# Experience with Cardinal Shrimp (caridina dennerli)



## heliophyte (4 Jan 2022)

I'm researching possible inhabitants for my new tank. I have read that Cardinal Shrimp can be kept on the local tap water (RO is too much of a pain), and now I'm wondering if anyone has experience keeping these awesome critters in a planted community tank.
I'm not planning to put anything larger than an otocinclus affinis in there.


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## MirandaB (4 Jan 2022)

Not got any experience but I've been researching for a while now with a view to setting up a tank for them.
Really needs to be species only as they need quite specific water parameters so ro remineralised with something like Salty Shrimp Sulawesi Mineral and the tank needs to be set up well in advance to grow the algae they predominantly feed on.


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## MichaelJ (4 Jan 2022)

heliophyte said:


> I'm researching possible inhabitants for my new tank. I have read that Cardinal Shrimp can be kept on the local tap water (RO is too much of a pain),


Hi @heliophyte  Your best bet if you do not want to deal with RO water, is to get a reading of your tap water (pH, GH and TDS especially) and find a source that have them kept (and possibly bred) in waters that resembles your tap water as close as possible and slowly drip acclimate them. If your water is too far off from the source chance of success will be greatly reduced.  

They do require quite specific water parameters as @MirandaB points out.

Cheers,
Michael


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## heliophyte (4 Jan 2022)

Thanks for the replies. I checked already, and there are local breeders that keep them on tap water. That is why I am confident about it. 
I am more interested in their other needs. I can find what I would need for a biotope tank, but not much about how they thrive outside of a specialized tank.
Mostly that I should watch out and not do big waterchanges, but rather do frequent small changes.


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## MichaelJ (4 Jan 2022)

heliophyte said:


> Thanks for the replies. I checked already, and there are local breeders that keep them on tap water. That is why I am confident about it.


Good. Yes, as long as parameter differences between the breeders tap water and your tap water are within tolerable ranges for the Cardinal Shrimps you should fine  



heliophyte said:


> I am more interested in their other needs. I can find what I would need for a biotope tank, but not much about how they thrive outside of a specialized tank.
> Mostly that I should watch out and not do big waterchanges, but rather do frequent small changes.


There might be some good bits of info here you might find helpful.

Cheers,
Michael


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## heliophyte (5 Jan 2022)

MichaelJ said:


> There might be some good bits of info here you might find helpful.


Found that one too. This is the best info I could find on it.


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## Aqua360 (5 Jan 2022)

MirandaB said:


> Not got any experience but I've been researching for a while now with a view to setting up a tank for them.
> Really needs to be species only as they need quite specific water parameters so ro remineralised with something like Salty Shrimp Sulawesi Mineral and the tank needs to be set up well in advance to grow the algae they predominantly feed on.


+1


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