Can Variatus Platy live with Red Rili Shrimp?
Caution — with care
Why
- Variatus Platy is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Red Rili 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.
- Variatus Platy is roughly twice the length of Red Rili Shrimp. Adults are usually left alone in a well-planted tank, but the odd one gets taken.
- Variatus Platy will eat Red Rili Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
Sweet spot: both do well at 65–77°F and pH 7–7.8 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Variatus Platy | Red Rili Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 65–77°F | 65–78°F |
| pH | 7–8.2 | 6.5–7.8 |
| Hardness (GH) | 10–25 dGH | 4–14 dGH |
| Adult size | 2.75" | 1" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 15 gal | 5 gal |
Together, plan on at least 15 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 · GH remineraliser
Where to buy
- Red Rili 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 Variatus Platy, Red Rili Shrimp →Everything compatible with Variatus Platy · …with Red Rili Shrimp