Fish waste turning into a second harvest sounds too good to be true, but it works, and this guide walks through exactly how. Stick with it and you’ll see why shrimp deserve a spot in your setup.

Why should you use freshwater aquaponics shrimps?

Freshwater shrimp (technically crustaceans, not fish) make a great addition to a tank that already houses fish. Note the word “addition” — shrimp work best alongside an existing fish population, such as tilapia, rather than as a replacement. They’re bottom-dwelling scavengers that will eat almost anything they come across, including organic debris, snails, and leftover fish waste.

You have three main placement options for stocking shrimp: directly in the fish tank, underneath your floating rafts, or split between both. Here’s how each works.

In the fish tank — if you’re not running floating rafts, this is your go-to setup. The shrimp clean up fish waste and help keep the tank bottom tidy.

Under the floating rafts — shrimp are drawn to organic waste, and there’s usually plenty of it collecting under your rafts, including decaying root matter. They typically leave healthy roots alone, but if your shrimp population grows too large and food gets scarce, they may start nibbling on live roots — a clear sign you’ve overstocked.

A mix of both — likely your best bet, since it keeps the fish tank and the raft area clean at the same time.

Difference Between Prawn and Shrimp

The distinction between prawns and shrimp is minor but real. Both have five legs. Prawns carry claws on the first three pairs of legs, while shrimp only have claws on the front two pairs. Reproduction differs too: prawns release their eggs freely into the water, while shrimp carry their eggs on the underside of their body until they hatch. Visually, the two look quite similar side by side, with these small anatomical differences being the main giveaway.

Prawn or Shrimp?

As mentioned, the practical difference between the two is small, so which one you use really comes down to personal preference and what’s available in your area. For simplicity, this guide will refer to both collectively as “shrimp” from here on.

Where can I find freshwater aquaponics shrimp for sale?

You can source freshwater shrimp either locally or through online sellers. Local suppliers are usually the more affordable route, so it’s worth checking those first — but if nothing’s available nearby, ordering online is a solid fallback.

Separating the shrimps from the fish

Young, juvenile shrimp are vulnerable — your existing fish will happily eat them if given the chance — so you’ll need to keep them separated from your fish stock. A simple way to do this is with bird mesh around a quarter-inch in size (available at most hardware or garden stores), supported by a frame built from PVC pipe.

Shrimp themselves can be territorial and will turn on each other when hungry, so it also helps to build in hiding spots so they can get away from one another. A basic enclosure made from the same PVC pipe and quarter-inch bird mesh works well for this purpose.

Information on cultivating shrimps

• Shrimp thrive best in water between 75°F and 85°F (tilapia prefer 75°F to 90°F, which makes the two a strong match).
• They can survive anywhere from 60°F to 100°F, though temperatures outside their preferred range won’t kill them — they’ll just be stressed and grow poorly.
• Expect to harvest roughly three times a year, since each growth cycle runs about four months.
• Aim for a water pH between 7.8 and 8.5.
• Organically raised shrimp typically fetch $8 to $10 per pound at fresh markets.
• Give each prawn about 2 square feet of space, or they’ll become territorial.
• Stock only half your intended shrimp population at first. Check back after a while to see how they’re doing — if they’re active and healthy, go ahead and add the rest.
• Good aeration matters. Make sure you have an air pump or another source of moving, oxygenated water for your shrimp.

Feeding shrimps

As long as you’re not overcrowding them, shrimp usually don’t need supplemental feeding — they’ll forage on their own. But if you notice them starting to attack one another, that’s your cue to add extra fish feed; let it sink to the bottom where the shrimp can get to it.

Diseases of shrimp

Because shrimp are raised alongside fish in a shared system, there’s a real risk of disease and the problems that come with monoculture — and that risk climbs quickly if the system isn’t monitored closely. Left unchecked, it can wipe out your shrimp or prawns and even stunt your plants’ growth. Keeping a close eye on water quality and shrimp health is the best way to keep this risk in check.

Pros of Shrimp in Aquaponics

• Natural — growing plants alongside shrimp and prawns keeps the whole process environmentally friendly, with no need to artificially adjust or manage the water.
• No pesticides needed — because everything happens naturally, your plants stay largely pest-free, so you can skip pesticides and synthetic fertilizers entirely and still get strong growth from both plants and shrimp.
• Better flavor — shrimp are a worthwhile addition for taste alone. Most growers find the shrimp and prawns they harvest taste noticeably better than farmed alternatives, and since the whole process is natural, it’s healthy eating too.
• Eco-friendly — raising fish, shrimp, and prawns this way — whether for your own table or to sell — is both profitable and kind to the environment, since it skips artificial inputs entirely. Aquaponics is also gaining traction as a way to grow food in places where conventional farming struggles, and some even see it as a candidate for food production on future Mars missions.
• Supports local food production — unlike large industrial farms, an aquaponics setup can be run on a small, local scale. That cuts out the long-distance shipping that can degrade food quality and helps communities — especially remote ones — become more self-reliant.
• Higher yields — natural fertilization from the fish and shrimp waste tends to speed up plant growth and improve yields. Once your system is dialed in, you’ll typically be harvesting shrimp and prawns within a few months.
• Simple to maintain — nutrient-rich water is pumped from the fish tank up to the grow beds, giving plants what they need without risk of drowning them. Once the system is balanced, your main jobs are feeding the shrimp and periodically checking water quality — no weeding, no tilling soil, and no need for a large plot of land.
• Low water use — a typical system loses only about 1% of its water per day, mostly to evaporation and plant uptake. You’ll need to top it off regularly, but total water use stays far below what traditional farming requires.
• Works year-round — pairing your system with a grow room or greenhouse lets you control temperature for both your plants and your shrimp, so you can keep growing crops through every season.

Cons of Shrimp in Aquaponics

• Disease risk — raising shrimp alongside fish does carry a disease and monoculture risk, and that risk rises sharply without close monitoring. Left unaddressed, it can kill off your shrimp or prawns and hurt plant growth too. Staying on top of water quality and shrimp health is the best defense.

It’s worth keeping a spare pump on hand in case your primary one fails. Solar panels are a good way to avoid relying entirely on grid power, and having a backup air pump ready to run is especially valuable if you ever lose power.

Conclusion

Adding shrimp or prawns to your aquaponics system is a genuinely good idea. With a bit of attention and care, they’ll reward you with a steady supply of edible shrimp while helping keep your system clean. Yes, there are downsides to manage, but they’re manageable ones — which makes shrimp a practical and appealing choice for your aquaponics setup.