Can Cherry Shrimp live with Tiger Barb?
Caution — with care
Why
- Tiger Barb 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.
- Tiger Barb is recorded as taking adult shrimp and is 2.8× the length of Cherry Shrimp. Dense cover helps and some individuals ignore them, but expect losses.
- Tiger Barb will eat Cherry Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
Sweet spot: both do well at 74–78°F and pH 6.5–7.8 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Cherry Shrimp | Tiger Barb | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 65–78°F | 74–82°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.8 | 6–8 |
| Hardness (GH) | 4–14 dGH | 4–15 dGH |
| Adult size | 1" | 2.75" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Semi-aggressive |
| Min tank | 5 gal | 20 gal |
Together, plan on at least 20 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.
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, Tiger Barb →Everything compatible with Cherry Shrimp · …with Tiger Barb