Best Shrimp Food

5 Best Shrimp Food Options [Review & Buyers Guide]

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Freshwater shrimp are a fantastic addition to an aquarium.

Not only are they fun to watch, but they are fantastic tank cleaners. While they will eat most, if not all, of your tank’s algae, it is still important to feed them, especially if you have a new tank.

But what is the best food to feed them?

In this article, we have reviewed five of the best shrimp foods so that you do not have to. We have also put together a useful buyer’s guide. This guide will provide you with all of the information you need to find the best type of shrimp food. 

At the end of the article, we have included a short frequently asked questions section to cover any additional queries you may have.

If you have not got the time to read our entire article, why not check out our in a hurry section below to find out our top shrimp food pick?

In A Hurry?

Here is our top pick for the best shrimp food – Fluval Shrimp Granules.

We have chosen the Fluval Shrimp Granules because it is packed with good quality ingredients and is made by a well known and loved brand. There are many vitamins and minerals added into this food to ensure that your shrimp receive all of the nutrition they need.

It contains dried spirulina algae, which is an important part of your shrimp’s diet. The added natural iodine will help with your shrimps molting. There are no unnecessary added ingredients, and the food is close to a shrimp’s natural diet.

It is reasonably priced, and it should last a good amount of time too. As it is a granule food, your fish are less likely to eat it, and it will take longer to disintegrate than flaked food. If you would like to purchase this food, you can do so via Amazon US here.

Quick List Best Shrimp Food

  1. Fluval Shrimp Granules
  2. Aquatic Arts Sinking Pellets
  3. Hikari Tropical Shrimp Cuisine Fish Food
  4. Hikari Crab Cuisine
  5. SunGrow Baby Shrimp Food

Top Pick: Fluval Shrimp Granules

Fluval Shrimp Granules - 1.2 Ounces

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Fluval Shrimp Granules are a popular choice. They are full of great nutrients that your shrimps need, such as vitamin A and copper oxide. The added vitamins and minerals help to promote your shrimp’s growth. In addition to this, they help to prevent disease and illness.

It contains dried spirulina algae, which is an important part of a shrimp’s diet. There are no added colorants that could be potentially harmful. The granules are highly palatable and contain ingredients that are similar to a shrimp’s natural diet.

As it is a granular food, it will sink to the bottom of your tank quickly. It is worth noting that granules will disintegrate into the water over time if uneaten. This can affect your overall water quality.

Fluval granules contain a natural source of iodine, which helps with the shrimp’s molting process. Overall, this is a reasonably priced food that is 1.2 ounces; it should last you a significant amount of time.

Pros:

  • Contains vitamins and minerals that help to prevent disease and illness
  • Contains spirulina algae
  • Contains a natural source of iodine

Cons:

  • Granules can affect water quality if they are uneaten and not removed from the tank

Second Pick: Aquatic Arts Sinking Pellets

Aquatic Arts Sinking Pellets (.5 lb Spirulina Tabs) Freshwater Fish Food (Cichlid Tetra) | Shrimp Pellets | Aquarium Snail Food (Nerite Trapdoor Ramshorn) | Crayfish Food | Hermit Crab Food and More

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The Aquatic Arts Sinking Pellets are another popular choice. This food is a comprehensive formula and can be used to feed various breeds in your tank, such as cichlids and even turtles. If you are looking for multipurpose food, this is a great option. 

In terms of price, this food is reasonable. It is an 8-ounce container and should last a good amount of time, depending on how often it is used. The packaging states that this food can feed your shrimp for up to a year!

The ingredients are good and contain many vitamins, and minerals shrimp require. It contains spirulina and traces of copper sulfate. Some users have noted that their shrimp and fish were not as keen on this food as other brands, which is worth considering.

This food helps to encourage growth and breeding. It also contains fortified calcium. This is necessary for helping with a shrimp’s exoskeletal growth.


Pros:

  • Potentially enough food to feed your shrimp for a year
  • Contains fortified calcium
  • Can be eaten by a range of different freshwater animals alongside shrimp

Cons:

  • Your shrimp may not enjoy its taste

Third Pick: Hikari Tropical Shrimp Cuisine Fish Food

Hikari Tropical Shrimp Cuisine Fish Food, 0.35 oz (10g)

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Hikari is a well-loved and trusted fish and shrimp food brand. This brand tends to be a little bit more on the higher end of the price scale but contains good quality ingredients. This is one of the smaller packets of shrimp food that we have included. It is 0.35 ounces in total.

