is a great food source for ghost shrimp and can be found in the aquarium substrate and around the edges of your tank.

Some plants produce new leaves that drop off regularly.

Therefore, making it an excellent source of food for your shrimp.

Baby mollies are small, immature fish that are commonly found in the aquarium hobby.

They are typically a live food source rich in protein and other essential nutrients, making them a beneficial addition to a fish’s diet.

Baby mollies are also small and easy for ghost shrimps to eat, making them an ideal choice for you.

Conclusion

These are just some foods that ghost shrimp love to eat.

Besides, when it comes to feeding ghost shrimps or other aquatic pets, it’s always better to experiment with different types of food and see what your shrimp-like is best.