That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for information on the care of freshwater shrimps, and for profiles of other popular species. Today I’ll highlight a few beautiful, lesser-known species in the genus Caridina and Brazil’s yellow-bellied grass shrimp.
Red-Nosed or Rhino Shrimp, Caridina gracilirostris
A relative newcomer to the trade, the rhino shrimp is already quite popular. In its native India, this shrimp inhabits salt marshes and, while it thrives in freshwater, it will not reproduce without exposure to brackish water. It also differs from other shrimps in its propensity to swim rather than crawl.
Rainbow Shrimp, Caridina babault
This ¾ inch beauty occupies a huge natural range – India through Malaysia – and occurs in an equally impressive range of colors – blue, red, rust, yellow and variations thereof.
Black Forest Shrimp, Caridina sp.
Dwelling in Thailand and perhaps elsewhere in Southeast Asia, this shrimp-fancier’s favorite is boldly marked with a broad white band about the body and a white-tipped head. At 1 inch in length, it is large enough to make quite an impressive display when kept in groups.
Brazilian Yellow-Bellied Grass Shrimp, Palaemon pantanal
One of the few South American species in the trade, this hardy 1.5 inch long fellow is best kept in cooler waters than the aforementioned species, and is an excellent choice for an outdoor pond. It does best at temperatures of 68-70 F, but will remain active and healthy in colder conditions as well.
Further Reading
For information on keeping amano, cherry and bamboo shrimps, please see An Introduction to Freshwater Shrimps.
To learn more about a truly unique shrimp, please check out my article Keeping the African Giant Filter Shrimp.
Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
Palaemon serratus image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Enrique Dans.
Bamboo Shrimp referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Faucon