How to aquascape a shrimp tank
A good shrimp aquascape is a pretty tank that also works for shrimp: lots of surfaces for biofilm, shady cover, an open spot to feed and watch, and nothing that leaches into soft water or traps shrimplets. This guide covers the layout and building. For choosing and preparing wood itself, see driftwood and botanicals for shrimp.
What shrimp want from a layout
- Surface area. Aquarium Co-Op's Chris Lukhaup notes that shrimp graze on roots, twigs, dry leaves, gravel and plants. More surfaces mean more biofilm. See what shrimp eat.
- Hiding places. The Shrimp Farm says shrimp need hiding places and live plants to feel safe, especially after molting. See why are my shrimp hiding.
- Light and shade. Lukhaup notes that light drives algae and biofilm growth, and floating plants can diffuse it. See shrimp tank lighting.
- Room to feed. An open patch of substrate or a feeding dish lets you see what gets eaten.
Most dwarf shrimp don't eat healthy plants, so you can plant freely. Lukhaup notes that fan-feeding shrimp such as bamboo shrimp prefer open, rocky areas with flow instead.
1. Plan the layout
- Pick a style. Common options are a single piece of wood covered in moss and epiphytes, a rock layout (Iwagumi style) with a low carpet, or a jungle of stems and mosses. Simple layouts are easiest to keep clean.
- Use an off-center focal point. The Shrimp Farm's hardscape advice is to put the main stone or wood off-center or in a concave layout, with pieces leaning on a diagonal and in tiers to create depth.
- Try it dry. The Shrimp Farm suggests arranging rocks and wood before adding water and trying a few layouts until one looks right.
- Plan the equipment. Leave room for the sponge filter or intake, heater and a spot to drip in new water. A filled tank is heavy, so it needs a sturdy stand (The Shrimp Farm). See how to set up a shrimp tank.
2. Choose shrimp-safe hardscape
| Material | Shrimp-safe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aquarium hardwoods (for example Redmoor) | Yes, once soaked | Soak until it sinks and the tannins slow; Practical Fishkeeping notes this can take days to weeks. See driftwood guide. |
| Softwoods, aromatic woods, vivarium grapevine | No | Practical Fishkeeping lists softwoods and aromatic woods as toxic and says vivarium grapevine rots underwater. |
| Inert stone | Yes | Test first (below). Practical Fishkeeping warns against soft, crumbly rock and shale. |
| Dragon stone (Ohko) | Mostly | The Shrimp Farm describes it as clay mudstone that is mostly inert but can slowly leach minerals below pH 7. It is fragile, so handle with care. |
| Limestone and other calcareous rock; coral | Not for soft-water tanks | Practical Fishkeeping says calcareous rock raises hardness and pH, and advises against coral. That is a problem for soft-water Caridina. |
The vinegar test: Practical Fishkeeping suggests dripping vinegar on a rock; if it fizzes, it contains calcium carbonate and will raise hardness and pH. Wood collected outdoors is a gamble, so most keepers buy aquarium wood. See GH and KH explained and Caridina vs Neocaridina for why it matters.
3. Lay the substrate
Rinse gravel or sand (The Shrimp Farm suggests a layer of up to about an inch). Active shrimp soils are usually not rinsed; follow the maker's directions. In his shrimpscape for Practical Fishkeeping, George Farmer used a shrimp soil that buffers pH and reduces hardness. See best substrate for shrimp.
4. Build the hardscape
- Place the big pieces first, then fill gaps with smaller stones or twigs.
- Make it stable. The Shrimp Farm suggests dowels or an aquarium-safe glue or epoxy for tall or leaning stone.
- Soak wood first, or it will float. Farmer pre-soaked his Redmoor wood for about a fortnight. A little white fuzz on new wood is common and can be brushed off; see driftwood and botanicals.
5. Choose and plant shrimp-safe plants
- Avoid pesticides. Farmer warns that some imported plants may carry pesticide residue that can kill shrimp, and used tissue-culture plants instead. Rinse off the gel before planting. See best plants for shrimp tanks.
- Tie on, don't bury. Farmer tied mosses on with fishing line and fixed Anubias and a Java fern ('Trident') to the wood with the rhizome exposed. See Java moss and other mosses.
- Layer by height. His layout used low carpeting plants at the front, small bushy plants in the midground and a taller stem plant at the back.
