Tiger Shrimp

The Tiger Shrimp is a naturally occurring Caridina species native to Southeast Asian streams and rivulets, where it inhabits soft, slightly acidic to neutral waters among leaf litter, mosses, and submerged vegetation. Its most distinctive feature is the bold pattern of dark brownish-black vertical stripes across its translucent body, which provides effective camouflage in its natural habitat and a dynamic, attractive appearance in the aquarium.

Tiger Shrimp exist in several wild colour forms, including the original brown/black-striped type, an orange form, and a blue form, all sharing the characteristic striped pattern. Through selective breeding, these forms have been further refined, leading to variants such as the Orange Eye Blue Tiger with its remarkable electric blue coloration and orange eyes.

Compared to Taiwan Bee and Crystal Shrimp lines, Tiger Shrimp are notably more forgiving of water parameter variation, tolerating a wider pH and GH range. They still prefer softer, acidic to neutral water and benefit from RO or soft tap water, but are more tolerant of minor fluctuations. This makes them a practical choice for intermediate keepers looking to explore Caridina shrimp without the extreme demands of high-grade Taiwan Bee lines. Tiger Shrimp are active grazers that clean up biofilm, algae, and organic debris throughout the aquarium. They breed readily when conditions are suitable, producing broods of miniature shrimp that grow quickly.

Tank Setup

A nano aquarium of at least 15 litres is adequate, though 20 litres or more provides greater stability. Use a soft, slightly acidic or inert substrate — active buffering substrate works well but standard planted tank substrate is also acceptable if your source water is already soft. Provide ample cover with mosses, fine-leaved plants, and Indian almond leaves. A sponge filter is recommended to protect small shrimp.

Water Parameters

Tiger Shrimp tolerate a broad range: pH 5.8–7.5, GH 3–8, KH 0–3, temperature 20–26 °C. Soft to moderately hard water is acceptable. If your tap water is moderately soft, it may be usable after dechlorination; harder tap water should be blended with RO water. Perform weekly water changes of 15–20%.

Feeding

Provide a varied diet including algae wafers, snowflake food, blanched vegetables, and biofilm powder. Tiger Shrimp are enthusiastic grazers and will clean algae from plant leaves and substrate. Feed every one to two days in small amounts.

Tank Mates

Keep with other small, peaceful shrimp or very small, non-predatory nano fish such as ember tetras or chili rasboras. Avoid any fish species known to consume shrimp. Tiger Shrimp can be crossed with other Caridina species but this may produce infertile or mixed offspring.

Health and Breeding

Tiger Shrimp breed readily in stable soft to neutral water. Females carry small egg clusters for three to four weeks. Baby shrimp emerge independently and require a mature, biofilm-rich tank. As with all shrimp, copper is lethal and must be avoided entirely.