Tank mates
Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp tank mates
Caridina dennerli
The best tank mates for the Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp, matched on temperature, pH and temperament, with the reason each species fits.
By Mike ElmiraUpdated
TL;DR, Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp tank mates
The Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp does best around 26 to 30 °C and pH 7.5 to 8.5 with calm, small-mouthed tank mates that won't hunt it. The safe options from the catalogue come to 5 fish, 74 plants, 10 shrimp and 13 mosses, listed below with the reason each fits. Anything big or nippy is best kept out of a shrimp tank, especially while the colony is young.
Compatible fish
5 matches- Bronze CorydorasCorydoras aeneusTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓Shrimp-safe ✓
- Bristlenose PlecoAncistrus cf. cirrhosusTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓Shrimp-safe ✓
- Clown PlecoPanaqolus maccusTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓Shrimp-safe ✓
- Salt and Pepper CoryCorydoras habrosusTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓Shrimp-safe ✓
- Otocinclus (Common)Otocinclus vittatusTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓Shrimp-safe ✓
Compatible plants
Showing 12 of 74- Amazon FrogbitLimnobium laevigatumTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Anacharis (Elodea)Egeria densaTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Anubias BarteriAnubias barteri var. barteriTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Anubias Barteri 'Petite'Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'Temp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Anubias Barteri NanaAnubias barteri var. nanaTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Anubias CoffeefoliaAnubias barteri 'Coffeefolia'Temp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Aponogeton CrispusAponogeton crispusTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Asian AmbuliaLimnophila sessilifloraTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Bacopa CarolinianaBacopa carolinianaTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Bacopa MonnieriBacopa monnieriTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Brazilian PennywortHydrocotyle leucocephalaTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Cryptocoryne WalkeriCryptocoryne walkeriTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
Compatible shrimp
10 matches- Black Rose ShrimpNeocaridina davidi 'Black Rose'Temp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Blue Dream ShrimpNeocaridina davidi 'Blue Dream'Temp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Ghost / Glass ShrimpPalaemon paludosusTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Green Jade ShrimpNeocaridina davidi 'Green Jade'Temp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Red Cherry ShrimpNeocaridina davidiTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Snowball ShrimpNeocaridina palmata var.Temp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Yellow NeocaridinaNeocaridina davidi 'Yellow'Temp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Amano ShrimpCaridina multidentataTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Bamboo / Wood ShrimpAtyopsis moluccensisTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
- Vampire ShrimpAtya gabonensisTemp ✓pH ✓dGH ✓
Compatible mosses
Showing 8 of 13- Java MossTaxiphyllum barbieriTemp ✓pH ✓
- Christmas MossVesicularia montagneiTemp ✓pH ✓
- Round PelliaMonosolenium tenerumTemp ✓pH ✓
- Singapore MossVesicularia dubyanaTemp ✓pH ✓
- Spiky MossTaxiphyllum sp. 'Spiky'Temp ✓pH ✓
- Stringy MossLeptodictyum ripariumTemp ✓pH ✓
- Süßwassertang / Mini PelliaLomariopsis lineataTemp ✓pH ✓
- Flame MossTaxiphyllum 'Flame'Temp ✓pH ✓
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
What can live with Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp?
Peaceful species that share its water. Good picks from the catalogue include Bronze Corydoras, Bristlenose Pleco and Clown Pleco, plus compatible plants, shrimp and mosses. The full list with reasons is above.
Will fish eat Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp?
Bigger or nippy fish will. Stick to the small, peaceful species in the list above, and even then give the colony plenty of moss and cover so shrimplets have somewhere to hide.
Can you keep Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp with other shrimp?
Yes, they're happy in a colony and alongside the shrimp listed above. If you add another shrimp of the same type in a different colour, the two can crossbreed and the colours muddy over generations, so pick one strain if you want it to breed true.