Daggerblade Grass Shrimp

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Atlantic coast of North America, from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Found in seagrass beds and sheltered brackish estuaries.

Taxonomy: Member of the family Palaemonidae. Features a long, upward-curved, dagger-like rostrum which gives the species its common name.

Social Behavior: Active and peaceful. Constantly scans the substrate and plants for organic matter, swimming in small coordinated groups.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Completely translucent and glass-like, making its digestive tract visible. The tail fan possesses faint dark spots.

Tank Setup: Requires an aquarium of at least 30 liters with dense plants or macroalgae, porous rocks, and a fine sand substrate.

Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous detritivore. Feeds on bacterial biofilm, hair algae, and commercial sinking fish pellets or flakes.

Water Quality: Euryhaline species: adaptable to salinity ranging from freshwater to full marine. Keep temperature 10-28 °C and pH 7.2-8.2.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Highly peaceful and reef-safe. Completely harmless to corals. Frequently used as a feeder shrimp for larger predatory fish.

Aquarium Breeding: Females carry the egg clutch under their tail. Spawns planktonic larvae that progress through multiple brackish water zoea stages.

Risks and Diseases: Sensitive to rapid salinity shifts and copper treatments. Demands sufficient calcium levels in water to undergo successful molting.