Shrimp-Friendly Fish: The Best Tank Mates for Freshwater Shrimp

Shrimp-Friendly Fish: The Best Tank Mates for Freshwater Shrimp

Shrimp-Friendly Fish: The Best Tank Mates for Freshwater Shrimp

Keeping freshwater shrimp doesn’t mean you need to have a shrimp-only aquarium. There are plenty of small, peaceful fish that can live successfully alongside Cherry Shrimp, Neocaridina and other freshwater dwarf shrimp.

The most important thing to remember is:

Shrimp-friendly does not always mean shrimplet-safe.

Almost any fish may eat a newborn shrimp if it is small enough to fit in its mouth. Choosing peaceful nano fish and providing plenty of moss, plants and hiding places can significantly improve the chances of maintaining a healthy shrimp colony alongside fish.

At ABQUATICS, we have a dedicated collection of fish suitable for shrimp community tanks. (ABQUATICS)

🦐 Our Favourite Shrimp-Friendly Fish

Hastatus Corydoras

Hastatus Corys are one of our favourite choices for shrimp aquariums. These tiny Corydoras are peaceful, social and spend their time exploring both the lower and middle areas of the aquarium.

Their small size makes them particularly suitable for planted nano tanks and shrimp setups.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Temperament: Peaceful
Best Kept: In groups
Shrimplet Risk: Very low, but no fish can be guaranteed 100% safe.

Pygmy Corydoras

Pygmy Corys are another excellent shrimp tank companion. Unlike many larger Corydoras, Pygmy Corys regularly swim through the middle levels of the aquarium as well as exploring the bottom.

Their small size and peaceful behaviour make them a great addition to planted Neocaridina tanks.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Temperament: Very peaceful
Best Kept: In groups
Great For: Nano and planted aquariums

Habrosus Corydoras

Also known as the Salt and Pepper Cory, Corydoras habrosus is a small, peaceful bottom-dwelling fish that works well in many shrimp community setups.

They spend much of their time searching around the substrate and generally pay little attention to adult shrimp.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Temperament: Peaceful
Best Kept: In groups
Tank Preference: Planted tanks with plenty of cover

🌌 Celestial Pearl Danio – CPD / Galaxy Rasbora

Celestial Pearl Danios are an excellent choice if you want something colourful for a planted shrimp tank.

Their beautiful spotted bodies and colourful fins look fantastic alongside red, yellow, orange and blue Neocaridina shrimp.

Adult shrimp are generally suitable tank mates, although CPDs may opportunistically eat tiny newborn shrimplets.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Adult Shrimp: Generally safe
Shrimplets: Some predation is possible

Adding plenty of moss and dense plants gives baby shrimp places to hide.

Maculata / Dwarf Rasbora

Maculata Rasboras are tiny schooling fish that are particularly well suited to heavily planted nano aquariums.

Their small size and peaceful nature make them a good choice when you want a colourful school of fish without introducing larger community species.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Temperament: Peaceful
Best Kept: In schools
Great For: Heavily planted shrimp tanks

Japanese Rice Fish / Medaka

Medaka are active, colourful fish that can make an interesting addition to a shrimp community aquarium.

Adult shrimp can generally coexist with them, but Medaka are active feeders and may pick off newborn shrimplets.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Adult Shrimp: Generally suitable
Shrimplets: At risk without adequate cover

Pseudomugil Luminatus – Red Neon Blue-Eye

Pseudomugil Luminatus are beautiful nano fish that add plenty of colour and movement to planted aquariums.

They can coexist with adult shrimp, but their active feeding behaviour means very small shrimplets may be eaten.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Adult Shrimp: Generally suitable
Best For: Well-planted community tanks

Kuhli Loaches

Kuhli Loaches can usually coexist with adult shrimp, particularly when the aquarium contains plenty of plants and hiding places.

However, Kuhli Loaches spend a lot of time foraging around the substrate. Tiny shrimp and newly hatched shrimplets may therefore be eaten opportunistically.

We recommend considering Kuhli Loaches adult-shrimp compatible rather than completely shrimplet-safe.

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Adult Shrimp: Generally suitable
Shrimplets: Some risk
Recommendation: Provide dense plants, moss and hiding areas.

Hillstream Loach

Hillstream Loaches can also be considered for suitable shrimp community aquariums.

They spend much of their time grazing surfaces and are particularly interesting additions to aquariums with good water movement and oxygenation.

They are currently included in ABQUATICS' Shrimp Friendly Fish collection. (ABQUATICS)

Shrimp Compatibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Temperament: Generally peaceful
Best For: Mature aquariums with good flow and oxygenation

🌿 How to Keep Fish and Shrimp Together Successfully

One of the biggest factors in successfully keeping fish and breeding shrimp in the same aquarium is providing plenty of cover.

Try adding:

  • Java Moss and other aquarium mosses

  • Subwassertang

  • Dense stem plants

  • Floating plants and their roots

  • Cholla wood

  • Driftwood

  • Rocks and small caves

  • Leaf litter and botanicals

Moss is particularly useful because newborn shrimp can hide deep inside it while grazing on biofilm and microorganisms.

The more hiding places you provide, the better chance your shrimplets have of reaching a size where fish are less likely to bother them.

🐟 Are Any Fish 100% Shrimplet-Safe?

It's safest to assume no fish is completely shrimplet-safe.

Even very small and peaceful fish may opportunistically eat a newly hatched shrimp.

If your main goal is producing the largest possible shrimp colony or breeding high-grade shrimp, a shrimp-only aquarium is still the safest option.

If you want a more natural community aquarium with fish and shrimp together, choosing small peaceful species and heavily planting the aquarium can provide a good balance.

❌ What Fish Should You Avoid With Shrimp?

Large, aggressive and predatory fish generally aren't suitable choices for dwarf shrimp colonies.

Even peaceful community fish can become surprisingly effective shrimp hunters.

A simple rule to remember is:

If the shrimp can fit inside the fish's mouth, there is always a chance it could become food.

This is particularly important with newly hatched shrimp.

🦐 Shop Shrimp-Friendly Fish at ABQUATICS

We've created a dedicated Shrimp Friendly Fish collection to make choosing suitable tank mates easier.

The collection currently includes options such as Galaxy Rasboras/CPDs, Hastatus Corys, Pygmy Corys, Maculata Rasboras, Habrosus Corys, Medaka, Hillstream Loaches, Kuhli Loaches and Pseudomugil Luminatus. (ABQUATICS)

👉 SHOP SHRIMP-FRIENDLY FISH AT ABQUATICS

Pair your fish with plenty of live plants, moss and hiding areas to create a healthy and interesting shrimp community aquarium.

Please note: Shrimp-friendly does not mean 100% shrimplet-safe. Most fish may opportunistically eat newborn shrimp, so dense moss and plants are recommended. This is also the guidance provided on the ABQUATICS Shrimp Friendly Fish collection. (ABQUATICS)

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