SMALL Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis spinipes) aka Singapore Flower Shrimp
- Low stock - 1 item left
- Backordered, shipping soon
* For the safety of our animals, we now ship this shrimp exclusively via UPS Next Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout *
Bamboo Shrimp, also known as Singapore Flower Shrimp, are a truly fascinating species due to their lively personalities and their ability to quickly change color based on their mood and/or environment. Their colors tend to range from tan to dark brown, but once they become comfortable in their surroundings, they often turn a vibrant red or a beautiful cerulean blue! These are one of the largest freshwater shrimp, ranging in length from 1.5 to 4 inches. This listing is for juvenile Bamboo Shrimp that are about 1 inch in length, so they are smaller in size than the young adult Bamboo Shrimp that come in an order from the Large Bamboo Shrimp listing.
These shrimp are known to reproduce only in saltwater (this is almost always the case). They are easy to keep in a home freshwater aquarium, as no special equipment is needed for them to thrive.
Bamboo Shrimp are peaceful and will get along great with any other critters in your aquarium, as long as the others aren't aggressive towards them. Like dwarf shrimp, they eat algae and leftover fish food (as well as invertebrate food pellets).
- Among the largest freshwater shrimp available
- Completely peaceful with all non-aggressive tankmates
- Safe with all plants
- Variable coloration and ability to change colors
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallons
- Temperature: 68° - 85° F (20° - 29° C)
- pH: 6.5 - 7.9
- dGH: 6 - 16
- dKH: 1 - 6
- TDS: 130 - 300
- Diet: Omnivorous filter feeder and scavenger. Accepts most high quality flake foods and small filter foods. Weaning to dry food is more likely with groups of this shrimp.
- Aquatic Arts Snowflake Premium Shrimp Food & Aquatic Arts Pollen Granules Premium Shrimp Food are excellent supplements to the diet of any shrimp. Give them a try and your shrimp will thank you for the tasty treat!
- Natural Botanicals are a great way to boost the immune system of your shrimp and they will also provide lots of essential biofilm for the shrimp to graze on.
- Social behavior: Peaceful. Can be kept singly but will also happily congregate in groups
- Origin: South Asia
- Average adult size: 2 - 3 inches (5 - 7.6 cm)
- Average purchase size: 1+ inch (2.5+ cm)
What makes Bamboo Shrimp different from other freshwater shrimp?
Bamboo Shrimp are filter feeders. Instead of picking at surfaces, they use fan-shaped appendages to capture microscopic food particles from the water column.
What does “SMALL” Bamboo Shrimp mean?
Small Bamboo Shrimp are juveniles or sub-adults. They will grow larger over time when provided with proper feeding, flow, and stable conditions.
Are Bamboo Shrimp active?
Yes, but in a unique way. They often perch in areas of flow and hold their fans open rather than constantly roaming the tank.
Do Bamboo Shrimp clean algae?
No. They do not eat algae or biofilm directly. Their role is completely different from grazing shrimp like Neocaridina.
How do Bamboo Shrimp eat?
They capture fine particles such as powdered foods, micro-pellet dust, and naturally suspended organic matter. Tanks with gentle but consistent flow are important.
Can Bamboo Shrimp live with fish and other shrimp?
Yes. They are peaceful and do well in community tanks with non-aggressive fish and other shrimp species.
Are Bamboo Shrimp beginner-friendly?
They’re best for intermediate hobbyists. Their feeding needs are specific, and they do poorly in ultra-clean tanks without suspended food.
Do Bamboo Shrimp need current or flow?
Yes. Moderate water flow helps deliver food to their feeding fans and encourages natural feeding behavior.
Will Bamboo Shrimp hide?
Yes. They may hide initially or during molts. Once settled, they usually claim a favorite perch.
Who are SMALL Bamboo Shrimp best suited for?
They’re ideal for aquarists who enjoy natural behaviors and are comfortable providing targeted feeding and appropriate flow.
Shipping, Arrival & Acclimation
How are SMALL Bamboo Shrimp shipped?
