Short-nose algae shrimp

Caridina longirostris

Also known as Long-nose shrimp, Red nose algae shrimp

FreshwaterBrackishShrimp

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.8–8.0
Adult size: 1.4 in (3.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 5 gal (20 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Coastal streams across the Indo-Pacific
Family: Atyidae

Overview

The short-nose algae shrimp is a peaceful, hard-working grazer for a community or planted tank. It is social and looks best as a group, so buy the numbers you want up front, because the colony will not grow on its own. It spends its time picking algae and biofilm from surfaces and is one of the better shrimp for tackling tough algae, including black brush algae. Keep it with small, gentle fish that will not eat it, and feed a shrimp staple plus vegetables and a little frozen food to fill the gaps. A tank of around 20 liters or more suits a small troop; a touch of mineral hardness keeps it in good shape.

In the wild

This shrimp lives where lowland coastal streams meet tidal influence across the Indo-Pacific, so it takes both fresh and lightly brackish water. In the aquarium plain fresh water is fine, though a little mineral hardness helps. Give it a mature tank with algae-covered rock and wood, gentle to moderate flow, and stable conditions at 23–28 C and around pH 6.8–8.0.

Good to know

Caridina longirostris is an atyid shrimp reaching about 3.5 centimeters, from the dwarf shrimp family. Like other coastal atyids it is amphidromous, and that makes breeding hard: the larvae need brackish water to develop before returning to fresh, so a normal tank yields no lasting colony. Its rostrum, the spike between the eyes, varies noticeably from one animal to the next.

Did you know

The trade cannot agree on its nose. The same shrimp is sold as both short-nose and long-nose depending on the batch, because the length of the rostrum varies more from individual to individual than the two names suggest.

Tank mates

Short-nose algae shrimp is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.