Ghost shrimp are small, translucent crustaceans often kept in home aquariums. Their transparent bodies, which allow visibility of internal organs, contribute to common names like glass shrimp. These invertebrates are popular in the aquarium hobby due to their scavenging habits and peaceful demeanor.
Native Habitats and Geographic Distribution
The species most commonly identified as “ghost shrimp” in the aquarium trade belong to the Palaemonetes genus, primarily Palaemonetes paludosus and Palaemonetes kadiakensis.
Palaemonetes paludosus, also known as the Eastern Grass Shrimp, is native to the Atlantic coastal plain of North America, ranging from southern New Jersey down to Florida. Its distribution also extends westward into the central United States, from Massachusetts to Wisconsin and eastern Texas. Palaemonetes kadiakensis, often called the Mississippi Grass Shrimp, occupies a broad native range within the interior basin of North America. This includes regions from the southern Great Lakes (Erie, Ontario, southern Lake Michigan) southward to the Gulf of Mexico, spanning western Florida to northeastern Mexico. Both species are found predominantly in freshwater habitats, though they can tolerate, and are sometimes found in, slightly brackish water environments.
Life in Their Natural Environment
In their natural environments, Palaemonetes ghost shrimp thrive in low-gradient freshwater systems like streams, ponds, and lakes, particularly those with slow-moving or still waters. They are commonly associated with dense submerged aquatic vegetation, which provides shelter from predators and a rich food source. These shrimps reside on the bottom of these water bodies, navigating through substrate and plant matter.
Ghost shrimp are omnivorous scavengers, consuming algae, vascular plants, detritus, and small aquatic insects. They forage along substrate and on plant surfaces, cleaning up decaying plant matter and leftover food particles.
While tolerant of a range of conditions, they prefer stable water parameters, with temperatures ranging from 10 to 35 degrees Celsius (50-95°F). They are nocturnal, more active at night to reduce predation risk from visual predators.
Distinguishing Different “Ghost Shrimp” Species
The common name “ghost shrimp” can be broadly applied to various translucent freshwater shrimp species, leading to some confusion regarding their specific origins and characteristics. While species within the Palaemonetes genus are the most common “true” ghost shrimp encountered in the aquarium hobby, other similar-looking species are mislabeled.
For instance, some Macrobrachium species, often referred to as whisker shrimp, may be sold as ghost shrimp. These can differ significantly in size and temperament, with some Macrobrachium species being more aggressive.
Beyond freshwater varieties, the term “ghost shrimp” can also refer to marine species from the Lepidophthalmus genus, distinct from their freshwater counterparts. These marine ghost shrimp, more closely related to crabs, inhabit coastal environments like marine sloughs, bay flats, and intertidal zones, where they burrow into seafloor sediments. Their origins and habitats are different from the freshwater Palaemonetes species.