Blue Dream Shrimp Vs Amano Shrimp – Choosing Your Perfect Algae-Eating

Written ByHoward Parker

So, you’re standing in front of an aquarium, mesmerized by the tiny, bustling world of freshwater shrimp. You know you want to add some to your tank—they’re fascinating, helpful, and add a whole new dimension to your aquascape. But then you see the two most popular contenders: the brilliant, sapphire-colored Blue Dream Shrimp and the larger, industrious Amano Shrimp. They both look amazing, but which one is right for you?

It’s a classic dilemma every aquarist faces, and it’s easy to feel a little stuck. You’ve probably asked yourself, “Which one will clean my tank better? Which one is easier to care for? And which one will thrive in my specific setup?”

I promise, by the end of this guide, you’ll have a crystal-clear answer. We’re going to dive deep into the blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp debate, breaking down everything you need to know. We’ll compare their appearance, algae-eating skills, breeding habits, and care needs so you can choose your new cleanup crew with total confidence.

Let’s find the perfect shrimp for your aquatic paradise!

At a Glance: Blue Dream Shrimp vs. Amano Shrimp Showdown

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s start with a quick side-by-side comparison. Think of this as your cheat sheet for understanding the core differences at a glance.

  • Appearance:
    • Blue Dream: Opaque, deep sapphire blue. A true “statement” shrimp.
    • Amano: Translucent with a pattern of dots and dashes. Blends in more.
  • Size:
    • Blue Dream: Smaller, reaching about 1 to 1.5 inches.
    • Amano: Larger and bulkier, often growing up to 2 inches or more.
  • Primary Role:
    • Blue Dream: Adds stunning color and cleans up light biofilm and leftover food.
    • Amano: A legendary algae-eating workhorse, tackling tougher algae types.
  • Breeding:
    • Blue Dream: Breeds readily in freshwater. You’ll have a colony in no time!
    • Amano: Extremely difficult to breed; requires a separate brackish water setup for larvae.
  • Temperament:
    • Blue Dream: Very peaceful and shy.
    • Amano: Peaceful but bolder and more active, sometimes known to steal food.
  • Best For:
    • Blue Dream: Aquarists who want vibrant color and a self-sustaining population.
    • Amano: Aquarists whose main goal is serious, non-stop algae control.

The Dazzling Jewel: All About the Blue Dream Shrimp

If you want your aquarium to pop with color, look no further than the Blue Dream Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi). These little guys are like living jewels, bringing a vibrant splash of blue to any planted tank.

Appearance & ‘Wow’ Factor

The name says it all. Blue Dream shrimp are prized for their stunning, solid, and deep blue coloration. Unlike some other shrimp that can be patchy, a high-grade Blue Dream is blue from head to tail. They are the result of careful selective breeding from the wild Red Cherry Shrimp, creating a stable and breathtaking color morph.

They are relatively small, which makes them perfect for nano tanks where their color can truly be the centerpiece.

Behavior & Temperament

Blue Dreams are incredibly peaceful. They spend their days meticulously grazing on surfaces, picking at biofilm, algae, and any leftover fish food they can find. They are tireless little foragers but are also quite shy, especially if housed with active fish. Give them plenty of plants and hiding spots, like cholla wood or shrimp caves, and they’ll feel right at home.

Breeding: The Prolific Color-Poppers

Here’s where Blue Dreams really shine for many hobbyists: they are incredibly easy to breed! If you have both males and females and stable, clean water, they will reproduce on their own. The female carries the bright yellow eggs under her tail until they hatch into miniature versions of the adults.

This is one of the biggest benefits of blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp. You can start with a small group of 10 and, within a few months, have a thriving, self-sustaining colony. This makes them a wonderfully sustainable blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp choice, as you won’t need to keep buying more.

The Workhorse of the Aquarium: Meet the Amano Shrimp

The Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentata) might not have the flashy color of a Blue Dream, but it has a reputation that is legendary in the aquarium world. Named after the famed aquascaper Takashi Amano, who popularized their use, these shrimp are the undisputed champions of algae eating.

Appearance & Understated Charm

Amano shrimp have a more functional, wild look. They are mostly translucent with a pattern of brown or greyish dots and dashes along their bodies. While they won’t be the colorful star of your tank, their larger size and busy nature give them a charm all their own. Watching a team of Amanos descend on a patch of algae is a sight to behold.

Behavior & Algae-Eating Prowess

This is their claim to fame. Amanos have a voracious appetite for almost all types of soft algae. They are particularly famous for devouring hair algae, string algae, and even some types of stubborn black beard algae that other critters won’t touch. They are relentless workers.

They are also much bolder than Blue Dreams. Their larger size gives them confidence, and it’s not uncommon to see them snatch an algae wafer right from under a snail or even a small fish! They are constantly on the move, making them a very active addition to your tank.

Breeding: The Brackish Water Challenge

Here is the single biggest difference in our blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp guide. While Amano females will often become “berried” (carrying eggs) in your freshwater tank, the shrimplets will not survive. Amano larvae require brackish water (a mix of fresh and saltwater) to develop, a process that is extremely difficult to replicate at home.

This means your Amano population will not grow on its own. This can be a pro or a con, depending on your goals!

The Ultimate Blue Dream Shrimp vs Amano Shrimp Care Guide

Now that you know the players, let’s talk about keeping them happy and healthy. Following these blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp best practices will ensure your chosen crew thrives.

Tank Size and Setup

Blue Dream shrimp are perfect for smaller tanks. A 5-gallon tank is a great starting point for a dedicated Blue Dream colony. They appreciate heavily planted tanks with lots of mosses and surfaces to graze on.

