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Species profile

Tangerine Tiger Shrimp

Caridina serrata

Common names: Tangerine Tiger Shrimp, Orange Tiger Shrimp

Colour varietyCaridina Shrimp
Tangerine Tiger Shrimp (Caridina serrata)

Adult size

Up to 3.5 cm

Typical adult length 2–3.5 cm.

Up to 3.5 cm

Countries of origin

  • See all stock from China
  • See all stock from Vietnam

Good fit for your tank?

Good fit for

  • A keeper who wants an orange wild-type Caridina that is usually more forgiving than high-grade Taiwan-bee or Galaxy shrimp.
  • A cool, oxygen-rich planted tank with soft clean water and dark substrate that strengthens the orange-and-black contrast.
  • A breeding project intended to produce Tiger Bee or Taitibee crosses, with separate tanks and a clear genetic plan.

Think carefully if

  • You want to preserve pure Tangerine Tigers while keeping them with bee or Taiwan-bee shrimp. They cross readily with related Caridina.
  • Your aquarium stays above about 25 °C for long periods. Tangerine Tigers generally perform better in cooler water.
  • You expect every offspring to have the same orange depth and stripe quality. Natural-looking variation is part of this line.

Appearance and Identification

Captive aquarium-trade line selected for tangerine coloration.

An orange aquarium form sold as Tangerine or Golden Tiger Shrimp. Its scientific name varies between sellers, so ask about the line.

Females are usually slightly larger, with a fuller underside, particularly when carrying eggs. Males are slimmer, although the differences can be subtle.

Tank Requirements

Suggested filter
About 80–100 litres an hour
Suggested heater
About 25–50 W for this tank
Minimum tank volume
20 litres
Minimum tank length
30 cm
Minimum group size
6
Recommended group size
10
Activity level
Moderate
Flow preference
Low to moderate
Planting preference
Heavily planted
Hiding places
Yes
Jumping risk
Low

Use a mature aquarium of 20 litres or more with plants, wood, and plenty of biofilm. Keep filter intakes guarded so young shrimp are not pulled in, and avoid sudden changes.

Behaviour and Tankmates

Peaceful and active, spending most of the day grazing on biofilm and plants.

Maintain with conspecifics or peaceful shrimp-safe tankmates where ecological requirements overlap.

Not normally territorial.

Best in a species-only tank, or with very small, peaceful fish that will not eat young shrimp. Tiger shrimp can interbreed with bee shrimp, so keep them apart if you want lines to stay true.

Check tankmates for this species

Water Parameters

Temperature
20–25 °C
pH
6–7
GH
4–7
KH
0–2
TDS
100–180
Stability importance
Very important

Soft, slightly acidic water with very little KH suits this shrimp best. Most published figures sit in this range, although a few sellers report wider tolerance.

Parameter caveat
Stable, mature conditions are essential; do not chase exact numbers through abrupt corrections.

Feeding

Diet types
Aufwuchs Grazer, Detritivore, Omnivore
Feeding frequency
Daily
Preferred foods
  • Mature biofilmCore natural grazing resource.
  • Fine complete shrimp foodFeed sparingly and remove excess.

Omnivorous grazer and detritivore. Maintain mature biofilm and provide varied small foods without allowing waste to accumulate.

Monitor body condition and avoid overfeeding or unstable organic waste accumulation.

Breeding

Breeding type
Direct Developer
Breeding difficulty
Moderate
Breeding temperature
23 °C
Breeding pH
6.75
Brood or egg count
About 20 to 35 eggs
Incubation
28 days
Parental care
Maternal care
Baby foods
  • Microscopic natural food and mature biofilmExact juvenile or larval requirements depend on the species.

Females carry eggs under the abdomen, and the young hatch as tiny shrimp with no larval stage.

Habitat and Origin

Geographic origin
Asia, China, Vietnam
Natural habitat
Freshwater Stream
Aquarium contexts
Planted Aquarium, Shrimp Tank, Species-Only Aquarium
Audience level
Advanced, Intermediate

Classification

Profile type
Colour variety
Genus
Caridina
Family
Atyidae
Species group
Caridina Shrimp

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