Description

The cardinal shrimp is one of the most spectacular there is: deep red flecked with white dots, with white front legs it waves constantly while feeding. It is also the one that breaks every rule of the genus: where bee shrimp want soft, acidic water, this one needs the exact opposite, warm and alkaline at low conductivity. Housing it with Crystal Red condemns one of the two. It only makes sense in a dedicated Sulawesi biotope tank, and even then it is a shrimp for experienced keepers.
Scientific name
Caridina dennerli
Adult size
2 cm
Difficulty
Hard

Habitat

It is endemic to Lake Matano in Sulawesi, an ancient lake of warm, strongly alkaline yet mineral-poor water, an unusual combination that is hard to reproduce. It needs high sustained temperature, rocks to graze biofilm from and near-absolute stability: it is the species in the genus that copes worst with any fluctuation.

Habitats

🌊 Water parameters

pH
7.5 - 8.5
GH
4 - 8
Temperature
27 - 30 °C
Current
Low or moderate

What about your tank?

Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.

Compatible fish

General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.

Ancistrus temminckii

Ancistrus

Image byis licensed under CC BY 3.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Rohanella titteya

Barbo cereza

Image bybrian.gratwickeis licensed under CC BY 2.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–30 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Corydoras Sterbai

Corydoras sterbai

Image byMatthew Mannellis licensed under CC0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

The guppy

Guppy

Image byCarlos Eduardo Joosis licensed under CC BY 2.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C.

Endler Guppy 'Yellow Top Sword'

Guppy Endler

Image byDornenwolfis licensed under CC BY 2.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C.

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C.

Honey gourami red variant

Gurami miel

Image byEevaya is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Pelvicachromis pulcher (male)

Kribensis

Image byTino Straussis licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Two Xiphophorus maculatus in aquarium

Platy

Image byCarlosaris licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Tetra limón

Image byWaugsbergis licensed under CC BY 2.5 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

black neon tetra

Tetra neón negro

Image byBrian Gratwickeis licensed under CC BY 2.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Hyphessobrycon eques

Tetra serpae

Image byDouglas Lopesis licensed under CC BY 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Compatible invertebrates

General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.

Ampularia

Ampularia

Image byÁngel Ramosis licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Cangrejo Thai micro
AI: ChatGPT

Cangrejo Thai micro

Image byHectoris licensed under CC BY 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Cangrejo vampiro

Cangrejo vampiro

Image byAverageWalrusis licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Anentome helena
AI: ChatGPT

Caracol asesino

Image byHectoris licensed under CC BY 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C.

Tylomelania zemis
AI: ChatGPT

Caracol conejo

Image byHectoris licensed under CC BY 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8.5 and 27–30 °C.

Caracol cuerno
AI: ChatGPT

Caracol cuerno

Image byHectoris licensed under CC BY 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Gamba Amano

Gamba Amano

Image bySky99is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Melanoides

Melanoides

Image byBuchlingis licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Neritina cebra

Neritina cebra

Image byEvan Baldonadois licensed under CC BY 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Neritina pulligera
AI: ChatGPT

Neritina pulligera

Image byHectoris licensed under CC BY 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C.

Physa

Physa

Image byBarbalalaikais licensed under CC0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C.

Planorbis

Planorbis

Image byKong of Lasersis licensed under CC BY 3.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Planorbella duryi

Planorbis rojo

Image byDat dorisis licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

They share water: pH 7.5–8.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.

Sources

  • GBIF
    GBIF Secretariat (2026). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei. Consultado vía GBIF.org, 2026-08. Caridina dennerli.

Taxonomy verified as ACCEPTED unless stated otherwise.

The care values (pH, temperature and hardness) have no citable source: none of the accepted sources publishes invertebrate profiles. Seriously Fish has none and PlanetCatfish does not respond. A source for invertebrates is still to be agreed.