It is a specially formulated diet that contains essential vitamins and minerals that shrimp require. It contains ingredients that are essential for shrimp’s growth and development but are natural color enhancers.

These ingredients include spirulina, alfalfa meal, and seaweed. Hikari also contains astaxanthin, which helps to prevent a shrimp’s color from fading.

It is worth noting that not all shrimp owners like to feed their shrimp food that contains additives. While it is safe for your shrimp to consume, it is not as close to their natural diet as other shrimp food brands.

However, Hikari extensively researches each freshwater species and provides great quality fish food. This food also helps to promote proper molting, which is important.


Pros:

  • Includes essential ingredients that are natural color enhancers
  • Added vitamins and minerals to promote overall health 
  • Helps promote proper molting

Cons:

  • The additives may put off some shrimp owners in the food

Fourth Pick: Hikari Crab Cuisine

Hikari Crab Cuisine 50g

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This is another popular shrimp food by Hikari. Besides being used as shrimp food, this food can also be fed to other crustaceans, such as crabs. 

As with the previous Hikari food, the packaging is significantly smaller than other shrimp food brands. The Crab Cuisine has high levels of calcium to help with shell development. 

This stick food sinks to the bottom of the tank quickly, which allows the shrimp the best chance of eating it. In addition to this, the food does not make your tank water cloudy and will not dissolve. 

Hikari Crab Cuisine contains many vitamins and minerals that help aid the shrimp’s overall health and growth, such as vitamins A and B12. In terms of cost, the food is fairly good value, though it is a smaller bag. 

Pros:

  • High levels of calcium
  • Food sinks to the bottom of the tank quickly
  • Does not dissolve or make your tank water cloudy

Cons:

  • Small packaging size

Final Pick: SunGrow Baby Shrimp Food

SunGrow Baby Shrimp Food, 0.8 Ounce, Essential Yellow Microbial Powder Enzyme, for Proper Nutrition, Digestion and Immune Support, Helps Keeps Aquarium Water Clean, Triple The Survival Rate, 1 Pack

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This food is particularly great if you have baby shrimp. It will help to keep your baby shrimp healthy and alive. It is important to feed baby shrimp a good and nutritious diet, which this food offers.

It has all of the essential amino acids and proteins the shrimp need. It also has many vitamins and carbohydrates that are easily digestible. It helps to improve molting survival, which is important for young shrimp.

Although it is tailored towards baby shrimp, we recommend this food for young shrimp as it is easier for them to eat than adult shrimp food. The food is supported by scientific research, and it will not break apart and affect your water quality. 

This food is a good value for the money and adds microorganisms into your tank water, keeping the shrimp alive.

Pros:

  • Gives baby shrimp the best chance at survival
  • Does not affect overall water quality
  • Contains microorganisms that help to keep the shrimp alive

Cons:

  • Tailored specifically towards baby shrimp rather than adults

Best Shrimp Food Buyers Guide

There are some things you should take into consideration before you purchase shrimp food.

Price

As with any product that you purchase, you should always check the price. You will want to choose a reasonably priced shrimp food that contains all of the nutrients your shrimp will need. 

Always remember to shop within your budget. While there are more expensive foods available, choose the good quality food and that you can afford.

Different Types of Shrimp Food

Did you know that there are many different types of shrimp food available to purchase?

All of them each have their benefits. In this section, we will be discussing the different types you can purchase

Sinking Pellets/Sticks

Sinking pellets are particularly great for shrimp. As they sink to the bottom of the tank fairly quickly, there is more chance of your shrimp being able to consume it. With other types of food, they are more likely to be eaten by other fish in your tank before reaching the bottom for the shrimp to eat.

As they are larger than the flakes and granules, they tend to last for a longer period in the tank. This is great because you know that your shrimp will not run out of food too quickly.

However, uneaten food can cause ammonia levels to rise in your tank. Given this, always ensure that you are only putting enough food for your shrimp to eat in a fairly short period. You do not want too much excess food sitting around in your tank.

