How To Keep Caridina Shrimp

Jun 19

Set Up the Ideal Shrimp Tank

Tank size: Start with at least a 10-gallon tank for stability. Bigger is better for maintaining water quality.

Substrate: Use an active buffering substrate like ADA Amazonia, Brightwell Rio Escuro, or Fluval Stratum to help maintain acidic pH levels.

Filtration: A sponge filter or pre-filtered gentle hang-on-back filter works best. Avoid strong current.

Plants & Decor: Live mosses, Anubias, bucephalandra, driftwood, and cholla wood provide hiding spots and surfaces for biofilm (shrimp food!).

Water Parameters

Caridina shrimp thrive in soft, acidic water. These are general target parameters:

pH: 5.8 – 6.5
GH: 4 – 6
KH: 0 – 1
TDS: 100 – 150 ppm
Temperature: 62 – 74°F (20 – 23°C)

Use remineralized RO/DI water to achieve stable and accurate parameters. Popular shrimp salts include Salty Shrimp GH+ or SL-Aqua Blue Wizard. Please note that these shrimp can be highly adaptable. If you are not trying to breed them, they can be kept at a PH all the way up to 7.4 successfully with no deaths in my experience.

Feeding and Diet

Caridina shrimp graze on biofilm all day, but supplemental feeding is key:

Staple foods: Shrimp-specific sinking pellets, wafers, and sticks (e.g., BorneoWild, GlasGarten, Shrimp King)
Treats: Blanched spinach, nettle leaves, Indian almond leaves, snowflake food
Schedule: Feed small amounts 2–3 times per week. Less is more—overfeeding can crash a tank fast.

Keep the Environment Stable

Shrimp hate change. Avoid large water changes, chemical additives, or drastic temperature swings. Do:

Perform weekly 10–15% water changes using matched, remineralized RO water
Avoid copper-based medications
Test water regularly and monitor GH/KH/pH

Breeding Caridina Shrimp

Caridina will breed naturally when comfortable. You'll see the female carry eggs under her abdomen ("berried") for 3–4 weeks before releasing fully formed baby shrimp.

Pro tip: Babies are sensitive! Stable water and abundant biofilm are key to survival.

Final Thoughts

Keeping Caridina shrimp is all about water stability, low bioload, and patience. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be rewarded with a thriving colony of incredibly beautiful, miniature crustaceans. Whether you're creating a shrimp-only aquascape or breeding high-grade lines, Caridina shrimp are a fascinating and rewarding challenge.

isaac Ogonek