The cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) are beautiful to keep in a home aquarium because they are calm and bright red.
These little shrimp only grow to about 1. 5 inches in length and they can be kept in tanks as small as 5 gallons in volume. Cherry shrimp do best when kept with other shrimp, but you don’t have to only keep them with other cherry shrimp. Along with cherry shrimp, you can keep freshwater snails, freshwater crabs, and small freshwater fish, also called nano fish, in the same tank.
Some of the best tank mates for cherry shrimp are other shrimp. Amano shrimp are a good choice because they like the same kinds of water conditions and are usually pretty calm when kept with the right other fish. But keep in mind that Amano shrimp can get bigger than cherry shrimp, so make sure your tank can hold them.
One of the benefits of Amano shrimp is that they are hardier than other species. They’re active scavengers and will work hard to control biofilm and algae in your tank. When cared for properly, Amano shrimp can live up to 4 years. They are, however, fairly difficult to breed in captivity.
Nerite snails are excellent algae eaters and, unlike cherry shrimp, they’ll travel all over your tank. Nereid snails are great for adding color to your tank, and there are a lot of different kinds to choose from.
Nereid snails are hardy and can live in a lot of different conditions, which makes them a great addition to a freshwater shrimp tank. That being said, they tend to prefer warmer temperatures and slightly alkaline water. They also require calcium supplementation to keep their shells healthy.
Some of the largest freshwater snails, mystery snails are another peaceful tank mate for cherry shrimp. They can be up to 2 inches long and come in many colors, such as Magenta, Ivory, Gold, Green, and Blue. Because they grow fairly large and can be very active, mystery snails need space to move around. Even though they can live in 5 gallon tanks, they will do better in 10 gallon tanks or bigger if you want to keep them with cherry shrimp.
Cherry shrimp are a popular freshwater shrimp for aquarium hobbyists. Their bright red coloration and peaceful nature make them an excellent addition to community tanks. However cherry shrimp have a small body size and can easily fall prey to fish tankmates. When keeping cherry shrimp, it’s important to choose fish that won’t see them as an expensive snack.
In this complete guide we’ll discuss the best fish that can safely live with cherry shrimp. We’ve carefully researched over 25 fish species and have provided key information on temperament diet, tank requirements, and shrimp compatibility for each one. Read on to learn which fish make the best tankmates for your cherry shrimp.
Overview of Cherry Shrimp Compatibility
Cherry shrimp have a maximum body length around 1-1.5 inches when fully grown. This makes them vulnerable to predation from many common aquarium fish. When considering tankmates, avoid species known to be aggressive, territorial, or primary carnivores. Fish that are docile, small in size, and feed primarily on plant matter or small invertebrates are your best options.
Here are some general guidelines for selecting cherry shrimp compatible fish:
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Small, Peaceful Community Fish: Small tetras, rasboras, danios, and peaceful community fish under 2 inches are usually safe options. Avoid fin nippers.
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Bottom Dwellers: Catfish, loaches, and other bottom dwellers that don’t actively hunt shrimp can work well. Avoid extremely large species.
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Omnivores and Herbivores: Tropical fish that feed heavily on plants, algae, biofilm, and invertebrates are less likely to hunt shrimp.
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Surface Feeders: Hatchetfish and other surface feeders focus their feeding higher in the tank and are very shrimp safe.
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Tank Size: Have at least a 10 gallon tank, heavily planted, to dilute aggression and provide hiding spots.
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Groups vs Singles: Keep potential predators in groups to spread aggression. Singles may become hyper-focused on shrimp as prey.
Now let’s dive into the top fish we recommend for keeping with cherry shrimp!
12 Best Cherry Shrimp Tankmates
1. Ember Tetra
Diet: Omnivore (prefers plant matter and small invertebrates)
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
Ember tetras are a shrimp safe, nano-sized fish that stay under 1.5 inches in length. Their bright orange-red bodies make a beautiful contrast against the deep red of cherry shrimp. They’re peaceful community fish and should be kept in schools of 6 or more. Ember tetras primarily graze on plant matter and tiny critters like copepods. Breeding shrimp may want to keep them separate, as they will eat newly hatched shrimp larvae.
2. Green Neon Tetra
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
The green neon tetra is a charming little fish that reaches an adult length of 1.6 inches. They have an iridescent green-blue horizontal stripe that runs the length of their body. Green neons are very peaceful and known for ignoring tankmates. They should be kept in schools of 6+ fish. While small enough to leave adult cherry shrimp alone, they may pick off newly hatched baby shrimp.
3. Chili Rasbora
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
Also called the mosquito rasbora, these tiny fish grow to a maximum of 1 inch in length. Chili rasboras are a true nano fish perfect for small planted shrimp tanks. They have a bright red orange coloration and should be kept in schools of 6 or more. Chili rasboras are peaceful, pay no attention to shrimp, and help make the upper water column more interesting.
4. Sparkling Gourami
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
The sparkling gourami is a small labyrinth fish that only grows to 1.5 inches in length. Males have an iridescent blue-green color during mating displays. Sparklers are not aggressive with tankmates but can become territorial with their own kind. Keep just one per tank. They spend most of their time near the water surface and ignore shrimp below.
5. Pygmy Corydoras
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
Pygmy corycats are bottom dwelling fish that reach just over 1 inch in full size. They have an adorable bug-eyed look and spend their time sifting through substrate. Pygmy cories ignore shrimp and other fish, preferring to stick together in schools of 6+ fish. Their small mouth size prevents them from eating anything larger than newly hatched brine shrimp.
