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Encyclopedia / Shrimp / Tiger shrimp
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Variations

5 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Tiger shrimp

Caridina mariae · Tibee, Tibetan tiger shrimp, Orange eye blue tiger

Peaceful and hardy compared to other Caridina; fine with small peaceful fish.

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3 cmAdult size ✓
20–25 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
20 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Tiger shrimp only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Betta eats animals up to about 2.5 cm. Tiger shrimp only grows to 3 cm.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Not recommended
  • Dwarf gourami eats animals up to about 2.5 cm. Tiger shrimp only grows to 3 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Congo tetra will eat baby tiger shrimp. Add lots of moss and plants so some survive.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

155 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓4–10 dGH
Group size ?10 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ✓1–2 years
Size in shops 1.5–2.5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful and hardy compared to other Caridina; fine with small peaceful fish.

Food

Biofilm, powdered shrimp food and blanched vegetables.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Females are larger than males and have a curved underbelly; a ripe female shows a saddle of developing eggs behind the head.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Berried livebearer-style (free-swimming shrimplets) · Moderate

Direct development: the female carries the eggs for about 30 days and the young hatch as miniature adults (about 3 mm) without a free-swimming larval stage.

Pairing

Keep a group of 15-20 and let them pair up; females moult and then mate within a day or two.

Setup

20-40 L tank with active buffered soil, RO or remineralised soft water (GH 4-6, KH 0-2, pH 5.8-6.8), moss and a sponge filter.

What starts it

Stable soft water and a small cool water change with RO water often triggers moulting and mating.

Eggs

Typically 20-30 young per brood after about 3-4 weeks (about 30 days); young hatch fully formed.

Raising the fry

Shrimplets look like tiny adults and graze biofilm; give powdered food and moss and avoid strong flow.

Common mistakes
  • Using hard tap water
  • Big swings in temperature or TDS
  • Adding copper-containing foods or medicines
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouthern China – Guangdong
Rivers and lakesStreams of Guangdong province
HabitatCool, clear hill streams
Native rangeAbout 200 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the tiger shrimp

A Caridina from southern China (Guangdong), the sister species of the bee shrimp (C. cantonensis); the wild form is semi-transparent with dark tiger stripes. Captive lines include the orange-eyed blue tiger, a popular, fairly hardy morph.

Werner Klotz and Thomas von Rintelen described this shrimp in 2014. It had been traded for years as a 'tiger' form of Caridina cantonensis. Aquarists have bred many colour forms, including the blue tiger.

First described by Werner Klotz & Thomas von Rintelen in 2014.

  • The blue tiger with orange eyes is a popular strain.
  • It needs soft water to breed.
  • It was in the hobby for years before getting a name.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources