Tiger Shrimp

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 2"
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons   • Water Conditions: 68-78° F, KH 2-10, pH 6.0-7.3
• Color Forms: Transparent, Tan, Black   • Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Southeast Asia
• Family: Atyidae   • Species: Shrimp   • Aquarium Type: Shrimp

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Tiger Shrimp are a tropical shrimp species from Southeast Asia where they are commonly found in lakes and slow moving rivers and streams. They have become very popular within the aquarium hobby over the years due to their relative ease of care and unique looks and behaviors. Throughout the years, Tiger Shrimp have been selectively bred to enhance naturally occurring color variations, which has yielded both a Blue Tiger Shrimp and Black Tiger Shrimp variant. Tiger Shrimp can successfully be kept with other dwarf shrimp or in peaceful community aquariums that have a mature filtration system and stable water parameters.

Tiger Shrimp are considered a very hardy species of tropical dwarf shrimp that can be at home in a dwarf shrimp species only aquarium or a peaceful community aquarium. They do best in aquariums that have a mature biological filtration system, stable water parameters and water that is slightly acidic. When kept in water that is alkaline, the Tiger Shrimp is more prone to have a shorter life span and is unlikely to breed. When kept within an aquarium with softer and slightly acidic water, the Tiger Shrimp has been known to be a prolific breeder with a lifespan of close to 2 years.

They do best in aquariums with plants, rocks and driftwood on which they can graze for naturally growing algae and to seek shelter when they feel threatened. As with most all invertebrates, Tiger Shrimp are very sensitive to copper, thus copper based medicines should not be used in aquariums housing Tiger Shrimp.

Tiger Shrimp spend much of their time in the wild grazing on algae and decaying vegetation that settles on the lake bottom. Their diet when housed in an aquarium environment should also contain a large amount of algae and vegetable matter in it with a smaller portion of their diet coming from meaty foods.

If there isn't enough algae present within the aquarium to sustain the shrimp colony, they can be fed blanched vegetables, sinking algae wafers or pellets and other sinking commercial foods intended for bottom dwelling fish and invertebrates.

The Tiger Shrimp is considered easy to breed as they do not have any special breeding requirements and have a long history of successful breeding within the aquarium environment. The main requirement to breed Tiger Shrimp is to provide them an aquarium with stable water parameters that are very close to the following: Ph 6 - 7.25, Temperature 68 - 75 and Hardness 2 - 10 dkh.

Lastly, the breeding aquarium must have a least one male and one female and given the correct water parameters they should have no trouble breeding. Females can be differentiated from male Tiger Shrimps as they will have a longer and wider tail section and be slightly larger overall.