Angelfish are primarily carnivorous. Although they also feed on plants but they prefer live foods and insects. However, they are not picky eaters; instead, they tend to be greedy eaters.
Do Angelfish Eat Shrimp
Yes, Angelfish will gladly eat shrimps. They will eat shrimps because of their predatory ability. Angelfish are usually seen to eat other smaller sea creatures, including shrimps.
Angelfish often go after sea creatures that would fit into their mouth. They tend to go after smaller shrimps and devour them. Angelfish will still go after bigger fish that cannot fit into their mouth by damaging them severely with their bites.
However, there are different types of shrimps, and Angelfish can give mixed reactions to each of them.
Common Varieties of Shrimps
Angelfish are not picky eaters. They would most likely eat anything in their tank that fits into their mouth. Likewise, they can feed on both plants and animals even though they prefer to live on tiny sea creatures.
As stated earlier, there are varieties of shrimps. Each type can generate different reactions when they find their way into your fish tank. The common shrimp varieties include;
- Cherry Shrimp: Cherry shrimp is one of the most common types of shrimp that usually find its way into fish tanks. Almost all aquarists like cherry fish because they have bright colors that can beautify the tank. Cherry fish are highly unlikely to survive in the Angelfish tank. Aside from the fact that they are a perfect fit for Angelfish’s mouth, their bright colors also make them a point of attraction.
- Amano Shrimp: Amano shrimps are easy to keep even for beginners. They are an excellent choice for aquarium because they are good algae eaters. They can thrive so well, even around aggressive fish. Amano shrimp has a better chance of survival in an Angelfish tank than most other varieties of shrimp. Also, Angelfish will prey on shrimp of any kind; Amano shrimp has a high chance of survival because they are quite large. They even cope better with freshwater angelfish.
- Crystal Red Shrimp: They are another great varieties of shrimps. They thrive best with sea creatures of their kind. Therefore, keeping them with fish like Angelfish can be detrimental.
- Blue Tiger Shrimps: Just like Angelfish, Blue tiger shrimps can also eat anything. They are not easy to keep; therefore, they are not ideal for beginners. Angelfish has no reason to spare your blue tiger shrimps; therefore, keeping them together is at your own risk.
How Can I Stop Angelfish from Eating Shrimps
Despite the aggressiveness of Angelfish, aquarists still seek a way to keep them together. The reason is quite simple. The idea is because of the bright colors and life that shrimps add to the aquarium. Some also have exclusive advantages such as feeding on algae and consuming leftover foods.
Nevertheless, the issue of Angelfish is almost inevitable. Even if you try so hard, the shrimps might still get eaten at the bottom of the tank. However, there are still ways you can mitigate these.
The first technique you can use to increase the chances if your shrimps with Angelfish are to introduce the shrimps before Angelfish. Angelfish tend to be gentler when they find themselves in new environments. Thus, the technique is first to add the shrimp to the tank.
By doing this, the shrimps must have established their territory before the arrival of the Angelfish. Never make the mistake of adding shrimps to an Angelfish tank.
Another technique is creating hideouts where the shrimps can hide. Therefore, if you intend to keep shrimps and Angelfish in the same tank, the tank must be spacious. You should also add a lot of plants and decorations.
The plants and decorations will provide a hiding place for the shrimps. Large tanks will also allow each member of the aquarium to establish their territory.
Another way you can make your Shrimps-Angelfish relationship work is by keeping them with a minimal number of Angelfish. The number of Angelfish in the tank is inversely proportional to the survival chance of your shrimps.
What Else Do Angelfish Eat?
Angelfish are not picky eaters. They are omnivorous. This feature means they can eat both plants and animals.
Angelfish also feed on a wide variety of foods, aside from shrimps. Shrimps look more of a snack to Angelfish. They can practically feed on other food sources, excluding shrimps.
Angelfish prefer to feed on live foods in the wild. They will devour other sea creatures that fit into their mouth. They eat a lot of smaller fish, insects, mosquito larvae, and crustaceans.
Also, they can feed on some particular vegetables. They will happily eat vegetables that they find juicy. Angelfish mostly prefer cucumbers, zucchini, and other similar plants.
You can replicate a similar diet for your Angelfish in the tank. You can give them a perfect blend of vegetables and live foods. Also, you can get already made food flakes with the right diet proportions.
Although Angelfish are not picky eater, you still have to pay attention to what you feed them. They usually have different food that is appropriate for different stages of their growth. The Angelfish fry prefers insects and other protein-rich foods.
This preference is because they need the protein to maintain their rapid growth. However, Angelfish eat less as they grow older.
Conclusion
Angelfish are prevalent fish in the aquarium. While they can cope with any gentle fish, shrimps might have a hard time dealing with them. Angelfish will most likely not live peacefully with shrimps.
Angelfish are primarily carnivorous; hence, they can feed shrimps. Also, shrimps are quite small, and they will fit perfectly into the mouth of Angelfish. Therefore, they form a perfect snack for them.
Nevertheless, some techniques will give your shrimps a chance with Angelfish. These techniques include creating enough space in the tank for the two to live separately. Also, you can add the Angelfish after you have initially introduced the shrimps.
There is, however, no guarantee that this will secure the safety of your shrimps.
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