Do shrimp need plants?
Shrimp do not need plants. In fact, many shrimp come from habitats where are no plants at all. Plants can actually adversely affect a shrimp tank. Especially fast growing plants compete with microorganisms for nutrients and light (i.e. they shade them out) and also compete with filter bacteria, eliminating them in the worst case scenario. A plantless tank with leaf litter on the bottom is best for shrimp. If you absolutely must use plants, use extremely slow growers such as java fern.
