The Tangerine Tiger Shrimp is a popular choice for freshwater shrimp hobbyists because of their intriguing color patterns as well as being relatively easy to care for and breed. Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are hardy and versatile when it comes to water parameters, unlike many other Caridinas. Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are aggressive breeders, but will not breed with Neocaridinas, making them excellent tank companions if you are looking to try something new without affecting breeding outcomes of your Red Cherry Shrimp varieties. Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are very active as they scavenge the tank, cleaning up waste. They love to feed off of naturally occurring biofilm and algae, especially in a planted tank.

The Tangerine Tiger Shrimp is a naturally occurring species that hails from China. Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are light orange to yellow-orange in appearance with brown spotting on the top of their body and striping on the side of their body. Their coloring is somewhat translucent, but still very bright and consistent. Sexing Tangerine Tiger Shrimp can be somewhat difficult until the shrimp begin to mature. Female shrimp have slightly larger tails and display a “saddle” formation on the upper body, behind the head, where eggs are stored before fertilization. When female shrimp are “berried”, or have eggs ready for fertilization, the saddle shape will appear more prominent. Once the shrimp are fully-grown the males will be smaller than the females.

Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are tolerant to a fairly wide range of water parameters, making them excellent for pairing with other species. As long as the shrimp are acclimated properly to your chosen parameters and are not subjected to extreme changes in temperature or acidity, they are adaptable and resilient.

Tangerine Tiger Shrimp will feed off of algae, biofilm, and plant waste that naturally builds up, especially in a planted tank. Supplemental feeding once per day or every other day may be necessary depending on how many shrimp are in your tank. Be sure to remove any excess food that is left after feeding, as this can increase ammonia and nitrite levels. Excess food means that the shrimp are being overfed, which can damage their health and even kill them. When your shrimp molt out of their shell, make sure to leave the shells in the tank. They provide the necessary calcium in the shrimp’s diet.

Acclimating Shrimp:

• 24-48 hours slow drip acclimating shrimp to quarantine tank.
• 2+ days equalize water temp by floating bag. Try not to pour bag water into aquarium, drain over net externally and drop shrimp into quarantine tank.