6. Otocinclus Catfish
Diet: Herbivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
Otocinclus catfish are completely harmless to shrimp and are purely herbivorous. They use their sucker mouth to graze on algae, biofilm, and plant matter. Most species max out around 2 inches in length. Keep otos in groups of 3+ as they are social fish. They spend most of their time clinging to surfaces grazing for food and won’t bother shrimp at all.
7. Neon Tetra
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Mostly
The neon tetra is one of the most popular freshwater fish in the aquarium hobby. Their bright colors and schooling nature make them an excellent community tank addition. Neons grow to 1.5 inches in length and should be kept in schools of 6+. They are peaceful but opportunistic feeders that will eat shrimp larvae and potentially harass shrimp during feeding time.
8. Harlequin Rasbora
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 15 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Mostly
Harlequins stay under 2 inches in length and have a distinct reddish-orange patch on their back half. They are active schooling fish that should be kept in groups of 6 or more. While adults are safe with shrimp, harlequins will pick off shrimp larvae and harass juveniles. Keep them with adult cherry shrimp only in densely planted tanks.
9. Dwarf Pencilfish
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
Dwarf pencilfish stay under 2 inches in length and have a thin, elongated body shape. They are peaceful schooling fish that should be kept in groups of 6+. Pencils occupy the upper water column, focusing their feeding on the surface film. Leave plenty of space for them at the top, and enjoy their interesting behaviors. They completely ignore any shrimp activity below.
10. Hatchetfish
Diet: Insectivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 15 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
Hatchetfish are unique surface dwelling fish with upward facing mouths adapted for surface feeding. They spend all their time at the top of the tank and never venture down to the substrate. Hatchetfish reach 2-3 inches in length and should be kept in schools. With their surface-only feeding habits, shrimp are completely ignored. No need to worry about predation from this species.
11. Clown Killifish
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Yes
Clown killifish have a max length around 1.5 inches and prefer to spend their time swimming in open water. Males are brightly colored with yellow fins tipped in red. They are peaceful community fish that can be kept singly or in small groups. Clowns do well in planted shrimp tanks where they mostly ignore tankmates while displaying to each other. Leave them floating plants for cover.
12. Dwarf Crayfish
Diet: Omnivore
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: 10 gallons+
Shrimp Safe? Mostly
Dwarf crayfish are interesting freshwater crustaceans that reach just 2 inches as adults. They come in a range of colors like blue, orange, and red. Dwarfs are not aggressive but may grab a slow moving shrimp. Keep plenty of hiding
Pom Pom Crabs
Species Overview:
- Species Name: Ptychognathus barbatus
- Size: 1 inch
- Tank Level: Bottom
- Temperature: 72°F to 82°F
- Preferred pH: 6.2 to 7.5
- Tank Size: 5 gallons
Some people are just starting to keep pom pom crabs in aquariums. They are a small species of freshwater crab. These crabs are very small—they only get about an inch across—but they look very different from other crabs. They get their name from the pom pom-like tufts that grow from each claw joint.
Pom pom crabs can be kept in groups and they prefer warmer water with a neutral pH. Like cherry shrimp, they prefer clean, highly oxygenated water. If you want to keep pom pom crabs, make sure the tank has places for them to hide, like rocks and driftwood.
Thai Micro Crabs
Species Overview:
- Species Name: Limnopilos naiyanetri
- Size: 1cm
- Tank Level: Bottom
- Temperature: 72°F to 82°F
- Preferred pH: 6.5 to 8.0
- Tank Size: 5 gallons
Even tinier than pom pom crabs, Thai micro crabs are only about 1 cm wide and 2 cm long. 5cm leg span. These tiny freshwater crabs are light brown to light gray in color and their bodies are semi-translucent.
Setae are tiny hairs that look like bristles and cover the crabs’ bodies and legs. They use these hairs to pick up trash, which makes them different from freshwater crabs. They do better in small groups, and because they are shy, they need lots of places to hide in their tank.
Top 12 Tank Mates for Cherry Shrimp You Need to Try!
What fish can you put in a cherry shrimp tank?
The safest fish you can put in with your cherry shrimp is the otocinclus catfish. They are one of the only fully shrimp-safe tank mates for cherry shrimps. Putting together a shrimp-safe community aquarium can be pretty nerve-wracking, but by choosing one or more of the awesome tank mates on this list you should have very little to worry about!
What fish mate with cherry shrimp?
Corydoras catfish are another great tank mate for cherry shrimp. The safest cory catfish are going to be the pygmy cory ( C. pygmaeus) and dwarf cory ( C. hastatus ). These tiny fish are not bottom dwellers like the larger species and tend to hang out in the open water column.
Are cherry shrimp good mates?
Most tropical aquarium fish cannot be trusted with cherry shrimp. There are some great tank mates for red cherry shrimp that fish keepers all over the world have kept with success, however. Small tank mates like neon tetras, chili rasboras, and dwarf cory catfish all make great tank mates. How many should be together?
Can you keep other species of shrimp with cherries?
You can successfully keep other species of shrimp with cherries. The most common shrimp tank mates are either Amano or ghost shrimp. Shrimp do not fight and will ignore other species in the tank. You do not have to worry about your cherry shrimp being eaten or injured as shrimp will keep to themselves.