Yellow Nose Sulawesi Shrimp (Caridina Spinata)
The Sulawesi Yellow Nose is an attractive shrimp with red and yellow contrasting colours adding beauty to any hobbyists tank.
It is best to keep these shrimps in groups of ten or more in a species only tank to avoid unnecessary stress as they can be pretty shy. However, you can keep them with incredibly peaceful tankmates such as small, docile fish or other Shrimp species with the same water parameters.
Sulawesi Yellow Nose Shrimps are a deep red colour. Their nose, tail and legs are an orange-yellow colour, and their tentacles are pure white and longer than the entire body. These Shrimp have yellow stripes and small white spots on their bodies.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caridina Spinata |
| Other Names | Yellow Nose Shrimp, Red Goldflake Shrimp, Yellow Cheek Shrimp |
| Classification | Malacostraca |
| Order | Decapoda |
| Family | Atyidae |
| Genus | Caridina |
| Origins | Indonesia |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | All Levels |
| Difficulty | Intermediate - Advanced |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 8+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | livebearer |
| Lifespan | 1 -2 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 7.5 - 8.5 |
| GH | 6-8 |
| KH | 4 - 5 |
| TDS | 75 - 150 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 78 - 88℉ 25.6 - 31.1℃ | |
Photos of the Yellow Nose Sulawesi Shrimp
Natural Habitat
Sulawesi Yellow Nose Shrimp are endemic to Lake Towuti in Sulawesi in Indonesia in Southeast Asia. They are naturally found in lakes and rivers that run through the country. Their habitats are usually more on the rocky side, and they are generally found on large trunks or pieces of wood rather than in dense vegetation.
What to feed the Yellow Nose Sulawesi Shrimp
Sulawesi Yellow Nose Shrimps are unfussy omnivores, with biofilm and algae being their main food source. When kept in large groups, it is essential to balance their feeding. Slightly boiled vegetables and good quality dried foods make great supplements.
It would be best if you fed your Sulawesi Shrimp once a day and only give them a certain amount that they can consume within 2 to 3 hours; otherwise, the excess food lying around can affect the water quality in the aquarium. Furthermore, overfeeding your Shrimp can cause them to die.
How to sex the Yellow Nose Sulawesi Shrimp
It is challenging to distinguish males from female Yellow Nose Shrimp as both sexes look identical. Females have no prominent enlarged abdomen like other Dwarf Shrimp apart from when the female is carrying eggs. However, males tend to be slightly smaller than females.
How to breed the Yellow Nose Sulawesi Shrimp
Shrimps from Sulawesi are challenging to breed, so they are more suited to the experienced aquarist. To produce your Sulawesi Yellow Nose Shrimp, they will require a well-established aquarium. The water current should not be too strong, and you will need an air-driven filter.
For successful breeding, you will need at least ten individuals that way; you will be guaranteed males and females.
Female Shrimp will carry between 20 to 30 eggs in between their swimmerets. If there are no problems, the eggs will hatch into miniature versions of the adult shrimp around 20 to 28 days later. There is no larval stage for the Yellow Nose Shrimp, and females will carry their eggs until they hatch into little shrimplets.
The shrimplets will exhibit the same colouration as the adults as soon as they are born, and their growth rates are pretty fast. The young Shrimp will eat the same food as their parents.