One of the more popular crustaceans to find for cheap at a pet store is the Palaemonetes Paludosus (aka “Ghost Shrimp”, “Glass Shrimp” or “Riverine Grass Shrimp”).
Ghost Shrimp is a freshwater shrimp found in ponds, lakes and streams southeastern United States (around the Appalachian Mountains, but also found in Louisiana, Texas and California) and are quite fascinating because they are transparent.
These shrimp can also manipulate the pigment granules in its body to produce a camouflage against its background and they are nocturnal and stay hidden in vegetation during the day and emerge at night and are a prey for birds and fish.
Some also have tiny red specks throughout its body. And while translucent, you can see its green intestine in its carapace (main larger body).
Now how can you tell if they are male or female? The females have a green saddle that is underside of their bellies and the females are larger than the males and have a ridge on the top end of their tail.
It’s important to note that they only last for a year and many purchase them as feeder for larger fish. Or kept in peaceful community tanks as they are larger than regular-sized freshwater shrimp.
They also are great for aquariums with peaceful fish as they act as a scavenger and clear up uneaten food and also help keep algae levels down.
With that being said, great to keep with its own population but don’t think of mixing them with Neocaridina freshwater shrimp (yes, those nice cherry red, blue, orange or golds). These shrimp will eat shrimp smaller because they are omnivores. Although some say they managed to breed them with Neocaridina freshwater shrimp on forums.
You can easily raise these in a 5 gallon or larger tank. Just make sure you purchase java moss, whether to put it in a smaller tank or with your peaceful community tank, so they have hiding places.
But it’s a good way to introduce kids into taking care of a pet, since they are inexpensive (typically under a dollar) and unlike goldfish, they don’t grow that big nor do they create a lot of waste.
