Black Fancy Tiger Caridina Shrimp
Caridina spp.
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 2–3 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 litres
- Temperature
- 20–24 °C
Species profile
Amano Shrimp
Caridina multidentata
Common names: Amano Shrimp, Yamato Shrimp, Japanese Algae Shrimp
Recognized speciesCaridina Shrimp
Adult size
Up to 5.5 cm
Typical adult length 3–5.5 cm.
Up to 5.5 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A mature planted aquarium with hair or thread algae for these larger, constantly grazing shrimp to work through.
- A peaceful community tank where you want a visible cleanup shrimp that is less likely to disappear than tiny dwarf shrimp.
- A beginner who wants a fairly forgiving first shrimp and already has a fully cycled aquarium with a covered lid.
Think carefully if
- You want a self-sustaining freshwater colony. Amano larvae need a brackish or marine stage and normally die in an ordinary freshwater tank.
- The aquarium contains very small or slow-feeding shrimp. Adult Amanos are bold at feeding time and may take food before smaller shrimp reach it.
- You expect them to cure every algae problem. They can eat some nuisance algae, but they cannot correct excessive light, excess nutrients, or poor maintenance.
A large, peaceful East Asian algae-grazing shrimp valued for consuming soft algae and leftover food. Adults live in freshwater, but the larvae require a carefully managed brackish phase.
Appearance and Identification
A translucent grey, tan, or greenish shrimp with rows of reddish-brown dots and dashes along the flanks. Females are larger and usually show elongated dash-like side markings, while males tend to have smaller rounded dots.
Distinguish true Amano Shrimp by the transparent body, orderly lateral rows of dots or dashes, long rostrum, and comparatively large adult size. Caridina japonica is an obsolete synonym rather than a separate species.
Females are larger, deeper-bodied, and develop a visible saddle or egg mass. Their lateral markings are often elongated into dashes, while males more often show separate round dots.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 160–200 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 50–75 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 40 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 45 cm
- Minimum group size
- 5
- Recommended group size
- 8
- Activity level
- Active
- Flow preference
- Moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Moderate
Use a mature aquarium with biofilm, wood, rock, plants, and open grazing surfaces. Cover filter intakes and all escape gaps. Moderate flow and good oxygenation are beneficial, but provide calmer resting areas after moulting.
Behaviour and Tankmates
A busy, peaceful grazer that explores every level of the aquarium and may seize larger food pieces from smaller shrimp.
Keep a group rather than a single specimen. They do not form a tight school, but groups forage more confidently.
Not territorial, although larger individuals may briefly push smaller shrimp away from concentrated food.
Suitable with peaceful small fish, snails, and other non-aggressive shrimp. Avoid shrimp-eating fish, large cichlids, puffers, and predatory invertebrates. Newly moulted shrimp require secure cover.
Water Parameters
Adults tolerate a broad freshwater range when acclimated gradually. Stable mineral content is needed for safe moulting, and warm water requires stronger oxygenation.
Parameter caveat
Copper-containing medication can harm shrimp. Match temperature and conductivity during transfer, maintain zero ammonia and nitrite, and never move adults into brackish water merely because the larvae require salinity.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Algae Grazer, Detritivore, Omnivore, Scavenger
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Natural biofilm and soft algaeMaintain mature grazing surfaces rather than cleaning every surface at once.
- Shrimp or algae waferUse small portions containing plant matter and moderate protein.
- Blanched courgette or spinachOffer occasionally and remove leftovers before they deteriorate.
- Frozen cyclops or brine shrimpUse small portions as supplementary protein.
An omnivorous grazer that consumes soft algae, biofilm, detritus, microbial growth, and prepared foods.
Feed enough to support the group after natural algae declines. Avoid prolonged overfeeding, which can foul the substrate and reduce oxygen.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Brackish Larval Stage, Egg Brooder, Requires Brackish Larval Stage
- Breeding difficulty
- Specialist
- Breeding temperature
- 24 °C
- Breeding pH
- 7
- Brood or egg count
- Usually several hundred to several thousand very small eggs.
- Incubation
- 30 days
- Parental care
- Maternal care
- Baby foods
- Live microalgae or phytoplanktonPrimary suspended food for early larvae in brackish water.
- Fine marine larval foodUse extremely small suspended particles without fouling the rearing water.
- Cultured infusoriaUseful supplementary microscopic prey during early development.
Females carry hundreds to thousands of small eggs beneath the abdomen. The eggs hatch into free-swimming larvae that require brackish water, suspended microscopic food, and carefully controlled transfer back to freshwater after metamorphosis.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Asia, Japan, Taiwan
- Natural habitat
- Fast-Flowing Stream, Freshwater River, Freshwater Stream, Rocky Shoreline
- Aquarium contexts
- Freshwater Aquarium, Freshwater Community, Nano Aquarium, Planted Aquarium, Shrimp Tank
- Audience level
- Beginner
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Caridina
- Family
- Atyidae
- Species group
- Caridina Shrimp, Freshwater Shrimp, Invertebrates
- Previous scientific names
- Caridina japonica, Historic aquarium and scientific name now treated as a junior synonym of Caridina multidentata.
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Caridina spp.
- Care level
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- Adult size
- 2–3 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 litres
- Temperature
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- Care level
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- Adult size
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- Minimum tank
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- Temperature
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