Luckily, many shrimp pellets will remain intact and do not put any waste into the water. This is great, as you will not need to worry about the food potentially affecting your overall water quality. 

Flakes

Flakes are a common type of shrimp and fish food. They are readily available and provide shrimp with all of the nutrients and goodness they need.

However, if you have a tank full of greedy fish, you may find that your fish will reach the flakes before your shrimp. This is because they sink to the bottom of the tank fairly slowly. 

If you choose to use shrimp flakes, keep an eye on your fish tank after feeding to ensure that the food reaches them.

Granules

Granules are a great option and are similar to the pellets. They will sink to the bottom of your tank fairly quickly, and there is more chance of your shrimp reaching them before your fish. Again, they should include all of the necessary nutrients needed for shrimp to thrive. 

As they are a granule rather than a flake, they will take longer to dissolve. Over time this will start to affect the water quality if they are not eaten, however.

Snack And Treats

As with any pet, shrimp-like the occasional treat too!

Some great snacks you can feed your shrimp are different types of bites and pops. Although these are not a complete food, they are a great treat with added benefits.

Biofilm

Shrimp love biofilm. Biofilm is a build-up of things such as bacteria, algae, and fungi. Many people purchase shrimp as an addition to their tank to help with algae problems.

Shrimps will eat biofilm over any other type of food, so if your tank has a good amount of it, you do not necessarily need to feed them daily.

However, if you have a new tank or your tank lacks any form of biofilm to sustain your shrimp and keep them alive, you will need another commercial type of shrimp food. While these foods are great for shrimp, biofilm is the best and most natural shrimp food.

Fruits and Vegetables

If you are new to shrimp keeping, you may be thinking that this suggestion is a little odd. While it may seem so, did you know that there are a handful of fruits and vegetables that are great for shrimp to consume? These include cucumber, spinach, and pears!

They are great to pop into your tank as an occasional and nutritional snack. Always ensure to thoroughly research if the fruit or vegetable is safe before placing it into your fish tank.

Shimp Food Ingredients 

When you purchase shrimp food, you want to ensure that it has the best possible ingredients. Some of the ingredients you should look out for are a good mix of vitamins and minerals. Any good quality shrimp food should consist of this. 

Calcium is another ingredient that is great for shrimps. It is important for exoskeletal structure and growth. In addition to this, copper sulfate in tiny doses is essential for shrimp to produce blood cells.

Other popular ingredients can include shrimp meal, vegetable matter, and spirulina algae. High amounts of protein can be good for shrimp too.

Your Water Quality

As mentioned above, always ensure to take into consideration how the food will affect your water quality. We recommended carrying out regular water tests to ensure that you are not overfeeding your shrimp. 

Too much uneaten food in a tank can wreak havoc with your overall water quality, and you want to avoid this as much as possible. 

Monitor your levels closely, carry out regular water changes, and invest in a good quality filter. If you find that one brand of shrimp food affects your water quality, we would always recommend trying a different brand to see if that will improve your ammonia levels. 

Frequently Asked Questions

We have answered some of your frequently asked questions regarding shrimp food.

Is Shrimp Food Necessary?

If you have a brand new fish tank, we would highly recommend purchasing shrimp food. There should always be algae or biofilm present in your tank before you purchase shrimp.

As this is what shrimp naturally eat, if your tank is full of it, you will not need to feed them overly often. However, new or particularly clean tanks will have low levels of biofilm.

Given this, there will be no natural food for your shrimp to eat. In these instances, feeding your shrimp food regularly is essential for them to survive. 

There are certain vitamins and minerals that shrimp need; given this, we would always recommend feeding shrimp food along with the biofilm from your tank.

How Much Food Shall I Feed My Shrimp?

The amount of food you should feed your shrimp is all dependent on how many shrimp you have.

You want to ensure that you are not overfeeding them. You will know if your shrimp has been overfed because there will be lots of food leftover in the tank. 

If there is still fish food in the tank a few hours after feeding, we recommend removing it as it will affect your water quality if left in the tank.

A small pinch of food should suffice. It is always better to slightly underfeed as you can add more food if needed.

How Often Should I Feed My Shrimp?

While you can feed your shrimp daily, you can run the risk of overfeeding them. We would recommend feeding them every other day. 

However, you can feed them less often than this if there is a build-up of algae and biofilm in your tank.

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