Checking vendor inventory…
Tangerine Tiger shrimp are a striking orange-bodied Caridina with subtle tiger striping visible under good lighting. Hardier than Taiwan Bee or CRS - tolerate harder water and wider pH. One of the more beginner-friendly Caridina varieties for keepers wanting orange coloration outside the Neocaridina line.
Native range: Selectively bred line. Aquarium specimens enter the trade primarily through captive-bred sources - selective breeding programs in Taiwan, Germany, the United States, and Indonesia produce the color-line specimens you find at LFS and online vendors. Wild-caught stock of any shrimp species is increasingly rare and often less hardy than captive-bred lines.
Tank size: 10 gallons is the practical minimum. Shrimp bioload is low - colonies of 50+ adults thrive in 10-gallon tanks with adequate biofilm and filtration. Water parameters: pH 6.5-7.5, temperature 65-75°F, hardness 4-10 dGH, 2-6 dKH. Filtration should be sponge-filter or matten-filter based to prevent shrimp and shrimplets from being sucked into intakes. Avoid HOB filters with strong suction unless modified with sponge pre-filters.
Substrate: depends on species. Neocaridina tolerate any inert substrate (gravel, sand, or planted aquarium soil). Caridina (CRS, Taiwan Bee) require active substrate (ADA Amazonia, Fluval Stratum) that buffers pH down to 5.5-6.8 and maintains soft water. Sulawesi shrimp require buffered alkaline substrate or crushed coral additives.
Plants: Java moss, Christmas moss, Subwassertang, and other fine-leaved species are essential - they provide grazing surface area for biofilm (the primary shrimp food) and cover for shrimplets. Heavy planting dramatically improves colony health and breeding rates.
Tangerine Tiger Shrimps eat biofilm continuously and supplement with periodic protein/algae feedings. Primary diet: Biofilm, algae, veggies, Caridina-friendly pellets. Feed sparingly - shrimp can survive on biofilm alone in mature tanks for weeks. Over-feeding is the primary cause of water quality problems in shrimp tanks. Best feeding practice: small amount once every 2-3 days, removed within 2-4 hours if uneaten.
Supplemental foods worth rotating: Indian almond leaf (for tannins + grazing surface), mulberry leaf, blanched spinach/zucchini/cucumber (small pieces, removed after 24 hours), snowflake food, mineral stones (Montmorillonite clay), and species-specific commercial foods like Bacter AE, Shrimp Cuisine, or Borneo Wild biofilm enhancers.
Safe: Other Caridina (separate variety), otocinclus, small peaceful fish.
Avoid: Predatory fish, Neocaridina in shared tank (parameter compromise).
Adult shrimp can defend against most very small fish, but shrimplets (newly-hatched, sub-3mm) are essentially defenseless and will be eaten by anything fish-shaped. Species-only tanks produce the most prolific colonies; community tanks with fish work but reduce shrimplet survival rate significantly.
Moderate. ~25 eggs per clutch. Breeding triggers across most shrimp species: stable parameters, biofilm-rich environment, varied diet, moderate temperatures (slightly warmer than maintenance temperature often triggers breeding cycles). Female shrimp signal readiness by carrying eggs under the tail (called "berried" - eggs visible as a clutch of small spheres). Male shrimp pursue females immediately after molting.
Color fade in too-hard water; cross-breeding with other tiger varieties.
Yes - tolerate harder water and wider pH. Good intermediate step from Neocaridina to demanding Caridina varieties.
Subtle dark vertical bars across the body, more visible under cool-spectrum lighting.
Generally no - Cherry prefers higher pH (7-8), Tangerine Tigers prefer 6.5-7.5. The compromise stresses both species.
US specialty Caridina breeders. Less common than CRS but more available than Pinto. $5-12 each.
Fast Aquatics vendors ship live freshwater shrimp overnight to all 50 US states with carrier-tracked Buyer Protection on every order.
Get drop alerts → Are you a shrimp vendor? Apply →