# Can feeder shrimp (ghost shrimp) carry diseases?



## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Hey all, I feel bad for my rhom being alone in a tank and lacking any mental stimulation save for the few hours a week I play with him using the algae scraper and I think having some food to hunt and kill would be a nice treat for him. I refuse to give the guy feeder fish because he's my prized fish and it's just stupid to risk a healthy fish on disease bag goldfish so I was looking at feeder shrimp. Because of the difference in physiology I would assume that most diseases that affect crustaceans won't affect fish, and vice versa however I understand that most worms need an intermediate host to infect fish, and was worried that feeder shrimp may provide such a vector. Basically what I'm wondering is if feeding ghost shrimp to my rhom will introduce any significant risk of getting sick like feeders would. Any input would be appreciated so I can liven things up for the little guy.


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## Azeral (Dec 28, 2004)

I would assume they are succeptible to most diseases a tropical fish can contract. I'm searching around the net trying to find you more info.


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## Supa Samoan (Jan 13, 2005)

invertabrates don't carry the same diseases that bony fish do. For the shrimp to transfer a disease to your fish would be like a rabid mamal transfering rabies to a snake the disease is their but seceptability is not because rabies is a warm blooded disease and cannot survive in the cold blooded snake. you should be fine. give your rhom some buddies


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## celticwarrior (Jul 18, 2004)

I've had shrimp and hermit crabs in my tank for ages and they never caused a problem.My volitan eats them all the time with no ill effects although that is marine but i would have thought it would be the same for tropicals.


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