How Much Should You Feed Your Shrimp?

A portion can disappear quickly for all sorts of reasons. The shrimp may have eaten it. A snail might be parked on it. A piece might have broken off and rolled into the gravel. Before you decide how much to offer next time, work out what happened to this one.

Start where you can see

Use the directions for the food you’re holding and start modestly. Think about how many shrimp are actually feeding and what else they can graze in the tank. A flat stone or dish helps you judge what went in and how much is left.

In my established tanks, I often start with one or two pellets per 20 to 30 shrimp for most pellet foods. That’s an example of what I do. Pellet sizes vary, and I’d check the specific product guidance before applying that amount elsewhere. For Nettle, I’d keep the portion flexible and start sparingly.

Start with a portion you can describe

“Half of the small piece I usually break off” is a better note than “a bit”. You don’t have to weigh every feed, but it helps to recognise the amount next time. For a breakable tablet, use the same size fragment for the first few feeds. If you use a pellet, remember that two pellets from different products can be very different sizes and may behave differently after they sink.

Put the food in the same place while you work out the amount. If the colony is small, choose a flat spot near where the shrimp already graze. A portion left in an unfamiliar open area may be untouched because they didn’t go there. See what happens before deciding they need less or that the food isn’t suitable.

Take a look at the tank before you feed. If there’s still food from the last feed, check whether it’s being grazed and clear excess as directed. That’s more useful than automatically adding the same amount because it’s the day you normally feed. Keep a little room in the routine for what you actually see.

Look again before changing the amount

Check whether the shrimp are still grazing and how much remains. Follow the product’s guidance for removing leftovers. A flaking food behaves differently from a wafer or fine powder, so one deadline won’t suit everything you feed.

If there’s food left repeatedly, reduce the next portion or space the feeds further apart. If it’s gone quickly, watch one whole feed before increasing. Try splitting the same amount if the bigger shrimp are blocking access.

What fast and slow feeds can tell you

If the food is gone quickly, watch who gets to it. The shrimp might have eaten it, a fish might have carried it away or small pieces may have fallen between stones. A feeding spot that looks empty only tells you what’s visible there. Check the surrounding area and watch a feed all the way through before deciding you need more.

If a lot of food remains, think about both the amount and the location. A big piece of tablet may have been more than the colony could use. A portion beside a busy fish may have been difficult for the shrimp to reach. In the first case, try a smaller piece. In the second, change where you put it and keep the amount steady so you can see what helped.

When a single spot gets crowded

If you split a wafer between two spots, check both at cleanup. One piece may be gone while the other is still whole. Moving that second piece closer to cover can give smaller shrimp a chance at it.

Split the same modest portion over two visible places. A small piece close to moss may be useful for young shrimp, while adults still use the usual spot. Check both places after feeding and remove excess according to the directions. If the shrimp were using both spots and the aquarium stays easy to maintain, you’ve improved access. You can then decide whether the total amount needs to change.

Give yourself a small record

Jot down the food, the portion and what you saw. After a few feeds, you can make a better decision about the next one. For a hand choosing between formats, see the ShrimpKeeper food comparison.

Adjust the amount as the colony changes

The portion that worked when you had a small group might need a fresh look once you see young shrimp growing. Look at how much of the current portion they reach before adding anything. If you’re seeing more grazing and very little remains over several feeds, you have a better reason to adjust the amount than if you’ve only counted a few more animals on the glass one evening.

The same applies in the other direction. If you’ve moved some shrimp out or notice regular leftovers, reduce what you offer next time. Keep up your normal water tests and check the filter if behaviour changes. A sudden drop in appetite is a reason to look at the aquarium as well as the portion.

Make the next decision simple

If you’re still unsure, pick one ordinary feed you can watch from start to finish. Keep the food and spot familiar. Make a note of what went in, which shrimp got there and what remained. At the next feed, choose just one adjustment. You can change the amount, move the spot or leave a longer gap. The clearer the comparison, the easier it is to build a routine you can keep up.

If you know the amount you want to offer and are still deciding when to give it, see how often to feed your shrimp. Keep those decisions separate for a few feeds. That way you can see whether the change came from a smaller portion or from giving the shrimp more time to use it.

If you lifted out a sizeable piece today, break off a smaller one at the next feed. If today’s piece was grazed and there’s little to clear, use the same amount again.