They’re packed carefully for live arrival, with insulation and temperature control used as needed. Shipping methods prioritize shrimp health and safe delivery.
What should I do as soon as my shrimp arrives?
Open the box promptly and inspect the shrimp while it’s still in the bag. It’s normal for Bamboo Shrimp to appear pale or inactive after shipping.
Is there a live arrival guarantee?
Yes. SMALL Bamboo Shrimp are covered by Aquatic Arts’ live arrival guarantee when delivery guidelines are followed.
How should I acclimate Bamboo Shrimp?
Slow acclimation is critical. Gradually introduce tank water to the bag water so the shrimp can adjust to temperature and water chemistry differences.
Is drip acclimation recommended?
Strongly recommended. Drip acclimation helps reduce stress and improves post-arrival molting success.
Can I add the shrimp directly to the tank after acclimation?
Yes. Once acclimated, gently net the shrimp into the aquarium. Avoid adding bag water to the tank.
Is it normal if Bamboo Shrimp hide at first?
Yes. Hiding for the first day or two is very common. They usually emerge once they feel secure and begin feeding.
Should I feed right away after arrival?
Yes—but lightly. Offering a small amount of powdered or finely crushed food in the water column helps them settle and begin feeding.
What tanks are best for newly arrived Bamboo Shrimp?
Established, cycled tanks with stable parameters, moderate flow, and suspended food sources are ideal.
Shell Care & Calcium (Important for All Invertebrates)
Once acclimation is complete, long-term success depends on shell and mineral support. This applies to all snails, shrimp, crabs, and crayfish.
Why is calcium important for invertebrates?
Calcium and trace minerals are required to build and maintain shells and exoskeletons. Without proper mineral support, shrimp can struggle to harden properly after molting.
Which animals need calcium and mineral support?
All invertebrates do. If it has a shell or exoskeleton, minerals matter.
What problems are caused by low minerals?
Common issues include failed molts, soft shells, post-molt weakness, and higher loss rates—especially after shipping or water changes.
Is it normal to see molts after arrival?
Yes. Clear molts are a good sign and indicate growth, not death.
Should molts be removed from the tank?
No. Leaving molts in the tank allows shrimp to reclaim calcium naturally. They’re often consumed within a day.
Can shell or molt issues be reversed?
Old damage won’t disappear, but new growth and future molts can improve significantly once mineral balance, diet, and stability are corrected.
Does water hardness affect molting success?
Yes. Extremely soft or acidic water can make molting more difficult. Supplemental calcium is especially helpful in these conditions.
What’s the easiest way to provide calcium?
Cuttlebone is a simple, low-maintenance option that slowly releases calcium and can remain in the tank.
Does diet affect molting and shell health?
Absolutely. In addition to suspended foods, offering quality invertebrate diets helps provide consistent mineral intake. Dedicated foods from Kats Aquatics are an easy way to support successful molts.
What helps most after acclimation?
Stable parameters, available calcium, appropriate feeding, and avoiding sudden changes. Consistency is the key to long-term success.
For the safety of our animals, we only ship live fish, crabs, and select other inverts exclusively via UPS 1 Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1 Day Air as a shipping option during checkout. If other items are in your cart that can ship with 2 day or standard shipping options the only shipping method you can still select is UPS 1 Day Air.
UPS 1 Day is a description of the duration of time a shipment will spend in transit once it has been shipped. This does not guarantee the package will be shipped the same or next day from which the order was placed.
Shipping Schedule for this service
Current Handling Time:
1-9 business days
Here at Aquatic Arts, we consider the welfare of the live animals we are shipping to be of the foremost importance. This process is much more involved than simply creating a shipping label and affixing it to a box. Depending on the order, it takes from 4 to 7 people to complete this process properly. We check the weather conditions here where they fly out of the Indianapolis UPS facility and the destination for each shipment. We start early each morning and go through a multi-step process to have the day's shipments prepared in time for the UPS pickup. The volume of orders in our system also affects the processing time. Therefore our stated handling time is 1-9 business days.
Shipping Rate
Pricing is by size of package needed to fill entire order and distance it must travel. It will be calculated at checkout.
