Last Updated on December 13, 2022.
As cherry shrimp aren’t quite like other aquatic life such as fish, they can have different needs when it comes to setting up a shrimp tank and maintaining a healthy colony. In this article, we will explain the purposes of a filter and why your shrimp do indeed need a filter.
Do cherry shrimp need a filter?
It is essential that a cherry shrimp tank has a filter in it. While it is possible for shrimp to live in still and unfiltered water setups, it isn’t ideal and comes with a lot of caveats. Only very experienced shrimp keepers and breeders may take on the challenge, but it does come with risks. In our opinion, a shrimp tank should never be without a filter.
Why do shrimp need a filter?
Having a filter in your shrimp tank has a number of benefits. In the wild, cherry shrimp are found in streams and ponds with flowing water, so the first thing a filter will do is add flow to your tank which your shrimp will appreciate.
Flowing water in natural streams also means constantly renewed water, where biowaste hasn’t been able to settle and start creating nitrites and ammonia that are deadly in a shrimp tank. Because you’re keeping your shrimp in a glass box instead, cleaning your water or food shrimp waste constantly is required to ensure no sudden changes happen in your water parameters. Especially if you’re keeping cherry shrimp in a smaller-sized tank, keeping your water as clean as possible is a must.
Things to consider when buying a filter for your shrimp tank?
There are different kinds of filters you can put in your shrimp tank (or maybe you got a filter with your shrimp set up), but not all types of filters are safe for shrimp. If you’ve gotten a tank second-hand or bought a tropical fish aquarium to use as a shrimp tank, don’t assume the filter you’ve got is suitable for your shrimp.
Many common aquarium filters are internal box-shaped filters with a grill that’s thin enough to stop fish, but shrimp will be sucked into. These filters normally end with fan blades blowing your filtered water back out into your tank, so without getting into detail it’s really vital you don’t put one of these in your shrimp tank.
Our favorite type of filter is any kind where the water intake is blocked by a sponge filter of some kind. These can include sponge filters that use an external air pump to push water through the sponge safely, or certain fan filters where the intake is completely blocked by an outer sponge.
Another thing to consider when buying a filter is how much flow it’s rated for in liter/gallon. You will only need a filter that is strong enough for the size of the tank you’ve got, so there’s no point buying a larger and more overkill filter if your tank doesn’t need it.
Conclusion: Do shrimp need a filter?
When looking at the benefits of having a filter, it’s easy to see that they are a requirement for almost all shrimp tanks, and you should definitely be picking one up if you plan to get a tank separate from the rest of your shrimp tank setup.
Now you know about filters, but do shrimp need a heater? We have all the answers.