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Skip to content Proper water parameters are the most important factor in successful shrimp keeping. Even the best food, high-quality filtration, or expensive shrimp will not guarantee success if the water conditions are unsuitable.
Many beginner breeders make the mistake of assuming all shrimp require the same parameters. In reality, Caridina, Neocaridina, and Sulawesi come from different natural environments, so they require different water and different mineralizers.
Shrimp are much more sensitive to parameter changes than most aquarium fish. Incorrect GH, KH, pH, or TDS can cause:
The most important thing is parameter stability. Even ideal values won’t help if they fluctuate frequently.
Professional breeders most often use water obtained from a reverse osmosis (RO) filter.
RO water is almost completely free of minerals, allowing you to precisely prepare parameters suitable for specific shrimp species.
The water is then mineralized with special preparations designed for specific shrimp groups.
The Caridina group includes:
These shrimp require soft and stable water.
For Caridina, GH+ type mineralizers are used.
They raise only general hardness (GH) without increasing KH. This makes it possible to maintain low pH and conditions similar to the natural habitats of these shrimp.
For Caridina, active Soil substrate is recommended, which:
The most popular Neocaridina varieties include:
Neocaridina are much hardier than Caridina and work well as first shrimp for beginners.
For Neocaridina, GH/KH+ mineralizers are used.
They raise both GH and KH, creating a more stable and alkaline environment suitable for this shrimp group.
Neocaridina can be kept on:
Sulawesi shrimp come from the lakes of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
The most popular include:
Their requirements differ significantly from Caridina and Neocaridina.
For Sulawesi shrimp, specialized Sulawesi Mineral mineralizers are used.
They contain appropriate proportions of calcium, magnesium, and trace elements reflecting the conditions found in Lakes Matano and Towuti.
Most commonly used are:
Active substrates that lower pH are not used.
Regardless of the type of shrimp kept, it’s worth using bacterial preparations.
Beneficial bacteria:
A biologically mature aquarium is one of the most important success factors in shrimp keeping.
Each shrimp group requires different water parameters and the appropriate mineralizer.
| Shrimp type | Mineralizer | KH | Substrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caridina | GH+ | 0–1 | Active Soil |
| Neocaridina | GH/KH+ | 2–6 | Neutral or Soil |
| Sulawesi | Sulawesi Mineral | 4–8 | Neutral |
Choosing the right water, mineralization, substrate, and filtration is the foundation of healthy and stable shrimp keeping. A properly prepared aquarium allows you to maintain beautiful coloration, trouble-free molting, and regular breeding for many years.
Buying shrimp online has become standard practice among aquarists. Shipping allows access to rare Caridina and Neocaridina varieties that are often unavailable in local pet
Choosing the right substrate is one of the most important elements when setting up an aquarium for Caridina shrimp. The appropriate soil helps maintain stable
