NEMO AQUA STOREBest Aquarium Plants for Shrimp Tanks
Shrimp don't just like plants — they need them. Plants grow the biofilm shrimp graze on and give shrimplets places to hide from filters and tank mates. These six are shrimp-keeper favourites, all fine without CO2.
The shrimp six
- Java Moss — the #1 shrimp plant. Dense tangles = grazing surface + shrimplet nursery.
- Christmas Moss — tidier, fluffier moss for walls and driftwood “trees”.
- Anubias Nana Petite — broad leaves shrimp love to sit and graze on. See our anubias.
- Bucephalandra — slow, hardy, attaches to rock; biofilm magnet.
- Water Wisteria / Hornwort — fast growers that keep ammonia and nitrate near zero (shrimp are far more sensitive than fish).
- Marimo Moss Ball — a rolling buffet of biofilm; zero care.
Setting up planted shrimp tanks
- Attach mosses and anubias to wood/rock — shrimp dig around loose plants.
- Skip copper-based fertilisers and medications; copper is lethal to shrimp.
- Cycle fully first (cycling guide) — shrimp tolerate almost no ammonia.
- A sponge filter prevents shrimplets being sucked in.
Frequently asked questions
Java moss. Its dense structure holds biofilm for grazing and hides newborn shrimplets from fish and filter intakes.
No — mosses, anubias and bucephalandra all thrive without CO2, and stable low-tech tanks are actually safer for shrimp.
Use shrimp-safe fertilisers only and avoid anything containing copper, which is toxic to invertebrates even in small doses.
Adult cherry shrimp are safe with small peaceful fish, but most fish eat shrimplets — dense moss cover is essential for the colony to grow.
Related: Java Fern · Anubias Barteri · Beginner plants guide
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