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No federal permit to keep

Bamboo shrimp

Atyopsis moluccensis

Also known as Fan Shrimp, flower shrimp, marble shrimp, wood shrimp

Invertebrates › Freshwater shrimp (Decapoda) › Atyidae (Freshwater shrimp)

Atyopsis is a genus of freshwater shrimp from Southeast Asia.

Aquarium hobby
Experience: Beginner
Bamboo shrimp
Photo: Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
FamilyFreshwater shrimp
Kept byAquarium hobby
HabitatStreams and ponds

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

DietProvide fine suspended foods at feeding perches in flowing water; grazing pellets alone are insufficient.
Specialized freshwater filter feeder; monitor intake without fouling water.
401
Water temperature73–84 degF
Published keeper range, rounded from 23–29°C; not a demonstrated optimum.
401
Water pH6.5–7.5 pH
Published keeper recommendation.
401
Aquarium dimensions recommended60; 30; 30
Published example with high-flow perches and sheltered resting areas.
401

Care guide

Group care guide

Freshwater shrimp

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Streams and ponds. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

  • Cycled, planted tanks with stable water; moss gives baby shrimp grazing surfaces.

Sources 119354358357373368

Diet

  • Biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and shrimp pellets.

Sources 119354358357373368

Health watch

  • Avoid copper-based treatments and abrupt temperature, salinity or hardness changes. Maintain stable, species-appropriate mineral content; different freshwater shrimp do not share one water-chemistry recipe.

Sources 119354358357373368

Understanding the animal

About this animal

About this animal

It was erected in 1983 by Fenner A. Chace, Jr. for two species formerly treated in the genus Atya.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Atyopsis” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

In the wild

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

OverviewAtyopsis is a genus of freshwater shrimp from Southeast Asia. It was erected in 1983 by Fenner A. Chace, Jr. for two species formerly treated in the genus Atya. It differs from Atya by various characters, including the form of the telson (which is longest at the corners in Atyopsis, but not in Atya) and the presence of a "massive spur" on the male third pereiopod. The genus comprises two species, Atyopsis spinipes and Atyopsis moluccensis. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Native climate (measured)

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highsabout 87°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lowsabout 70°F (down to 66°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature75–81°F across sampled records
Relative humidity78–84% on average (driest month about 76%)
Rainfallabout 2563 mm a year, spread fairly evenly

Measured at 10 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

Data and studies

Veterinary & husbandry research

Veterinary & husbandry research

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170

Sources for this sheet

  1. Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
  2. University of Florida IFAS: Use of Copper in Marine Aquaculture and Aquarium Systems Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
  3. Aquarium Co-Op: Amano Shrimp Care Guide Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
  4. Aquarium Co-Op: Cherry Shrimp—Tank Setup, Food, and Breeding Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
  5. Okuno & Bruce 2010: Designation of Ancylomenes gen. nov. Peer-reviewed researchAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
  6. WoRMS/DecaNet: Hymenocera picta Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
  7. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
  8. Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
  9. PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
  10. iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.