Can Otocinclus Catfish live with Cardinal Shrimp?
Caution — with care
Why
- Almost no shared temperature: Otocinclus Catfish wants 72–79°F and Cardinal Shrimp wants 79–84°F, so only 79°F suits both — too fine a margin to actually hold.
- Otocinclus Catfish will eat Cardinal Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
- Only a narrow pH overlap — keep both around 7.5–7.5.
- Only a narrow water hardness overlap — keep both around 8–10 dGH.
Sweet spot: both do well at 79–79°F and pH 7.5–7.5 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Otocinclus Catfish | Cardinal Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 72–79°F | 79–84°F |
| pH | 6–7.5 | 7.5–8.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 2–10 dGH | 8–18 dGH |
| Adult size | 1.5" | 0.8" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 10 gal | 15 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.
- Target the overlapping water-parameter range and acclimate slowly.
Sort it with: An adjustable heater · GH remineraliser
Where to buy
- Otocinclus Catfish: 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 Otocinclus Catfish, Cardinal Shrimp →Everything compatible with Otocinclus Catfish · …with Cardinal Shrimp