- Prefer slow growers. Farmer notes that slow-growing plants mean less pruning, which means less disturbance for the shrimp.
- Use tweezers. Small plants and tissue-culture portions go in more easily with aquascaping tweezers (Practical Fishkeeping; The Shrimp Farm).
6. Fill without wrecking it
For a planted carpet, Farmer filled the tank with water only up to the top of the soil, planted, then filled the rest slowly through a colander onto a sheet of plastic so the plants didn't lift. The Shrimp Farm suggests pouring onto a plate. Either way, go slowly. Use dechlorinated or remineralized RO water as your shrimp need; see remineralizing RO water.
7. Make the equipment shrimp-safe
Farmer fitted a mesh guard on the filter intake so shrimp and babies couldn't be pulled in; a sponge filter avoids the problem. See shrimp-safe filters. Then cycle the tank before shrimp go in, as in how to cycle a shrimp tank. If you use CO2 or fertilizer, see liquid carbon and CO2 and shrimp-safe fertilizer.
Keeping it looking good
- Trim plants and moss during your normal water change, and siphon out the clippings.
- Farmer did frequent water changes in the first weeks as the soil settled; see shrimp tank water changes.
- Watch for algae as the tank matures; see algae in a shrimp tank.
- Check new plants for hitchhikers before they go in; see pest snails.
Track it
The free Maintenance Schedule printable has space to track plant trims alongside water changes and filter care.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best aquascape for a shrimp tank?
One with lots of surfaces for biofilm, plenty of cover such as moss and epiphytes, an open patch for feeding, and only shrimp-safe rock and wood. Simple layouts are easiest to keep clean.
Is dragon stone safe for shrimp?
The Shrimp Farm describes dragon stone as mostly inert clay mudstone, though it can slowly leach minerals in water below pH 7. Rinse and soak it first, and test it if you keep soft-water shrimp.
How do I know if a rock will raise my pH?
Drip vinegar on it. Practical Fishkeeping says a rock that fizzes contains calcium carbonate and will raise hardness and pH.
Do shrimp eat aquarium plants?
Most dwarf shrimp don't eat healthy plants; they graze biofilm and algae on them and pick at dying leaves.
How do I attach moss to driftwood?
Tie it on with fishing line, as in Practical Fishkeeping's shrimpscape, keeping the layer thin. Our Java moss guide covers other methods.
How do I fill an aquascaped tank without uprooting plants?
Fill slowly onto a plate or sheet of plastic. For carpets, fill only to the soil, plant, then fill the rest gently.
Why should I use tissue-culture plants in a shrimp tank?
They are grown in sealed lab cups, so they avoid most hitchhikers and the pesticide risk some imported potted plants carry.
Sources: Practical Fishkeeping, How to create a shrimpscape (George Farmer's shrimpscape: avoid plants that may carry pesticides, tissue-culture plants with gel rinsed off; aquascaping tweezers; mesh guard on the filter inlet; shrimp soil that buffers pH and reduces hardness; Redmoor wood pre-soaked about a fortnight or it floats, fungus brushed off; mosses tied on with fishing line, Anubias and Java fern 'Trident' tied to wood with rhizome exposed; carpet, midground and background layering; slow growers mean less pruning; filled to soil level for planting, then slowly through a colander onto plastic; frequent early water changes); Practical Fishkeeping, What you need to know about tank decoration (soak wood until tannins slow, days to weeks; softwoods and aromatic woods toxic; vivarium grapevine rots; collected wood risky; limestone and calcareous rock raise hardness and pH; vinegar fizz test; avoid coral and soft or crumbly rock and shale); The Shrimp Farm, Setting up a shrimp aquarium (hiding places and live plants; rinse substrate, layer up to about an inch; place rocks and wood before water and try layouts; pour water onto a plate; tweezers; sturdy stand); The Shrimp Farm, Dragon stone hardscape (dragon stone is clay mudstone, mostly inert, may leach minerals below pH 7, fragile; off-center or concave focal point, diagonal lean and tiers; dowels or glue for stability; Iwagumi); Aquarium Co-Op, Freshwater dwarf shrimp (Chris Lukhaup) (shrimp graze roots, twigs, dry leaves, gravel and plants; most shrimp don't eat plants; fan shrimp prefer open rocky areas; light drives algae and biofilm, floating plants diffuse it).