shrimp · freshwater

Bamboo Shrimp: adult size, tank size & tankmates

The Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis) grows to about 4 in (10.2 cm TL). It needs a tank at least about 20 gallons. Keep at least 6 together, at 71–82°F.

Try it in the tank builder See tankmates

How big it really gets

Drawn to scale against common tank lengths. Green bars meet the minimum tank length from our sources.

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Quick facts

Adult size: 4 in (10.2 cm TL)
Minimum tank: about 20 gallons
Temperature: 71–82°F
pH: 7–7.5
Hardness: 6–10 dGH
Group size: 6+
With other fish: peaceful
With its own kind: peaceful
Swims: all levels
Diet: specialist
Care level: intermediate
Lifespan: 3 years

Bamboo Shrimp tankmates

Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: temperature overlap, pH and hardness, predation and mouth size, fin-nipping and temperament. Tank size is left out here; check it in the builder.

Good tankmates

Use caution

Avoid

All 105 species we checked against the Bamboo Shrimp

Species	Verdict	Why
Amano Shrimp	Compatible	No conflicts found
Assassin Snail	Compatible	No conflicts found
Bristlenose Pleco	Compatible	No conflicts found
Cherry Shrimp	Compatible	No conflicts found
Chili Rasbora	Compatible	No conflicts found
Clown Pleco	Compatible	No conflicts found
Common Pleco	Compatible	No conflicts found
Crystal Red Shrimp	Compatible	No conflicts found
Ghost Shrimp	Compatible	No conflicts found
Hillstream Loach	Compatible	No conflicts found
Japanese Trapdoor Snail	Compatible	No conflicts found
Malaysian Trumpet Snail	Compatible	No conflicts found
Otocinclus	Compatible	No conflicts found
Peppered Cory	Compatible	No conflicts found
Pygmy Cory	Compatible	No conflicts found
Ramshorn Snail	Compatible	No conflicts found
Sterbai Cory	Compatible	No conflicts found
African Dwarf Frog	Caution	African Dwarf Frog may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Black Neon Tetra	Caution	Black Neon Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Bleeding Heart Tetra	Caution	Bleeding Heart Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Bolivian Ram	Caution	Bolivian Ram may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Bronze Cory	Caution	Bronze Cory may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Bumblebee Goby	Caution	Bumblebee Goby may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Cardinal Tetra	Caution	Cardinal Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Celestial Pearl Danio	Caution	Celestial Pearl Danio may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Cherry Barb	Caution	Cherry Barb may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Clown Killifish	Caution	Clown Killifish may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid	Caution	Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.; Bamboo Shrimp (pH 7–7.5) and Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (pH 5–6) prefer different pH.
Diamond Tetra	Caution	Diamond Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Discus	Caution	Discus may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.; Bamboo Shrimp (6–10 dGH) and Discus (0–5 dGH) prefer different water hardness.
Dwarf Gourami	Caution	Dwarf Gourami may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish	Caution	Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Ember Tetra	Caution	Ember Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Endler's Livebearer	Caution	Endler's Livebearer may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.; Bamboo Shrimp (6–10 dGH) and Endler's Livebearer (15–35 dGH) prefer different water hardness.
Forktail Blue-eye	Caution	Forktail Blue-eye may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.; Bamboo Shrimp (6–10 dGH) and Forktail Blue-eye (15–30 dGH) prefer different water hardness.
German Blue Ram	Caution	Bamboo Shrimp and German Blue Ram only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window.; German Blue Ram may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Giant Danio	Caution	Giant Danio may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Glass Catfish	Caution	Glass Catfish may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Glowlight Tetra	Caution	Glowlight Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Gold Barb	Caution	Gold Barb may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Guppy	Caution	Guppy may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Harlequin Rasbora	Caution	Harlequin Rasbora may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Head-and-tail-light Tetra	Caution	Head-and-tail-light Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Honey Gourami	Caution	Honey Gourami may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Julii Cory	Caution	Julii Cory may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Kissing Gourami	Caution	Kissing Gourami may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Kribensis	Caution	Kribensis may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Kuhli Loach	Caution	Kuhli Loach may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Lambchop Rasbora	Caution	Lambchop Rasbora may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Lemon Tetra	Caution	Lemon Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Marbled Hatchetfish	Caution	Marbled Hatchetfish may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Molly	Caution	Molly may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.; Bamboo Shrimp (6–10 dGH) and Molly (15–30 dGH) prefer different water hardness.
Mystery Snail	Caution	Bamboo Shrimp (pH 7–7.5) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH.; Bamboo Shrimp (6–10 dGH) and Mystery Snail (unknown dGH) prefer different water hardness.
Neon Tetra	Caution	Neon Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Nerite Snail	Caution	Bamboo Shrimp (pH 7–7.5) and Nerite Snail (pH 8–8.4) prefer different pH.
Odessa Barb	Caution	Odessa Barb may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Panda Cory	Caution	Panda Cory may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Pearl Danio	Caution	Pearl Danio may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Pearl Gourami	Caution	Pearl Gourami may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Penguin Tetra	Caution	Penguin Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Platy	Caution	Platy may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Pristella Tetra	Caution	Pristella Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Rummy-nose Tetra	Caution	Rummy-nose Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Siamese Algae Eater	Caution	Siamese Algae Eater may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Silver Hatchetfish	Caution	Silver Hatchetfish may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Silver Tip Tetra	Caution	Silver Tip Tetra may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Sparkling Gourami	Caution	Sparkling Gourami may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Upside-down Catfish	Caution	Upside-down Catfish may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Variatus Platy	Caution	Variatus Platy may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.; Bamboo Shrimp (6–10 dGH) and Variatus Platy (14–30 dGH) prefer different water hardness.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow	Caution	Bamboo Shrimp and White Cloud Mountain Minnow only share 71–72°F. That's a tight window.; White Cloud Mountain Minnow may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Zebra Danio	Caution	Zebra Danio may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
Angelfish	Avoid	Angelfish will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Bala Shark	Avoid	Bala Shark will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Betta	Avoid	Betta will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Black Skirt Tetra	Avoid	Black Skirt Tetra will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Blood Parrot Cichlid	Avoid	Blood Parrot Cichlid will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Boesemani Rainbowfish	Avoid	Bamboo Shrimp and Boesemani Rainbowfish only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window.; Boesemani Rainbowfish will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Buenos Aires Tetra	Avoid	Buenos Aires Tetra will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Chinese Algae Eater	Avoid	Chinese Algae Eater will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Clown Loach	Avoid	Clown Loach will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Common / Comet Goldfish	Avoid	Common / Comet Goldfish will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Congo Tetra	Avoid	Congo Tetra will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Convict Cichlid	Avoid	Convict Cichlid will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Denison Barb	Avoid	Denison Barb will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Electric Blue Acara	Avoid	Electric Blue Acara will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Electric Yellow Lab	Avoid	Electric Yellow Lab will eat Bamboo Shrimp.; Bamboo Shrimp (pH 7–7.5) and Electric Yellow Lab (pH 7.7–8.6) prefer different pH.
Fancy Goldfish	Avoid	Bamboo Shrimp (71–82°F) and Fancy Goldfish (50–70°F) need different temperatures.; Fancy Goldfish will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Firemouth Cichlid	Avoid	Firemouth Cichlid will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Iridescent Shark	Avoid	Iridescent Shark will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Moonlight Gourami	Avoid	Moonlight Gourami will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Oscar	Avoid	Oscar will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Paradise Fish	Avoid	Bamboo Shrimp and Paradise Fish only share 71–72°F. That's a tight window.; Paradise Fish will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Pea Puffer	Avoid	Pea Puffer will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Pictus Catfish	Avoid	Pictus Catfish will eat Bamboo Shrimp.; Bamboo Shrimp (pH 7–7.5) and Pictus Catfish (pH 5.8–6.8) prefer different pH.
Rainbow Shark	Avoid	Rainbow Shark will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Red-Tail Shark	Avoid	Red-Tail Shark will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Rosy Barb	Avoid	Rosy Barb will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Scissortail Rasbora	Avoid	Scissortail Rasbora will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Serpae Tetra	Avoid	Serpae Tetra will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Swordtail	Avoid	Swordtail will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Three-spot Gourami	Avoid	Three-spot Gourami will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Tiger Barb	Avoid	Tiger Barb will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Tinfoil Barb	Avoid	Tinfoil Barb will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Weather Loach	Avoid	Weather Loach will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
Yoyo Loach	Avoid	Yoyo Loach will eat Bamboo Shrimp.

