Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentata) Care Guide
Caridina multidentata is a large translucent freshwater shrimp from Japan and Taiwan, valued as a strong algae eater; larvae require brackish water to develop.
Overview
Caridina multidentata is a translucent freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae, native to southwestern Japan, Taiwan and Korea. It was introduced to the planted-aquarium hobby by Takashi Amano in the 1980s, after whom it is commonly named. Adults reach 4-5 cm, making it noticeably larger than Neocaridina davidi.
Taxonomy
- Family: Atyidae
- Genus: Caridina
- Scientific name: Caridina multidentata
- Former name: Caridina japonica (renamed 2006)
- Common names: Amano Shrimp, Yamato Shrimp, Japanese Marsh Shrimp
Habitat
The species is amphidromous: adults live in freshwater streams in southern Japan, Taiwan and Korea, females release eggs that hatch into larvae which drift downstream to brackish estuaries, develop there, then return to freshwater as juveniles. Bodies show a translucent base colour with broken reddish-brown lines along each side.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (10 gal)
- Temperature: 18-28 C (64-82 F)
- pH: 6.5-7.8
- GH: 6-14 dGH
- KH: 2-10 dKH
- TDS: 150-400 µS/cm
- Lifespan: 2-3 years
- Water type: neutral medium-hard freshwater (adults)
Diet
Omnivore. Excellent grazer of soft green and brown algae, hair algae and biofilm. In a stable aquarium algae alone may be insufficient — supplement with sinking shrimp pellets, blanched zucchini or spinach. Like all atyid shrimp, the species is highly sensitive to copper.
Compatibility
Peaceful and reef-unrelated. Safe with tetras, rasboras, Otocinclus and Corydoras. Avoid Cichlids, Goldfish and Crayfish. Does not interbreed with Neocaridina.
Breeding
Practically impossible in standard freshwater aquaria. Females carry several hundred small green eggs for ~5 weeks, but hatched larvae require brackish water (approx. 1.018-1.024 SG) to complete metamorphosis before returning to freshwater. Almost all shrimp sold in the hobby are wild-caught or farmed under brackish facilities.