Cherry shrimp

Care at a glance

The cherry shrimp is the gateway shrimp: hardy, brightly coloured and available in shades from fire red to blue. In a tank without predatory fish it breeds on its own, and a thriving colony is a small ecosystem in itself, grooming the tank all day long.

Shrimp are sensitive to copper and to sudden shifts in water values, so drip-acclimatise new arrivals patiently and check medication and plant fertiliser for copper content. Moss and fine plants give the young shrimp places to hide; beyond that this species asks surprisingly little.

Best not combined with

• BettaBetta splendens
• AngelfishPterophyllum scalare
• Discus (common)Symphysodon aequifasciatus
• Heckel discusSymphysodon discus
• Clown loachChromobotia macracanthus
• OscarAstronotus ocellatus
• Peacock bassCichla ocellaris
• Angelicus loach (polka-dot loach)Botia kubotai
• Blue botiaYasuhikotakia modesta
• RopefishErpetoichthys calabaricus
• Senegal bichirPolypterus senegalus
• Black ghost knifefishApteronotus albifrons
• Pea pufferCarinotetraodon travancoricus
• Figure eight pufferDichotomyctere ocellatus
• Green spotted pufferDichotomyctere nigroviridis
• Ocellate river stingrayPotamotrygon motoro
• Jewel cichlidHemichromis bimaculatus
• Bumblebee catfishMicroglanis iheringi
• Amazon pufferColomesus asellus
• Marbled crayfishProcambarus virginalis
• Electric blue crayfishProcambarus alleni
• Giant freshwater shrimpMacrobrachium rosenbergii
• Redclaw crayfishCherax quadricarinatus

Related species

• Amano shrimpCaridina multidentata
• Nerite snail (zebra)Neritina sp.
• Racing nerite snailVittina turrita
• Olive nerite snailNeritina reclivata
• Crystal red shrimpCaridina cantonensis
• Ghost shrimpPalaemonetes paludosus