Shrimp Guard Compatibility Chart: Filter Models, Intake Sizes, and 1.5 mm Guards

Our shrimp guard is cut for a 16/22mm intake. If your filter runs a 16/22mm suction side, that is the guard you want. The chart below names the models, brand by brand.

A shrimp guard is a rigid slotted cage that slides over the intake. The slots are 1.5 mm, narrow enough to keep shrimp, shrimplets, and fry off the opening. This page pairs with our guide on why small livestock get pulled into intakes in the first place.

Which filters take the 16/22mm shrimp guard?

These models run a 16/22mm intake, so they take our 16/22mm shrimp guard. Each size below is the one the maker publishes for that model's suction side.

What size is the shrimp guard, and what do the slots do?

The guard body is cut for a 16/22mm fitting and slides on by hand. The slot width is 1.5 mm across the whole cage.

A 1.5 mm slot is the narrow option in our range. Our fish guards use a wider 4.0 mm slot, built for tanks with no shrimp or fry in them. Pick the 1.5 mm guard for any tank where shrimp are breeding.

No guard is a substitute for watching your tank. Rinse the guard before it goes in the water, and look it over when you do your normal maintenance.

What other intake sizes are out there?

The models in our data run these other intake sizes: 12/16mm, 15.88/22.23mm, 15/21mm, 16mm inside diameter, 19.05/25.4mm, 19/25mm, 19/27mm, 25.4/31.75mm, 25/34mm, 3/4 inch, 3/8 inch, 5/8 inch. We make one shrimp guard size today, cut for 16/22mm.

Running one of the other sizes? Tell us the model through Request a Part. That is how sizes get added to the range.

How do you read an intake tube that is not on the chart?

A guard slides over the outside of the intake, so the number that matters is the outer diameter. This section is for gear that is not in the chart above yet, like an older canister or a third party lily pipe.

A soft tape, or a piece of string and a ruler, is enough to get an outer diameter. A soft tape can stretch a little under tension and read a touch small, so keep it relaxed.

1. Wrap the tape or string around the tube at the point where the guard will sit.
2. Mark where it meets itself, then read that length.
3. Divide the distance around by 3.14 to get the outer diameter. The calculator on your phone handles this fine.
4. Round to the nearest half millimetre and compare it to the chart above.
5. Landed between two sizes? Take the reading a second time. A loose first pass is the common source of error.

What about a lily pipe intake?

Lily pipes get talked about as a 13 mm or a 17 mm size, but that is hobby shorthand, not a number any single brand publishes. Use the outer diameter of the pipe in your hand and compare it to the chart above.

Already own a TankRig lily pipe inflow set? You do not need a separate guard. The inflow tip ships with the same 1.5 mm slotted cage built in. This page is for a bare canister intake, or a lily pipe from another brand with no cage on it.

How should the guard sit once it is on?

Push the guard on until it seats fully against the barb or fitting. A guard that is only halfway on can pinch its own opening.

The slots are cut into the cage wall so water moves through while a shrimp or fry sized body cannot. We do not publish a flow number for it.

Frequently asked questions