Amano shrimp, being larger and more active, need a bit more room to roam. I’d recommend a minimum of 10 gallons for a small group. A pro tip: Amanos are notorious escape artists! A tight-fitting lid is an absolute must, or you might find a dried-up shrimp on your floor one day.

Water Parameters: Finding the Sweet Spot

Stability is key for all shrimp. They are very sensitive to sudden changes in water chemistry. Here’s a general breakdown:

  • Blue Dream Shrimp (Neocaridina):
    • Temperature: 65-80°F (18-27°C)
    • pH: 6.5 – 7.8
    • GH (General Hardness): 6 – 10 dGH
    • KH (Carbonate Hardness): 2 – 8 dKH
  • Amano Shrimp (Caridina):
    • Temperature: 70-80°F (21-27°C)
    • pH: 6.0 – 7.5
    • GH: 5 – 12 dGH
    • KH: 1 – 8 dKH

As you can see, their needs overlap quite a bit. The most important thing is to acclimate them slowly to your tank using the drip acclimation method to avoid shock.

Feeding and Diet

In a mature, established aquarium, both shrimp will find plenty to eat. They feast on biofilm, decaying plant matter, and algae. However, you should supplement their diet to ensure they get all the nutrients they need.

High-quality shrimp pellets, algae wafers, and blanched vegetables like zucchini or spinach are excellent choices. Don’t overfeed! Only give them what they can consume in an hour or two to avoid polluting the water.

Common Problems With Blue Dream Shrimp vs Amano Shrimp

Even with the best care, you might run into a few bumps. Don’t worry—these are usually easy to fix! Here are some common problems with blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp and how to handle them.

Molting Issues: The ‘White Ring of Death’

This is the most common issue for all shrimp keepers. A failed molt, often identified by a white ring around the shrimp’s “neck,” is usually caused by unstable water parameters, particularly GH. A lack of calcium and minerals in the water makes it hard for them to build a new exoskeleton. Ensure your GH is stable and within the recommended range.

Blue Dream Color Fading

If your Blue Dreams look pale, it could be due to stress from poor water quality, incorrect parameters, or a light-colored substrate. Using a dark substrate can help their blue color appear deeper and more vibrant. A varied, high-quality diet also plays a huge role in maintaining their color.

Amano Shrimp Aggressiveness at Feeding Time

While peaceful, the larger Amano shrimp can be food hogs. Their enthusiasm can sometimes stress out smaller tank mates. To manage this, spread the food around the tank instead of dropping it in one spot. This gives everyone a fair chance to eat.

Which Shrimp is Right for Your Aquarium?

Okay, it’s decision time! This final breakdown of how to blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp selection will help you make the perfect choice based on your goals.

Choose Blue Dream Shrimp if…

  • 🎨 You want a brilliant pop of color to be a focal point of your tank.
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 You dream of a self-sustaining colony and enjoy watching a population grow.
  • 🌿 You have a nano tank (5-10 gallons) and need smaller inhabitants.
  • 🧼 Your primary need is cleaning up light biofilm and leftover food, not tackling massive algae outbreaks.

Choose Amano Shrimp if…

  • 💪 Your number one priority is powerful, effective algae control, especially hair algae.

    • * 🛑 You do not want to manage a rapidly breeding population of shrimp.

  • 🐠 You have a larger community tank where their bigger size makes them safer from curious fish.
  • 👀 You enjoy watching active, bold, and industrious critters at work.

Can You Keep Blue Dream and Amano Shrimp Together?

Absolutely! This is a fantastic combination. They are completely peaceful towards one another and fill different roles. The Amanos will be your heavy-duty algae removers, while the Blue Dreams will add a stunning splash of color and handle the finer cleanup details. It’s truly the best of both worlds!

Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Dream Shrimp vs Amano Shrimp

Do Amano shrimp eat Blue Dream shrimplets?

This is a common concern. Generally, a well-fed Amano shrimp will ignore shrimplets. However, if they are hungry, they are opportunistic and may eat a tiny, newborn shrimplet. Providing plenty of moss and hiding places for the shrimplets greatly increases their survival rate.

Which shrimp is better for beginners?

Both are excellent beginner shrimp! However, I often give a slight edge to the Blue Dream Shrimp. Their ease of breeding is incredibly rewarding for new hobbyists and provides a great introduction to invertebrate life cycles. They are also slightly less prone to escaping the tank!

How many shrimp should I start with?

For Blue Dream shrimp, it’s best to start with a group of at least 10 to ensure you have a good mix of males and females to establish a breeding colony. For Amano shrimp, their individual cleaning power is much higher, so a group of 3-5 is a great start for a 10-20 gallon tank.

What are the benefits of blue dream shrimp vs amano shrimp for a planted tank?

In a planted tank, Amanos are the champions for keeping leaves free of hair algae. They are a crucial part of a cleanup crew for high-tech tanks. Blue Dreams contribute by cleaning biofilm off delicate mosses and surfaces without disturbing plants, and their blue color looks absolutely spectacular against green foliage.

Your Perfect Cleanup Crew Awaits

Choosing between Blue Dream and Amano shrimp isn’t about picking a “winner.” It’s about matching the right shrimp to your vision for your aquarium.

Do you want a vibrant, self-sustaining colony of living blue jewels? Go for the Blue Dream Shrimp. Do you need a tireless, no-nonsense team of algae destroyers to keep your tank pristine? The Amano Shrimp is your answer. And if you can’t decide? Don’t! They make fantastic tank mates.

No matter which path you choose, you’re introducing a fascinating and beneficial invertebrate that will bring endless hours of enjoyment to your hobby. Trust your gut, prepare your tank, and get ready to welcome your amazing new crew.

Happy shrimping!

Howard Parker
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