Neocaridina, Caridina and Sulawesi: three different labels

Neocaridina and Caridina are genus names. Sulawesi is an island and therefore a geographic label. A Sulawesi shrimp can also be a Caridina, such as Cardinal, Caridina dennerli. These words do not form a simple easy, difficult and expert classification.

Caridina contains major differences

• Caridina logemanni is the described bee species behind much bee hobby information.
• Caridina mariae is the described tiger shrimp; a Tiger trade name does not establish every strain.
• Adult Caridina multidentata, Amano, are kept in freshwater but have a separate larval development involving saline water.
• Caridina dennerli comes from Lake Matano on Sulawesi. A generic bee recipe is therefore not an automatically suitable choice.

A shared genus does not predict identical water conditions or rearing. Neocaridina also contains more than one species. Many popular red and blue forms belong to N. davidi, but that does not identify every white or transparent animal in a shop.

Feeding mode is another classification

Bamboo shrimp in Atyopsis and vampire shrimp, Atya gabonensis, are fan shrimp. Their filter feeding requires attention to suspended particles and accessible current. “Freshwater shrimp” therefore does not mean every animal can eat the same tablet on the substrate.

Make practical use of a label

Record a scientific name where supported, the trade name or strain and known group origin. Then use the species comparison. If identity is unknown, establish what is actually offered first rather than filling missing information with a generic Neocaridina or Caridina recipe.

Sources and scope

• UF/IFAS: Cherry shrimp, Neocaridina davidi
• Klotz and von Rintelen (2014): Caridina logemanni
• Klotz and von Rintelen (2014): Caridina mariae
• von Rintelen & Cai (2009): Caridina dennerli, habitat and colour
• Kondo, Hamasaki & Dan (2021): Caridina larval performance
• Liao and colleagues (2023): High stability in filtration apparatus of African shrimp

Species descriptions and biological studies support the examples. Applying them to trade names is editorial. Not every sales label reliably establishes a species.