A dwarf shrimp aquarium is great, but many owners want even more life in the tank. The good news: shrimp are peaceful inhabitants and can be cohabited in more versatile ways than often thought.
Which fish can I keep with shrimp?
There is often a myth that only tiny fish work. However, the reality is more relaxed:
Keeping with larger fish: In principle, keeping Neocaridina with larger, peaceful fish (such as larger tetras, mollies or platies) is absolutely possible.
The critical moment of molting: One must be aware that a shrimp is almost immobile for a short time during the molting process. At this moment, it cannot flee from potential predators. If it is not well hidden, it can be preyed upon as a snack even by actually peaceful, larger fish.
Reproductive joy as a joker: Since Neocaridina are very prolific, the loss of individual animals usually does not matter. The population usually stabilizes itself, as with good structure, more offspring survive than are lost.
Hiding places are key: For coexistence to work, your tank needs structure. Dense plant cushions, fine moss or special shrimp tubes are essential. Here, the shrimp retreat for molting and are inaccessible to larger fish in their immobile phase.
Do dwarf shrimp get along with snails or dwarf crayfish?
This is one of the simplest combinations ever!
Snails: They are the "dream team" with shrimp. Ramshorn snails, Nerite snails or Trumpet snails keep the aquarium clean and do not bother the shrimp at all.
Dwarf crayfish: The popular CPO (Orange Dwarf Crayfish) can usually be kept well with shrimp. Since dwarf crayfish are more bottom-oriented, they usually get out of the way of the nimble shrimp.
Do shrimp eat my aquarium plants?
Here we can give the all-clear: No, healthy plants are not on the menu.
The "health police": Dwarf shrimp do not eat healthy leaves. If you see a shrimp on a plant, it is usually only grazing on the biofilm or algae coatings there.
Benefits for the gardener: Shrimp keep mosses and fine-leaved plants clean. Mosses (like Java moss) in particular are a must, as they also serve as a food source and the most important retreat during molting.
