Shrimp species
Neocaridina, Caridina, Sulawesi shrimp and more: find the species that fits your tank.
Vampire shrimp care
Keep Vampire shrimp in a roomy mature tank with gentle to moderate flow, high oxygen, sand or rounded substrate, solid hiding places and fine food in the water column. They are large, but not aggressive.
Keeping Tiger shrimp
Keep Tiger shrimp cool, clean and stable, often in soft to moderately soft water with not too much KH. OEBT and Red Tiger can differ by breeding line, so always ask the breeder values.
Taiwan Bee shrimp care
Treat Taiwan Bee as sensitive Caridina: RO water, GH+ minerals, active soil, low KH, cool stable temperature and low organic load. Choose health and breeding stability first, pattern and price second.
Sulawesi water values and minerals
Do not think in standard Caridina terms. Sulawesi usually needs RO water with special minerals, high pH, measurable KH, warm temperature, high oxygen and extremely predictable water changes.
Common Sulawesi shrimp mistakes
Young tanks, changing mineral products, low temperature, low oxygen, too much powder food and large water changes are the main traps. Fix them before buying shrimp.
Sulawesi Cardinal shrimp care
Use a mature species tank with inert hardscape, 27 to 30 degrees Celsius, high pH, suitable Sulawesi minerals, plenty of oxygen and almost no swings. Buy captive-bred shrimp from similar values.
Red Cherry shrimp care
Keep Red Cherry shrimp in a cycled tank with stable tap water, GH for moulting, KH for pH buffering, biofilm and a shrimp-safe filter. Start with a group rather than a few isolated animals.
Pinto and Boa Caridina explained
Pinto describes broad pattern types in bee or Taiwan Bee-like lines. Boa is a high-end selection with complex markings and high price. Both need a stable Caridina tank, not a beginner tank run on luck.
Neocaridina, Caridina and Sulawesi explained
Neocaridina is about stable medium-hard water and easy freshwater breeding. Many Caridina are about soft water, low KH and control. Sulawesi is about warm alkaline water, oxygen and low organic load.
Which shrimp species can live together?
Combine species only when they tolerate the same temperature, pH, GH, KH and flow, do not crossbreed when that matters and do not compete too hard for food. For breeding and selection, a species tank is almost always better.
Shrimp difficulty ranking
Red Cherry and many Neocaridina are easiest. Amano shrimp are hardy but not easy to breed. Crystal Red, Tiger and Taiwan Bee need more water control. Sulawesi and high-end Boa lines are for experienced keepers.
Do shrimp crossbreed?
Neocaridina colors cross with each other. Many Caridina lines within bee, Taiwan Bee, Pinto and related groups can also mix. Amano, Sulawesi Cardinal and filter shrimp do not practically cross with Neocaridina in your aquarium.
Crystal Red shrimp care
Use RO water with GH+ minerals, active soil, low KH, cool stable temperature and a fully cycled tank. Crystal Red are not hard because of unusual feeding, but because water mistakes count quickly.
Keeping Blue Dream shrimp
Keep Blue Dream like other Neocaridina: stable medium-hard water, biofilm and no sharp swings. Expect color differences between young shrimp and select consistently if you want a deep blue line.
Bloody Mary, Sakura and Fire Red compared
Care for them as Neocaridina davidi. The difference is mainly coverage, depth of red, transparency, selection and price. Choose Sakura or Fire Red for a strong beginner line and Bloody Mary for a deeper wine-red look.
Best fish with shrimp
For maximum breeding, no fish is safest. If you want fish, choose small calm species, lots of moss and cover, and accept that shrimplets will be lost. Avoid hunters, bottom predators and species that dominate food or space.
Which shrimp species fits your water?
Use tap water mainly for Neocaridina when GH, KH and pH match the breeder. Choose Caridina if you are willing to work with RO water, GH+ minerals and often active soil. Choose Sulawesi only if you can keep warm alkaline water stable.
Best algae eating shrimp
Amano shrimp are usually the strongest algae eaters. Neocaridina help with soft biofilm and early algae. Filter shrimp are not an algae solution because they mainly filter suspended particles.
Bamboo shrimp care
Give Bamboo shrimp a mature tank, clear flow, perches in the current, oxygen-rich water and fine food. If they often scrape the substrate, they usually lack suitable suspended food or flow.
Amano shrimp care
Keep Amano shrimp in a roomy, covered, well-cycled tank with stable water, oxygen and calm tank mates. They eat algae, biofilm and leftovers, but still need targeted food.
Neocaridina shrimp: quick overview
Short article on Neocaridina shrimp: what they are, why they suit beginners, basic water values, feeding, breeding and color lines.