Description
The African filter shrimp is one of the largest seen in the hobby: adults pass 10 cm and males can top 12. Like the bamboo shrimp, it does not use its claws to eat but fans of fine hairs that comb the current and collect suspended particles. It takes up a spot on a ledge, facing the water flow, and can spend hours almost motionless.
It is shy and nocturnal, and bothers nobody, but it cannot defend itself either: large or active fish harass it, and cichlids, loaches or large gouramis may eat it. Its size and way of feeding also call for a large, mature tank with water movement; in a small or very clean one it finds nothing to filter and weakens. It moults fairly often and, afterwards, is soft and needs hiding places.
Like all shrimp, it is very sensitive to copper, and its larvae do not develop in fresh water, so it does not breed at home.
Habitat
It lives in rivers of West and Central Africa, with records from Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Benin and Sierra Leone, in fast-flowing, well-oxygenated stretches with stone bottoms and sunken wood. Adults live in fresh water, while the larvae are swept downriver to brackish water, where they develop.
In the aquarium that setting is reproduced with rocks and wood that offer raised ledges, a pump or filter that creates current, and a very mature tank of at least about 200 litres.
🌊 Water parameters
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–25 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 27–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 23–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 24–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 23–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 24–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–6.8 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–6.8 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 23–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
Sources
- GBIFGBIF Secretariat (2026). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei. Consultado vía GBIF.org, 2026-08. Atya gabonensis.
Taxonomy verified as ACCEPTED unless stated otherwise.
The care values (pH, temperature and hardness) have no citable source: none of the accepted sources publishes invertebrate profiles. Seriously Fish has none and PlanetCatfish does not respond. A source for invertebrates is still to be agreed.