Algae is the main dish of amano shrimp, but what about moss? Do amano shrimp eat moss? We all know how much aesthetic value moss can bring to an aquarium. But the widespread belief that amano can consume almost anything, be it plants or meat, makes any of us wonder whether they will relish moss or not. It would be a disaster if they nibbled these beautiful aquascaping elements.
Without further ado, let’s hop into details.
Do Amano Shrimp Eat Moss?
Amano shrimp eat algae off the plants, and moss is known to pick up fragments of flake foods and algae around them. Amano will graze on the algae, and the leftover foods stuck on the moss, but not the moss itself.
You need not worry that your amano is trying to nibble off the moss as they always leave healthy plants and eat only the decayed ones. Some mosses have decayed parts, which you need to prune if you don’t enjoy seeing brown moss in your tank. This is when your amano will feed on these dead parts of your moss. As a matter of fact, they are doing you a favor by pruning themselves.
Many aquarists keep the moss in a shrimp-only tank, and there’s a reason behind it. Mosses make your aquarium beautiful, and I assure you that your amano won’t target it. Some days, you will find your amano shrimps rolling the Marimo moss ball around the aquarium for fun.
Sometimes, your amano shrimp can cause too much damage when feeding on moss. They might damage the shape of your moss while feeding on the deep-lying algae inside the moss. So, aquarists think that amano shrimp can eat moss.
You might also like to read:
Do Amano Shrimp Eat Baby Shrimp? Ruthless Amano!!
Will Amano Shrimp Eat Cherry Shrimp?
Do Amano Shrimp Eat Hair Algae? Guide on Amano and Algae
How To Prevent Amano Shrimp From Damaging Moss?
An amano feeding on moss is a healthy sign but can be worrisome when your Marimo moss balls’ round shape is getting damaged. To prevent your moss from getting damaged, here are a few of the things you need to do.
Feeding Fully
You need to feed your amano shrimp regularly so that it doesn’t get famished and go for the moss. Feed them a diet that comprises more than just algae. Amano shrimps are omnivorous, and they can feed on almost anything you provide.
A Clean Tank Also Helps.
Yes, keeping a tank clean is the reason we keep amanos. But we are now talking about not damaging the moss, aren’t we? It is better to keep that excess food and residues of feeds to a minimum so it doesn’t get stuck on your moss—the lesser the food sticks on the moss, the lesser your amanos’ feeding off of it.
Get More Plants
You cannot feed commercial pellets to your amanos every time. You should know that their first choice of food is algae. So, you need to create a habitat that has a self-food-production system in place. Having plants will help harbor algae and other edible bacteria for your shrimp.
Shrimps themselves feed on the decayed and damaged parts like the leaves of the plants. They will leave the healthy parts of the plants along with young buds.
Control Your Amano Population
Overpopulation is the reason behind the shortage of everything in tanks. It leads to lesser space, lesser food, and more damage to your aquascape. If your tank is overpopulated with amanos, they will eat whatever is in it. Feeding them becomes hard because only the bigger ones will be the one who snatches a big share of the food that you provide.
This then will lead to scarcity of food for the smaller amano. And this is when they graze on plants and ultimately unto the moss ball. So, make sure you are keeping the right number of amano in your tank.
Do Other Shrimps Eat Moss?
Shrimps do not eat the moss itself. They eat the algae and leftovers that are harbored by the moss ball.
Which Aquatic Creature Eats Moss Balls?
Moss balls aren’t eaten by most aquatics. They are loved by many creatures but beware of goldfish as there are sightings of them nibbling on moss too.
Final Words On Do Amano Shrimp Eat Moss.
The notion that most people get while having an amanos in their tank is that they consume everything, including healthy plants too. But this is not true, as your amanos will only feed on the plants’ decayed and dead parts. Though you might sometimes notice your shrimps fumbling with the moss you have in your aquarium, you need not be alarmed by this sight. Mosses gather and pick fragments and leftovers in the aquarium. And an amano’s favorite foods are the likes of such fragments. Therefore, the next time you see your shrimp hovering over moss, you need not worry because it is just pruning and covering your shift.
Relevant Readings:
How Active are Amano Shrimp? Hyperactive or Lazy?
How To Tell If It Is A Real Amano Shrimp? Know The Imposters
How long can Amano Shrimp Live out Of Water? Hours or Minutes?