Top 5 Shrimp Safe Fish for Your Aquarium

Freshwater shrimp make a beautiful addition to any home aquarium. Not only are they colorful and mesmerizing, but they’re also great at cleaning the tank of algae, uneaten fish food, and decaying matter.

So what’s the problem? Unfortunately, some larger fish might have shrimp as a tasty snack, so choosing compatible tank-mates is important.

The good news is that freshwater shrimp and fish compatibility is achievable; there are plenty of fishes that can, in fact, cohabitate with your shrimp! With the right amount of research and planning, you can bring shrimp safe fish into your aquarium with your tiny crustaceans.

Choosing tank mates for your shrimp doesn’t have to be complicated, and you shouldn’t have to worry about your crustaceans disappearing! Here are our top five suggestions for peaceful fish for shrimp cohabitation:

1. Corydoras

Corydoras and shrimp make the perfect choice for tank mates because they’re very friendly and unaggressive toward each other. If you’re searching for small schooling fish, these are the ones for you. Corydoras are native to the small rivers and streams of South America but live among backwater, ponds and marsh-like environments. When it comes to their diet, Corydoras are not picky eaters and will eat anything from basic fish food to small worms of all types.

2. Celestial Pearl Danio

Celestial Pearl Danio fish make a gorgeous and simple addition to your aquarium based on their coloration and easy care requirements. These guys are native to vegetated ponds in South East Asia, so they react well to habitats with low water movements and high light levels.

They prefer plenty of plants in their tank for many reasons: Plants familiarize the fish with their natural home, and they’re also ideal for feeding. Additionally, Celestial Pearl Danio are considered shy fish; having a variety of plants in their tank creates hiding spots that can help them feel comfortable and safe in the presence of other fish and invertebrates.

3. Chili Rasbora

This nano fish is a great example of species for freshwater shrimp and fish compatibility. These guys are colorful, peaceful, and active, making for a great addition to your aquarium. Native to Indonesia’s Southwestern Borneo, the ideal habitat and tank conditions for Chili Rasbora include floating plants, dark substrate, soft water, and low pH, which are all characteristics of their natural habitat.

Chili Rasboras are not established as jumpers, but they have been known to leap out of tanks every so often. Because of this, we recommend investing in a deep tank with a tight-fit lid. Chili Rasboras’ diet is fairly simplistic: flakes, pellets, and bloodworms are excellent sources of protein that they love.

4. Ember Tetra

Ember Tetra makes a great selection to pair with freshwater shrimp not necessarily because of its friendly behavior - but because of the size of its mouth! Tetra’s mouths are so small that they likely can’t even eat baby shrimp.

Ember Tetras are found in Central Brazil in the Araguaia River basin and surrounding waters with low currents and high vegetation. Replicating this in your tank is essential for your Tetra’s to thrive - they need plenty of plants for familiar scenery and feeding. Beyond the vegetation, Tetras enjoy a mixed diet of fish flakes and freeze-dried fish food and should be fed once a day..

5. Kuhli Loach

You don’t have to worry about Kuhli Loach touching your grown shrimp - most of them won’t even touch snails. Typically, Kuhli Loach is considered shy and peaceful, so when they are in the same tank as another species, they will keep their distance.

Kuhli Loaches are found in the freshwater streams in Southeast Asia in areas like Malaysia, Thailand, and Borneo. When it comes to diet, they prefer protein-based fish food like bloodworms and water fleas.

Kuhli Loaches have a unique look - with three to four pairs of barbels around their mouth, they are better equipped to feel around for food. This is essential because their eyes are covered with a thin layer of transparent skin, which impairs their vision.

Browse Our Selection of Shrimp Safe Fish Today

At Shrimpy Business, we can help you create a safe and sound shrimp and fish aquarium. Beyond our selection of freshwater shrimp, we have a variety of nano fish to choose from!

If you’re curious about what other fish to keep with shrimp or have any questions about putting shrimp in a fish tank, reach out to us today.