Caridina shrimp is a freshwater shrimp from the family Atydae that takes very well to an aquarium. They are native to Asia’s tropical and subtropical waters, mainly the southeast countries such as Taiwan. Their natural habitat is the bottom of slow-flowing rivers, ponds, streams, and lakes, so they are bottom dwellers in an aquarium for the most part. This almost stagnant water habitat has dense vegetation and a somewhat muddy or sandy substrate.
One of the most interesting things about the caridina shrimp for the aquarium hobbyist is their incredible diversity of color, patterns, and the different combinations of those. The names given to the different caridina shrimp come from the many patterns and colors: tiger shrimps, bee shrimps, crystal shrimps, and the list goes on and on.
CARIDINA SHRIMP FOOD & DIET
Being omnivores, they will eat pretty much anything you give them. But they enjoy eating detritus most, so powder-based or microorganism-based foods are highly recommended. Make sure not to clean the tank too much, as they tend to graze and eat the algae growth at the bottom, and it keeps the aquarium closer to its natural ecosystem. But do not let uneaten food accumulate since this will increase the toxicity in the water parameters and can be dangerous to the shrimps.
In a well-established tank, the caridina shrimps can usually find enough food by themselves, with algae and biofilm being their primary food source.
RECOMMENDED TANK PARAMETERS
- Ph level range: 6 - 6.5
- Temperature range: 67° to 78° F
- kh: 0-1
- gh: 4-6
- TDS: 100-200
