Ghost shrimp are one of the most common types of freshwater aquarium residents, and they make an excellent choice for first-time aquarists.
The ghost shrimp’s scientific name is Neotrypaea californiensis, although many people call them glass shrimp, crystal shrimp or seahorse shrimp as well. Whatever you call them, you’ll soon discover that ghost shrimp can bring more to your aquarium than just beauty and novelty.
In this article, you will also find the answer to the question that how big can ghost shrimp get.
How big can ghost shrimp get?
Ghost shrimp are tiny freshwater crustaceans that are found in North America. These semi-transparent creatures have a very interesting appearance and many owners often wonder how big ghost shrimps can get.
As adults, ghost shrimps tend to grow between 1.5 and 2 inches long with females being slightly larger than males. When juveniles, however, their size ranges from 0.5 inches when newborns to around an inch when fully grown.
Adult female shrimp can weigh around 10 grams while males will only weigh around 8 grams or so. The size of a fully grown juvenile shrimp depends on its age; older juveniles tend to be bigger than younger ones because they have had more time to develop.
A ghost shrimp of 7 inches
In one case from 2008, an aquarium hobbyist in Canada managed to grow a certain species of ghost shrimp called super red which hit 7 inches and weighed almost half a pound. This is not only an incredible size for a shrimp but also one of nature's largest freshwater invertebrates ever recorded.
What affects the growth rate of ghost shrimp?
A shrimp’s growth rate depends on its species, genetics, diet and many other factors. The two most important factors that influence shrimp growth are given below:
Water quality
If you raise ghost shrimp in an aquarium with a low-quality filter or in a dirty tank, they will not grow as quickly as they would in clean water with plenty of oxygen. Therefore, the quality of the water aquarium should be good for the healthy growth of your Ghost shrimp.
Feeding
You can increase your shrimp's growth rate by providing them with high-quality foods such as fresh vegetables or meaty foods like bloodworms. If you don't provide these things, your shrimp will likely still grow to be adults, but their growth rate may be stunted.
The lifespan of ghost shrimp
After getting the answer to the question of how big will ghost shrimp get, now we will discuss the lifespan of a ghost. A shrimp live for about two years. They usually don’t live longer than that.
Ghost shrimp grow rapidly when young, and their bodies aren’t strong enough to keep up with their size. If you have ghost shrimp in your tank and want to see them live to a ripe old age, make sure you remove baby shrimp from your tank regularly.
Why your ghost shrimp is not growing in length?
Well, two possible reasons could lead to this problem.
1) If you keep your ghost shrimp in a small bowl or cup for many months on end. This will prevent them from growing to their full potential because of limited space and resources.
2) Another reason why your ghost shrimp might not be growing to its full potential is because of stress and fear. If you have a catfish in your tank with sharp teeth, then your little guys will be too scared to leave their hiding place most of the time and won’t eat much at all. This will make them less likely to grow up healthy and strong. it's important to provide them with plenty of room and lots of food! And don't forget to give them some peace every once in a while too.
Conclusion
The beginner's fish keepers always ask about the possible length of a ghost shrimp. So, the average size of ghosts is 1.5 inches. And when selecting ghost shrimp to place in your aquarium, size can matter.
Each species of ghost shrimp has its maximum size, and while most stay small, some have been known to grow as large as your hand.
For years, hobbyists have debated whether ghost shrimp grow at all after they reach their mature size of about ½ inch. Some say that even though shrimp seem to shrink in size as they get older, they stay at roughly that same size. Others contend that the shrimp do indeed grow and will eventually reach sizes of 1.5 inches or even larger in some cases.