Cherry shrimp are easy to care for and feed, which makes them great pets. They’re also peaceful tank mates and add a unique pop of color to any aquarium.
Additionally, the popular cherry shrimp are interesting to observe. They’re awesome tank cleaners, but you may be wondering “do cherry shrimp jump out of their tank?”
Today’s article thoroughly answers this question and more, so keep reading to learn about the behavior of this fascinating little creature!
What Does Cherry Shrimp Jumping Look Like?
Yes, cherry shrimp can jump out of the water and out of the tank. They do it using their tails.
When a cherry shrimp is trying to jump out of the water or the tank, it flicks its tail rapidly to propel its body either forward or upward.
Cherry shrimp rely on the same method to move through the water. But if your cherry shrimp use it to get out of the water or tank, you should take it as a sign that something is wrong with their environment.
Why Do Cherry Shrimp Jump Out of the Tank?
As mentioned above, cherry shrimp use their tails to propel their bodies through the water. If they try to leave the water/tank, consider fixing one of the following issues:
1 – Improper Water Conditions
This is one of the most common reasons that drive cherry shrimp to jump out of a tank.
Improper water parameters mean an unfavorable environment that causes stress to the delicate shrimp. If you don’t resolve the issue, they’ll simply try to get out of the water.
The following are the optimal water conditions for cherry shrimp to thrive.
- Temperature: between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 26 degrees Celsius). A warmer environment can promote the growth of your cherry shrimp, but be careful not to expose them to sudden changes in temperature
- Light: around 7 to 8 hours of light per day.
- pH level: between 7 and 7.5. Keep the water neutral or slightly alkaline; acidic water can weaken the shrimp’s exoskeleton.
- Carbonate hardness (KH): between 3 to 15 (50 to 250 ppm).
- General hardness (GH): between 4 to 8 (65 to 130 ppm)
- Total dissolved solids (TDS): between 150 to 250.
- Filtration: to get rid of toxins such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate compounds. Use a sponge filter because it has a gentle suction power that won’t accidentally suck up the smaller shrimp.
2 – Too Many Tank Mates
Cherry shrimp live in groups or colonies; they don’t do well alone. To add them to your aquarium, you should have at least 10 cherry shrimps.
While doing so, you need to make sure that the tank isn’t overcrowded. If there are too many inhabitants, the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water won’t be enough to meet their needs.
The resulting stress will cause the cherry shrimp to try and leave the water.
3 – Unsuitable Tank Mates
Cherry shrimp are small, peaceful creatures that won’t cause trouble to any tank mate.
Unfortunately, their tiny size and calm nature mean that they can often get bullied or attacked by sufficiently larger or aggressive aquarium inhabitants.
The continuous stress can make the shrimp jump out of the tank to save themselves.
As such, you need to stick to tank mates that get along with cherry shrimp like snails, small tetras, other shrimp species, and small rasboras.
4 – Strong Water Current
If your cherry shrimp can detect a current in the water, they may confuse it for swimming up or downstream. This leads them to believe there’s more food and water on the other side of the glass.
Consequently, the shrimp will jump out to reach those resources. If this is the case, the only solution is to place a cover or lid on the tank.
How To Prevent Cherry Shrimp From Jumping Out of a Tank
To keep your cherry shrimp from jumping out of the water, be sure to:
- Implement proper water parameters
- Add suitable tank mates
- Use a tank lid/cover
- Avoid filling up the tank to the rim
- Avoid adding too many inhabitants
Final Thoughts
So, do cherry shrimp jump out of tanks? The answer is yes.
Cherry shrimp use their tails to propel their bodies up and out of the water. This can happen as a response to stress due to improper water conditions, too many tank mates, unsuitable tank mates, or a strong water current.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.