Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) are popular aquarium inhabitants, but their small size makes them vulnerable, especially to hungry tank mates. It’s important to carefully consider your options when choosing fish to keep with your shrimp, as the wrong choices can quickly decimate your shrimp population.
The goal is to create a balanced aquarium ecosystem where everyone can thrive. While a species-only tank is ideal if you’re breeding shrimp, many hobbyists prefer a more diverse community tank. So, what kind of fish can live with shrimp?
This article will explore safe tank mate options for your cherry shrimp, discuss considerations for breeding, and highlight fish that should be avoided at all costs.
Understanding Shrimp Compatibility: Key Factors to Consider
Before you put fish and shrimp together, you’ll need to think about whether the fish will see the shrimp as friend or food.
Predation Risks
Many fish species consider shrimp a tasty snack, especially baby shrimp. Even little fish can opportunistically eat shrimp fry. So, it’s important to consider size and temperament. Bigger, more aggressive fish are generally not a good fit with shrimp.
Water Parameter Compatibility
Shrimp thrive in stable water conditions and don’t do well with sudden changes. Frequent water changes, while good for some fish, can stress shrimp. You’ll want to keep a close eye on the pH, temperature, and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) to make sure everyone’s happy.
Breeding Considerations
If you’re hoping to breed shrimp, be aware that the presence of fish can really cut into your success rates. Fish love to eat shrimp fry. So, you’ll need to make sure there are plenty of hiding places for the little ones, like dense plants, rocks, and caves.
Safe Tank Mates: Small Invertebrates
If you’re keeping shrimp, you’ll want to find tank mates that won’t eat them or otherwise make their lives difficult. Here are a few invertebrates that generally get along with shrimp.
Snails
Nerite snails are excellent algae eaters and are usually safe to keep with shrimp. They’ll help keep the tank clean without preying on your shrimp.
Mystery snails and ramshorn snails can also be good choices.
Keep in mind that snails can overpopulate a tank quickly, which can lead to competition for food. Plus, when a snail dies, it can cause an ammonia spike, so it’s important to remove dead snails as soon as you see them.
One word of caution: a dead but well-hidden Tylomelania snail can wreak havoc on your tank’s ecosystem.
Other Invertebrates
Different color variations of dwarf shrimp can usually live together peacefully, as long as they have similar water parameter requirements.
Avoid larger crustaceans like crayfish or crabs. They’re opportunistic predators and may harm your shrimp.
Safe Tank Mates: Peaceful Algae Eaters
If you want to add some fish to your shrimp tank, the best strategy is to choose fish that are peaceful algae eaters. Here are a couple of suggestions:
Otocinclus Catfish
Otocinclus catfish are small and mellow algae eaters that are generally safe to keep with shrimp. These fish mostly eat algae and generally leave shrimp alone.
Keep these little guys in groups of at least three or four to make sure they feel secure. Otocinclus catfish like tanks that have been up and running for a while and have plenty of algae for them to munch on.
Other Algae Eaters
You can also consider other small, calm algae-eating fish that have tiny mouths. Just be sure to stay away from any species that get too big or tend to be aggressive toward other fish or invertebrates.
Safe Tank Mates: Peaceful Nano Fish
If you want to include fish with your shrimp, you’ll want to choose peaceful nano fish that are unlikely to eat adult shrimp. Keep in mind that even the most docile fish may eat baby shrimp, so provide plenty of hiding places for the little ones.
Tetras
Ember tetras are small, peaceful, and pretty to look at. They’re not likely to eat adult shrimp, but they may eat the fry. Other small tetras to consider are neon tetras and cardinal tetras, but proceed with caution and make sure baby shrimp have lots of places to hide.
Rasboras
Chili rasboras (Boraras brigittae) are another good choice for a nano fish. They’re small, peaceful, and their mouths are so tiny that they’re unlikely to be able to eat even the smallest shrimp. Another type of rasbora to consider is the harlequin rasbora, but again, proceed with caution.
Corydoras Catfish (Pygmy or Habrosus)
These little catfish are peaceful bottom dwellers that scavenge for food and pretty much leave shrimp alone.
Fish to Avoid: Potential Threats to Your Shrimp
Larger fish such as goldfish, cichlids, and bettas can eat shrimp, especially baby shrimp.
Fast-moving nano fish like zebra danios can also be a problem. They may compete with the shrimp for food, and the shrimp may find their constant activity stressful.
In general, you should avoid any fish with a big mouth or a reputation for preying on other creatures in the tank.
In Closing
Choosing the right tank mates for your shrimp is crucial. Always put the safety and well-being of your shrimp first.
When selecting fish for a shrimp tank, remember to consider size, temperament, diet, and whether the fish and shrimp can thrive in the same water conditions. Make sure the shrimp have plenty of places to hide, too!
Continue to research and observe your aquarium to ensure all its inhabitants are thriving. If your main goal is to breed shrimp, you might consider starting with a species-only tank to avoid any potential conflicts.