Red skunk shrimp

Caridina gracilirostris

Also known as Red rhinoceros shrimp, Red nose shrimp, Pinocchio shrimp, Red front shrimp

FreshwaterBrackishShrimp

Red skunk shrimp (Caridina gracilirostris) — Oorenotsoo · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.8–8.0
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 5 gal (20 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Origin: Coastal lowlands from India across Southeast Asia
Family: Atyidae

Overview

An unusual dwarf shrimp that swims in open water far more than it grazes the floor, hanging mid-tank with a bright red rostrum pointing forward. Keep a group of ten or more in a 20 liter tank with plants and moderate flow. It is peaceful and completely plant-safe. Feed a quality shrimp food and biofilm. The colony will not grow on its own, since the larvae need brackish water.

In the wild

Caridina gracilirostris lives in coastal lowland waters from India across Southeast Asia, in fresh to slightly brackish conditions near river mouths. Keep it at 23 to 28 degrees Celsius and pH 6.8 to 8.0, with some hardness. It is more sensitive to poor water than a cherry shrimp.

Good to know

Caridina gracilirostris reaches about 4 centimeters, with a long spike-like rostrum that gives it the alternate name rudolph shrimp. Females carry eggs, but the young hatch as planktonic larvae that require salt water to develop, so a freshwater colony cannot replace itself and stock has to be replaced from imports.