Can Cherry Shrimp live with Royal Pleco?
Caution — with care
Why
- Royal Pleco is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Cherry Shrimp colony. It may well be fine — it simply has not been confirmed by a source, and an unverified guess is not worth the colony.
- Royal Pleco is much larger than Cherry Shrimp but is not a shrimp hunter — it may take a shrimplet or clean up a moult. Adults are safe with cover.
Sweet spot: both do well at 73–78°F and pH 6.5–7.5 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Cherry Shrimp | Royal Pleco | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 65–78°F | 73–82°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.8 | 6.5–7.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 4–14 dGH | 4–12 dGH |
| Adult size | 1" | 17" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 5 gal | 120 gal |
Together, plan on at least 120 gallons.
How to make it work
- Keep a large, established shrimp colony in a heavily planted tank with moss and cover so enough survive to breed.
Sort it with: A larger tank
Where to buy
- Cherry Shrimp: buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
Live-animal shipping: add a heat pack below 50°F, expect weather holds above 90°F, and schedule delivery for a moderate week when someone can receive it promptly.
Design the whole tank, not just the stocking
Skapelab plans a complete, buildable planted aquarium around your fish — a hand-illustrated layout, the exact plants and hardscape, a placement map, and a full equipment and shopping list. Free.
Design a tank with Cherry Shrimp, Royal Pleco →Everything compatible with Cherry Shrimp · …with Royal Pleco