Hikari Shrimp Cuisine Review
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Introduction
This review of Hikari Shrimp Cuisine is from my personal use of the product and is written from a hobbyist perspective.
Hikari is one of the largest fish food companies in the world, but I don’t think most people know that they are also in the shrimp food game. Hikari Shrimp Cuisine is perhaps the most popular aquarium shrimp food in the hobby today because of Hikari’s widespread availability and global reach. However, there are currently a ton of shrimp foods on the market. So, how does Shrimp Cuisine stand up?
My review below will strive to cover what you may want to know about this shrimp food to help you decide whether it’s something you may want to try for yourself.
Do Shrimp Like the Food?
Yes, my shrimp enjoy Hikari Shrimp Cuisine. (My video above will show some shrimplets fighting over a pellet.) It is hard to give a strong answer to this question though, seeing that most shrimp prefer biofilm around the tank. If they are well-fed, shrimp may not show interest in some foods they enjoy. However, there seem to be some foods that shrimp prefer over others. This is one that they certainly show interest in for me.
Package Sizing and Pricing
Hikari Shrimp Cuisine only comes in one size, in a classic Hikari bag. The size is relatively small at 10 grams or .35 ounces. While this is smaller than most sizes we would think of, it should last you a decent amount of time for those who are casually keeping shrimp. I look at shrimp food pack sizes similar to betta food pack sizes. A small pack will last most hobbyists a long time.
Pellet Overview
This food comes in a pellet form which is an interesting choice for shrimp foods in my experience. I find that most shrimp foods like to come in a pad, wafer, or powdered form. While it is abnormal for shrimp foods it does have its advantages and disadvantages.
The main advantage of using small pellets to feed your pet shrimp is that it allows individual shrimp to take it with them and hide. The two main disadvantages are that you almost need to feed one pellet per shrimp, which can be a lot depending on how many shrimp you have, and the pellets can fall deep into your substrate. Shrimp can be prolific breeders in the right setup and this form can be difficult to feed properly in my opinion.
Ingredient Quality
This is another category of questioning that can be difficult to answer. I believe that most shrimp foods and fish foods on the market can work well for feeding your pet shrimp. The reality is that in the wild, most shrimp are scavengers. This means that they will eat practically anything they get an opportunity to eat. The main source of food that they enjoy is also biofilm.
With this said, they do enjoy certain foods over others. For instance, most shrimp enjoy biofilm in the tank over other food choices. In fact, if you have a tank that is established well and is large enough for the amount of shrimp that you have, you may not need to feed much of anything to them.
Hikari Shrimp Cuisine contains fish and krill meal as its main protein sources. It also has some interesting ingredients like seaweed and kale. Calcium is also included in the food which is important for shrimp to molt correctly.
Copper is included in the food and is a greatly debated and misunderstood ingredient for shrimp foods. There are two sides to the debate. One says that copper is harmful to shrimp and the other says that shrimp need copper to survive. The reality is that both are correct. Large amounts of copper can be harmful to shrimp and shrimp also need copper to survive. Hikari includes a very small amount of copper in the food that is both safe and helpful for shrimp.
Here is a link to another blog that goes more in-depth on the topic if you would like to check it out. Aquarium Breeder: Copper Article
Packaging
Hikari loves their bags for food and I like them well enough. With the exception of the box they use for Hikari Bio-Gold, I appreciate most of Hikari’s packaging. The bag works just fine for Shrimp Cuisine. Nothing special to note here.
Market Availability
One of the main reasons Hikari Shrimp Cuisine is so popular is because of its widespread availability. In my local pet shop, it is one of the only options marketed for pet shrimp. I feel like only recently have large companies been marketing more options for shrimp food in pet stores. Because of Hikari’s brand and market, the food is widely available online and in stores.
My Final Thoughts
I like Hikari Shrimp Cuisine’s ingredients, my shrimp enjoy the food, and there are some benefits to having smaller pellets. I believe the food is a great option for those with only a few shrimp to feed. If you have a tank with a lot of shrimp, this is probably not the food for you unless you don’t mind counting out pellets or buying multiple bags. You will probably be better off with some larger pads or powdered food in this case. Otherwise, I recommend giving these a try.
Where to Purchase Hikari Shrimp Cuisine
If you believe this food is something you would like to try, then I will provide a link below to purchase some for yourself.
Thanks for reading!
I am currently on a mission to build a definitive list of fish and shrimp food reviews that I have personally tried. Be sure to check out my other reviews here!