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.
| 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℃ | |
Photos of the Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp
Natural Habitat
The Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp originates from Lake Mantano and are native to the Sulawesi region in Indonesia.
You can find them in two ancient lakes Poso and Towuti where the waters are calm, and they have the same plants, animals and water parameters. These lakes in the Sulawesi region, are unique.
The Cardinal Sulawesi shrimp is also listed as an endangered species due to the rising water pollution endangering this species enormously.
What to feed the Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp
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.
How to sex the Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp
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.
How to breed the Cardinal Sulawesi Shrimp
It is relatively easy to breed these shrimp, but it takes a lot of time because they lay fewer eggs and have a low breeding rate.
As long as you have a few males and females in the same tank, they will spawn at some point. Once breeding has been successful, the female will lay around 15 eggs, and She will keep these in her swimmerets, which are tiny leg-like finds on the bottom of the body. She will retain those eggs there throughout the entire incubation process.
Around 20-28 days later the eggs will hatch and swim free as miniature versions of the parents.
Make sure you feed them with finely powdered food as they grow.