Can Crystal Red Shrimp live with Sailfin Molly?
Not recommended
Why
- Sailfin Molly is 5.0× the length of Crystal Red Shrimp — easily mouth-sized, and anything that fits in the mouth is a predator.
- Sailfin Molly is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Crystal Red 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.
- No overlapping pH: Crystal Red Shrimp wants 5.8–6.8 but Sailfin Molly wants 7.5–8.5.
- No overlapping water hardness: Crystal Red Shrimp wants 3–6 dGH but Sailfin Molly wants 12–30 dGH.
Side-by-side
| Crystal Red Shrimp | Sailfin Molly | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 68–76°F | 68–82°F |
| pH | 5.8–6.8 | 7.5–8.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 3–6 dGH | 12–30 dGH |
| Adult size | 1" | 5" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 5 gal | 30 gal |
Together, plan on at least 30 gallons.
Compatible alternatives
Instead of Crystal Red Shrimp (to keep Sailfin Molly):
- Ghost Shrimp — 1.5", peaceful
- Bamboo / Wood Shrimp — 3.5", peaceful buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
- Vampire Shrimp — 6", peaceful buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
Instead of Sailfin Molly (to keep Crystal Red Shrimp):
- Black Molly — 4", peaceful
- Molly — 4", peaceful
- Thick-lipped Gourami — 3.5", peaceful
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 Crystal Red Shrimp, Sailfin Molly →Everything compatible with Crystal Red Shrimp · …with Sailfin Molly