Cherry vs Amano vs Ghost Shrimp Comparison Guide: Pick by Tank Type
Three freshwater shrimp species sit on every Singapore aquatic shelf and they serve completely different purposes. The cherry vs amano vs ghost shrimp decision splits on colour, algae work and whether you want a self-sustaining colony or a temporary cleanup crew. This guide from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park ranks the trio so you stop wasting money on the wrong species.
Quick Verdict
Pick cherry shrimp if you want vivid red colour and a self-sustaining breeding colony in a stable 30-litre+ planted nano. Pick Amano shrimp if you want larger, plain-coloured workhorses for serious hair algae cleanup. Pick ghost shrimp only as cheap temporary scavengers — they die within months in most setups.
Cherry Shrimp: The Colour Colony
The cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi var. red) reaches 2.5-3cm with bright red colouration in females and lighter pinkish males. Sakura, fire red and painted fire red grades climb the colour saturation ladder. Water tolerance: pH 6.5-7.8, GH 6-15, temperature 22-28°C. They breed readily in freshwater — a healthy colony of 20 expands to 100+ within six months. Bioload negligible. They handle Singapore PUB tap with light remineralisation. Plant-safe and reef-safe in nano displays.
Amano Shrimp: The Algae Workhorse
The Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) hits 4-5cm — significantly larger than cherries — with a translucent grey body and dotted lateral line. They are the gold standard for hair algae and biofilm cleanup in planted tanks. Water needs: pH 6.5-7.5, GH 5-15, temperature 22-26°C. They cannot reproduce in pure freshwater (larvae need brackish), so populations stay stable. Group of five minimum. Lifespan 2-3 years. They eat algae aggressively but supplement with shrimp pellets in heavily algae-managed tanks.
Ghost Shrimp: The Temporary Scavenger
The ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus and similar) reaches 3-4cm with a fully transparent body — internal organs visible. They are cheap (often SGD 0.50-1.50 each) and sold as feeder shrimp. Water tolerance: pH 7.0-8.5, GH 8-20, temperature 22-28°C. They prefer harder, neutral-to-alkaline water and stress in soft acidic planted tanks. Lifespan in captivity rarely exceeds six months. Some species are slightly aggressive and may pick at small fish or cherry shrimp. Useful as scavengers in fish-only quarantine tanks.
Side-by-Side Spec Comparison
Size: cherry 2.5cm, ghost 3.5cm, Amano 5cm. Colour: cherry vivid red, ghost transparent, Amano translucent grey. Breeding: cherry prolific freshwater, ghost limited, Amano impossible in freshwater. Algae work: Amano excellent, cherry moderate biofilm, ghost minimal. Hardness preference: ghost prefers harder water, cherry wide tolerance, Amano moderate. Lifespan: cherry 1.5-2 years, Amano 2-3, ghost under 1. Price: ghost SGD 0.50-1.50, cherry SGD 2-8 grade-dependent, Amano SGD 4-8.
Decision Framework
If you want colour as the primary feature and a colony that pays for itself through breeding, pick cherry. If your tank has serious hair algae and you need cleanup over colour, pick Amano. If you only need temporary scavengers for a six-week fish-in cycle, ghost shrimp at SGD 1 each are acceptable disposables. For a comprehensive planted tank cleanup crew, six Amanos plus a cherry shrimp colony delivers both functions without bioload spike. Avoid ghost shrimp in soft acidic planted tanks — they die fast.
Singapore Sourcing and Pricing
All three are Iwarna and Polyart staples. Ghost shrimp run SGD 0.50-1.50 each, often sold in bags of 10-20. Cherry shrimp split by grade: standard cherry SGD 2-3, sakura SGD 3-5, fire red SGD 5-8, painted fire red SGD 8-15. Amano shrimp at SGD 4-8 each, with bulk packs of 10 around SGD 35-55. C328 Clementi sometimes carries higher-grade Neocaridina morphs (blue dream, yellow neon, chocolate). Quarantine all incoming shrimp for 7-14 days. Pair them with planted scapes from the plants range and gentle filtration from the filter range.
Common Mistakes
Mixing cherry shrimp colour grades (red, blue, yellow) leads to brown wild-type offspring within two generations. Second mistake: dropping shrimp into a tank under one month old without enough biofilm — starvation losses follow. Third: keeping Amanos with bettas, gouramis or any fish over 7cm — they get hunted. Fourth: assuming ghost shrimp will breed in a freshwater tank — they need brackish larval stages and almost never establish. Fifth: copper-based medications kill all three species; check meds before dosing.
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