TankBud

Sunkist shrimp

Caridina thambipillai

Also known as Golden Sunset Shrimp, Mandarin Shrimp, Sunkist Orange Shrimp, Caridina cf. propinqua, Caridina propinqua

FreshwaterShrimp

Sunkist shrimp (Caridina thambipillai)
(c) Andrew Bogott, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.8–7.8
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
Family
Atyidae
Origin
Streams of Malaysia and Myanmar

Overview

The Sunkist shrimp is an easygoing orange grazer for a peaceful community or shrimp tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The Sunkist shrimp and the golden sunset shrimp are the same animal under two shop labels. It also turns up as the mandarin or orange shrimp, so the price and the name can change while the species does not.

Caring for the Sunkist shrimp

Keep Sunkist shrimp in a group, since they are social and look best in numbers. The colony will not replace itself, so buy as many as you mean to keep. A mature planted or botanical tank of 5 gal (20 L) or more, with hiding places and gentle flow, suits them.

Keep conditions steady at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.8 to 7.8. Hold water quality high and nitrate low, since they dislike dirty water. A clean, well-run tank keeps their orange color bright.

Sunkist shrimp graze algae and biofilm across the scape. Feed a quality shrimp food, with occasional vegetables and frozen treats.

They leave plants and calm tank mates alone, but anything large enough to eat a small shrimp will eat them. Their larvae need a brackish stage to develop, which makes breeding hard in a freshwater tank.

Good to know

The Sunkist shrimp, Caridina thambipillai, is an atyid from the dwarf shrimp family. For years it was sold under the wrong name, Caridina cf. propinqua. The shrimp specialist Werner Klotz sorted out its identity in 2011.

In the wild

The Sunkist shrimp works slow, leaf-strewn streams in Malaysia and Myanmar. It picks food from leaf litter and biofilm in soft to moderately mineralized water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Sunkist 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 Sunkist shrimp need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Sunkist shrimp need?

A Sunkist shrimp is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.8–7.8.

What does a Sunkist shrimp eat?

A Sunkist shrimp grazes algae and biofilm. Feed it a quality shrimp food, with occasional vegetables and frozen treats.

How big does a Sunkist shrimp get?

An adult Sunkist shrimp reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).

How does a Sunkist shrimp breed?

Sunkist shrimp larvae need a brackish stage to develop. That makes breeding hard in a freshwater tank, so a colony will not replace itself.

Related species