Breeding Tiger Shrimp (A detailed experience)

There has be a lot of talk lately on a few of the message boards I frequent about difficulties breeding Tiger Shrimp (Caridina sp.).  Why are there so many people having trouble breeding this shrimp?

Like Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina heteropoda), Tiger Shrimp will live in most water conditions found in the home aquarium, but unlike Cherry Shrimp they will not breed prolifically in most conditions.

Optimal Tiger Shrimp Breeding Conditions:

•  pH between 6.0-6.5
• Moderately Soft Water
• Water Temperature between 72-75

Here is how I have one of my Tiger Shrimp breeding aquariums set up:

• 10 Gallon All Glass Aquarium
• 2” ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia II
• Oxygen Plus Bio Filter (Sponge Filter)
• Small piece of drift wood
• Java Ferns
• Assorted Mosses
• MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails)
•  Ramshorn Snails

Water Parameters:

• pH: 6.4
• Temp: 74
• Hardness: 2dkh

Care:

•  Weekly 10% water change
• Top off with Reverse Osmosis Water
• Feed once, sometimes twice, a day

Foods:

• Hikari Crab Cuisine
• Omega One Shrimp Pellets
• Blanched Vegetables
• 100% Spirulina Flakes

I have found that when Tiger Shrimp are kept in optimal conditions that breeding will occur freely, and often.  All of my shrimp are fed small amounts of food daily, and sometimes twice a day.  I believe that a continuous, reliable food source speeds up the breeding and growth of all shrimp, including the Tiger Shrimp.

In my experience it takes a little less than 2 months for a Tiger Shrimp to fully mature, and in an experiment I conducted (Birth to Berry – Tiger Shrimp Edition) it took exactly 41 days.

Helpful Resources:
- Tiger Shrimp
- Birth to Berry – Tiger Shrimp Edition

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1. Redder Red Cherry Shrimp
2. Hikari Shrimp Cuisine – A review