Care notes

Needs: Filter feeder: needs moderate-to-strong flow areas and a mature tank (TSF: wait ~3 months) with fine particulate food; often needs powdered supplemental food; avoid nippy or large fish, cichlids and crayfish

Group: Aquariadise: always keep in groups (number not stated; 6 editorial); TSF: ~20 gal for a group; FKW instead suggests ~20 gal per additional shrimp

Temperament: peaceful toward other fish, peaceful toward its own kind. Lives in the whole tank.

Common questions

How big does a Bamboo Shrimp get?

About 4 inches (10.2 cm TL) as an adult, according to fishkeepingworld.com.

What size tank does a Bamboo Shrimp need?

At least about 20 gallons. The smallest standard tank that meets that is a 20 gallon long.

How many Bamboo Shrimps should be kept together?

At least 6. Aquariadise: always keep in groups (number not stated; 6 editorial); TSF: ~20 gal for a group; FKW instead suggests ~20 gal per additional shrimp

What fish can live with a Bamboo Shrimp?

Species that passed every check include Chili Rasbora, Pygmy Cory, Sterbai Cory, Bristlenose Pleco, Otocinclus, Cherry Shrimp.

Gear for a Bamboo Shrimp setup

TankSmallest standard tank that meets its minimum: 20 gallon long (30 in long).Find on Amazon →HeaterAbout 100 W for 20 gallons, holding 71–82°F.Find on Amazon →FoodMeaty frozen foods suit its diet.Find on Amazon →Test kitCheck ammonia, nitrite and pH. Cycle the tank before adding fish.Find on Amazon →

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Sources

Values come from these pages, in our own words. Status: researched from source pages. Last reviewed 2026-10-12.

fishkeepingworld.com /bamboo-shrimp/
aquariadise.com /caresheet-bamboo-shrimp-atyopsis-moluccensis/
theshrimpfarm.com /posts/bamboo-shrimp-care/