Cherry Shrimp Tankmates

[blue2fyre]

So the more I think about it I cannot think of a fish that I can add to my 5gallon that is shrimp safe. I see so many mixed reviews on a lot of fish besides ottos, but I don't have any algae.

I recently did a big rescape and my shrimp seem happier, they love the taller driftwood I have in there and are out and about a lot more looking for food. So I think I might be ready to look into adding another shrimp species, or some other shrimp like invert for a bit of variety. Here's the big question, what can I keep with Cherry Shrimp thaty A) will not interbreed and B) likes the same water conditions?

I have pretty hard water with Ph on the higher side. I haven't tested Ph in a while so I'm not sure the exact number. The plants just got moved around last week so thye still need some time to grow back in, but I have lots of moss and floaters as well as some stem plants, anubias and java fern.

 

[msjinkzd]

I keep pygmy cories (habrosus) in my shrimp tanks with no issues.

 

[blue2fyre]

Wouldn't that have too many bottom feeders in my tank, with the cories, snails and shrimp?

 

[chenwb]

Shrimp don't get in anybody's way, since they just like to get themselves tangled in java moss. And at least one of the species of pygmy cories is a midwater fish.

You can keep ember tetra, otos, basically any other tiny fish with no problems.

 

[blue2fyre]

So are there no shrimp species that can live with cherry shrimp happily?

My local petstore has pygmy cories and they were tiny and seemed pretty active. I've never owned cories before but I hear that are fun and entertaining fish.

 

[ciaobella7122]

Honestly I've kept cherry shrimp with a betta and drawf gouramis before and had no issues in a 5 gallon. If anything they may have kept the population in check but my shrimp still flourished from 15 to around 60 in a matter of months

 

[pbmax]

So are there no shrimp species that can live with cherry shrimp happily?

RCS are a Neocaridina species, so you can house them with any Caridina species without hybridization worries. The problem then becomes which shrimp to house with RCS that also like harder, higher-ph water - that rules out a lot of the caridina species such as tiger, CRS, bee, etc.

I'm successfully keeping RCS with Malawa shrimp at the moment in water with a PH of 8. They're both breeding like crazy. I'm also successfully keeping Cajun Dwarf Crayfish - they get along great with shrimp.

 

[blue2fyre]

Oh I forgot about drawf crayfish. Those look awesome. Perhaps I'll go that way. Would they have problems with pygmy cories?

 

[psyche]

I keep rcs with boraras, rasboras, minnows, corries, gambusia and endlers with no problems.

 

[Wycco]

I keep my shrimp in my community tank- Danios, Kuhlis, Cory, Cherry Barbs- also with dwarf crays, tangerine shrimp and ghost shrimp.

The Cherry population doesn't really get a chance to grow- The adults are safe from predation - and I see babies occasionally but I think most of the young get eaten by various tank mates. They do seem to be able to maintain a fairly steady population size though.