Best fish tank-mates with Neocaridina shrimp?

Hello!
I have a new 13 gal tank I'm currently cycling and getting ready for more Neocaridina shrimp. I have Bloody Mary's breeding in a small 3 gallon tank, and would like to breed Blue Dreams in this new larger tank. It is being planted with all live plants, and should be a great environment once it's all ready for introducing the shrimpies! My question is what are the best fish tank-mates with Neocaridina shrimp and mystery snails? I'd like to some tetras, but am curious what else you all might recommend that very peaceful and won't eat baby shrimp. I'd really love some Kuhli Loaches because I remember my Dad having some when I was kid...but I think they'll eat the babies (?). I haven't ventured into fish keeping yet, just inverts...so please only recommend fish that are easy to keep, I really don't want to kill any! Thanks for your input.

Tank parameters:
pH: 7.6
Temp: 77-78F
Gh: 7
Kh: 6

 

The rule with neo shrimp is that if you want them to breed, don’t add fish. Really any fish will eat the baby shrimp, so it’s more to your advantage if you want them to multiply not to add fish.

 

The rule with neo shrimp is that if you want them to breed, don’t add fish. Really any fish will eat the baby shrimp, so it’s more to your advantage if you want them to multiply not to add fish.

Hmmmm. Even if the tank is heavily planted and there's lots of adequate hiding spots for the shrimplets? I know I've seen plenty of videos of folks who have fish and Neos that reproduce. There's got to be folks out there that have some fish in their tanks and successfully have their Neos reproduce, as well.

 

LOL
Hi txunamy .
There is a new way of thinking about cherry shrimp and fish in the same tank. It’s becoming clearer to some of us that fish food and fish waste add something to a tank that is not available to a shrimp living in a shrimp only tank.
There are definitely some species of fish that will hunt down ALMOST all the adult shrimp in a tank.
Many fish will eat baby shrimp that is true.
What is never mentioned is cherry shrimp pushing fish away from food.Cherry shrimp adults can and do compete for fish food.
I personally think shrimp breed better with fish waste in an established tank that has leaf litter, snails, bark and wood. If you do not want to provide leaf litter and hiding places then perhaps shrimp keeping is not for those people?

I have found endlers both males and females with and without their fry to be excellent tank mates. Ember Tetras and another example of a perfect tank mate. You will however need to help these little fish get enough food before the shrimp. Slow sinking food may be all you need?
I have never had a problem with corydoras or plecos and Cherry shrimp .

An old snapshot that shows many small cherry shrimp and some out of Focus endlers and embers.
Note there is not a lot of hiding going on with the cherry shrimp gang.

 

My daughter-in-law has celestial pearl danios with her shrimp, and they seem to be doing okay. I had guppies with mine for a while, but won't do that again. I started seeing twice as many shrimp immediately after removing the guppies.

I believe the shrimp saw the guppies as predators, regardless of their relative size. Maybe the CPD's are small enough that they don't see them as predators, but I'm just speculating.

 

Hmm.. I kept a 10g Planted Shrimp tank for awhile. Did research as your doing. Decided on Otocinclus Catfish, Mystery and Rabbit snails and a couple of Amanos. Never a problem.
Just remember for the best chance of success it is highly recommended to have a mature/ seasoned tank





Good Luck!

 

I don't think any fish will just never touch them, but my red cherry shrimp breed just fine in a tank with neon tetras, guppies, zebra danios, khulis, swordtails, and a bn pleco. Im sure a good chunk of the babies get picked off, but never the adults (except by ghost shrimp, the little monsters) and never to extinction. Granted, without the khulis and swordtails, I imagine I could have a bit more shrimp in the tank.

 

As people have said above, smaller nano fish especially herbivores would be ideal. I think otocinclus and various snails would be the best. Micro rasboras, smaller tetras, and endlers may also work, but they will eat some babies.

 

LOL
Hi txunamy .
There is a new way of thinking about cherry shrimp and fish in the same tank. It’s becoming clearer to some of us that fish food and fish waste add something to a tank that is not available to a shrimp living in a shrimp only tank.
There are definitely some species of fish that will hunt down ALMOST all the adult shrimp in a tank.
Many fish will eat baby shrimp that is true.
What is never mentioned is cherry shrimp pushing fish away from food.Cherry shrimp adults can and do compete for fish food.
I personally think shrimp breed better with fish waste in an established tank that has leaf litter, snails, bark and wood. If you do not want to provide leaf litter and hiding places then perhaps shrimp keeping is not for those people?

I have found endlers both males and females with and without their fry to be excellent tank mates. Ember Tetras and another example of a perfect tank mate. You will however need to help these little fish get enough food before the shrimp. Slow sinking food may be all you need?
I have never had a problem with corydoras or plecos and Cherry shrimp .

An old snapshot that shows many small cherry shrimp and some out of Focus endlers and embers.
Note there is not a lot of hiding going on with the cherry shrimp gang.

Love this response! Thank you for this. When thinking about the ecosystem dynamics of a shrimp tank, it only makes sense to have some fish in there. I have leaf litter, lots of hiding spots and my tanks are heavily planted, so I really do think this could work. Thanks so much for your recommendations on fish tankmates. Much appreciated!

Hmm.. I kept a 10g Planted Shrimp tank for awhile. Did research as your doing. Decided on Otocinclus Catfish, Mystery and Rabbit snails and a couple of Amanos. Never a problem.
Just remember for the best chance of success it is highly recommended to have a mature/ seasoned tank


View attachment 698626

Good Luck!

Great! Thanks for that! Yes, well seasoned tank of course.

I don't think any fish will just never touch them, but my red cherry shrimp breed just fine in a tank with neon tetras, guppies, zebra danios, khulis, swordtails, and a bn pleco. Im sure a good chunk of the babies get picked off, but never the adults (except by ghost shrimp, the little monsters) and never to extinction. Granted, without the khulis and swordtails, I imagine I could have a bit more shrimp in the tank.

Nice to hear. Of course, I'm realistic that some of the babies would be eaten, but I think if everything is in balance with enough hiding areas it's totally possibly to have them coexist and the shrimp reproduce! Thanks for sharing your experience. I'll probably avoid the Khuli loaches as much as I want them .

 

Cories or Otos? I’ve never been too successful in keeping shrimp, however these two fish are very peaceful, and I don’t know if their mouth shape would be ideal if eating baby shrimp. Just a suggestion.