Fish that work with shrimp
Many people want both fish and shrimp in the same aquarium. It can work, but it is always a compromise. For the shrimp, a tank of their own is the safest.
If you still want to mix, the goal is simple: choose small, peaceful fish and give the shrimp so many hiding places that the young have a chance.
Why most fish are risky
An adult Red Sakura or Bloody Mary can share a tank with some fish. The shrimplets, though, are snack-sized. That is why colonies with fish often grow more slowly, or not at all.
Fish that look harmless by day may search along the bottom at night. Then one mouthful is enough.
Fish that often work
The safest choices are small, calm species that do not actively hunt through the moss.
• Otocinclus
• Pygmy corys or similar small Corydoras
• Chili rasbora and other very small rasboras
• Ember tetras, with dense planting
Even these may take the occasional youngster. The difference is that they rarely hunt adult shrimp.
Fish to avoid
• Bettas and most cichlids
• Larger tetras and barbs
• Goldfish and fancy goldfish
• Most loaches
• Pea puffers and other dedicated shrimp eaters
Guppies and platies are peaceful towards people, but they can nip antennae and chase shrimplets. They are not a safe first choice in a shrimp tank.
Amano together with fish
Amano are larger and more often hold their own in company. They are still shrimp, but they are not as easy to swallow as a Yellow or Blue Navy.
That does not mean Amano tolerate any fish. A hungry bottom-dweller can still stress them, especially at feeding time.
Crystal shrimp and fish
Crystal Red, Crystal Black and Blue Bolt should generally not be shared with fish. They need more specific water, and extra animals make both chemistry and stress harder to manage.
The tank must offer cover
Dense moss, fine-leaved plants and hiding places at the bottom are what save shrimplets. An open tank with a few stems and a school of fish quickly becomes a hunting ground.
The more structure there is, the better the chance that an Orange Sakura youngster will grow up.
Feeding when both live in the tank
Fish are faster. If you only feed at the surface, the shrimp get leftovers, or nothing. Sink food to the bottom and make sure the shrimp can reach it.
Do not overfeed so that everyone gets full. Then the water suffers, and both fish and shrimp do worse.
Nocturnal species
Avoid fish that wake when the light goes out and search along the bottom. That is when the shrimp are most exposed.
A realistic recommendation
If you want to see the colony grow, start without fish. Once you have a stable group of Bloody Mary or Red Sakura, you can later add a very small, peaceful species if you really want to.
If you want a mixed community tank, expect fewer shrimplets and plan the hiding places first. That is a different goal from a dedicated shrimp aquarium.
Think before you mix
Fish that work on paper can still eat shrimp if they get hungry or if the tank is bare. Watch the behaviour in your aquarium.
Once you understand that compromise, the next step is easier: either more shrimp in a tank of their own, or a community you deliberately keep small.
