Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp (Caridina Dennerli)
Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp is one of the most underappreciated species of freshwater shrimp. These shrimp are a joy to own, peaceful, small yet vibrant in colour, and look stunning, they also get along with many other species, making them a highly sought-after invertebrate in the fish trade.
These shrimp are active 24 hours a day. But they are sensitive to bright light, so this should be kept to a minimum.
You can often see them scavenging around the substrate, rocks, and plants for food and can also be seen displaying social behaviours. They seem to prefer scarping stones and continually forage for algae-covered rocks. The social actions are often quite interesting to watch.
This species is non-aggressive and seems to enjoy the presence of other species in the aquarium.
These dwarf shrimp are relatively new to the hobby. They were first discovered in 2007.
This shrimps body is similar to that of other dwarf shrimps. They have slim segmented bodies, long antennas, and tiny white legs.
The Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp can vary from a light red to a wine-red colouration, with blue or white dots across its body and white maxillipeds.
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caridina Dennerli |
| Other Names | Cardinal Shrimp, Sulawesi Cardinal, White Glove shrimp, Sulawesi shrimp |
| Classification | Malacostraca |
| Order | Decapoda |
| Family | Atyidae |
| Genus | Caridina |
| Origins | Indonesia |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Bottom - Middle |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Shoaling | No |
| Best kept as | Groups 10+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | livebearer |
| Lifespan | 1 - 2 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 7.4-8.4 |
| GH | 6-8 |
| KH | 4-8 |
| TDS | 80-150 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 76 - 86℉ 24.4 - 30℃ | |
Feeding
These shrimp are excellent algae eaters and will survive mainly on algae and biofilm that grow in the aquarium, so welcome that natural mess. However, a balanced diet is essential, so feeding them boiled and blanched vegetables, as well as powdered food, are also necessary supplements.
Sexual Dimorphism
It is practically impossible to differentiate males from females, unlike other dwarf shrimp where the females are more curved and larger than the males the Sulawesi shrimp look identical.
The females do have a saddle under their upper dorsal, but unfortunately, without an infrared light, you are unable to see this with the naked eye as the outside shell of the shrimp are so dark.