TankBud

Ninja shrimp

Caridina serratirostris

Also known as Batik ninja shrimp, Christmas shrimp

FreshwaterShrimp

Ninja shrimp (Caridina serratirostris)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
1.2 in
3 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Atyidae
Origin
Coastal streams from East Africa across the Indo-Pacific

Overview

The ninja shrimp is a small, peaceful grazer for the bottom of a planted freshwater tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The ninja shrimp's name fits its trick. When startled, it darts off and can change color in seconds, cycling through reds, browns and near-black. The shift helps it blend into the streambed and slip a predator's eye.

Caring for the ninja shrimp

Keep ninja shrimp as a group in a planted or hardscaped nano tank of 5 gal (20 L) or more. Buy a handful so they feel secure, since they are sociable and settle better in numbers. Plenty of hiding places, some botanicals and gentle to moderate flow suit them.

Hold the water warm, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), and slightly acidic to slightly alkaline at a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Keep it clean and stable in a mature tank.

Ninja shrimp spend the day working over rock, wood and leaf litter for algae and biofilm. Feed a staple shrimp food, plus the odd blanched vegetable and a little frozen food. They pose no threat to plants or calm tank mates. Keep them only with small, gentle fish or other shrimp, nothing large enough to hunt them.

Ninja shrimp are amphidromous, which makes breeding hard in captivity. The larvae hatch in fresh water but need brackish conditions to develop. An ordinary freshwater tank does not produce a self-sustaining colony.

Good to know

The ninja shrimp is Caridina serratirostris, a member of Atyidae, the dwarf shrimp family. It is also sold as the batik ninja shrimp or Christmas shrimp. Nearly all of the ninja shrimp in the trade are still wild caught.

In the wild

Ninja shrimp live in lowland coastal streams from East Africa across the Indo-Pacific. They shelter in soft cover of leaf litter, roots and stones, close to where fresh water meets the tide.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The ninja shrimp is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a ninja shrimp need?

A ninja shrimp needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a ninja shrimp need?

A ninja shrimp is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a ninja shrimp eat?

A ninja shrimp works over rock, wood and leaf litter for algae and biofilm. Feed it a staple shrimp food, plus the odd blanched vegetable and a little frozen food.

How big does a ninja shrimp get?

An adult ninja shrimp reaches about 1.2 in (3 cm).

How does a ninja shrimp breed?

Ninja shrimp larvae hatch in fresh water but need brackish conditions to develop. A freshwater tank will not produce a self-sustaining colony, so breeding them is hard.

Related species