What Do Ghost Shrimp Eat? Full Diet Guide

Published: 2026-10-20 · FishyKart Blog

Ghost shrimp are opportunistic scavengers, eating detritus, algae, biofilm, and leftover food almost constantly rather than taking large discrete meals. That constant foraging behaviour is exactly why overfeeding is such an easy mistake - the shrimp always look like they're eating, which makes it hard to notice that a tank is also accumulating uneaten food underneath.

What They Eat

  • Detritus and biofilm - their primary natural food source, constantly available in an established tank
  • Algae - grazed opportunistically off surfaces, though they're not as dedicated algae-eaters as a fish like Otocinclus
  • Sinking shrimp pellets or algae wafers - a good deliberate staple to supplement natural foraging
  • Leftover fish food - scavenged from the substrate after fish feedings
  • Occasional protein - small bits of bloodworm or shrimp pellet, beneficial but not essential

How Much and How Often

In an established tank with fish already being fed, ghost shrimp often need no separate feeding at all - they scavenge what's left. In a shrimp-only or lightly-stocked tank, a small amount of sinking food every 1-2 days is enough. Because they're so small, "a small amount" really does mean a pinch, not a pellet per shrimp.

Avoiding Overfeeding

The constant-foraging behaviour that makes ghost shrimp low-maintenance also makes overfeeding easy to miss - food that isn't found and eaten within a day just sits and decomposes, since these shrimp don't consume enough per individual to clear a heavy feeding quickly. Remove obviously uneaten food after a day rather than assuming it'll get scavenged eventually.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the natural diet of a ghost shrimp?

Detritus, algae, biofilm, and small organic particles - they're opportunistic scavengers in the wild, not selective feeders.

What should you feed ghost shrimp in a tank?

Sinking shrimp pellets or algae wafers as a staple, supplemented with whatever detritus and biofilm the tank naturally produces. They'll also pick at leftover fish food.

How often should ghost shrimp be fed?

A small amount every 1-2 days is usually enough in an established tank - they scavenge continuously between dedicated feedings, so a heavily-fed tank often needs no separate shrimp feeding at all.

Can you overfeed ghost shrimp?

Yes, and it's a common mistake - because they're so small, excess food goes uneaten and fouls the water rather than being consumed, even though the shrimp themselves seem to always be foraging.

Do ghost shrimp need meat in their diet?

Occasional protein (a small piece of shrimp pellet or bloodworm) is beneficial but not essential - most of their diet in a healthy tank is algae, biofilm, and detritus rather than meaty food.