ghost shrimp feeders as pets?

Beemo

Moved On
my lfs sells ghost shrimp feeders.
are these marine shrimp?
can i keep them as pets in my 55g to clean up uneaten food?
do they have a short lifespan?
 
The typical ghost shrimp feeder is fresh to brackish. They're one of the few freshwater shrimp that don't actually _need_ brackish water to reproduce. I don't think they'll last long in straight salt water. Here's a link to more info http://www.petshrimp.com/glassshrimp.html

Also, because they're raised as feeders, they tend to not get the best care. I've seen a lot of them with parasitic nematodes - you can see a white thread through their abdomen. I really think it's a shame that creatures like this get slotted as 'feeders' simply because they reproduce readily.

As far as lifespan goes, the ones I've had in my freshwater tank lasted a few months. One passed shortly after he ditched his parasite, one simply disappeared, and the last I found doing the backstroke. My water may have been on the acidic side for them - they were in my planted tank where I was trying to keep CO2 levels high.
 
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