Can Blue Phantom Pleco live with Yellow Neocaridina Shrimp?
Caution — with care
Why
- Blue Phantom Pleco is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Yellow Neocaridina 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.
- Blue Phantom Pleco is much larger than Yellow Neocaridina Shrimp but is not a shrimp hunter — it may take a shrimplet or clean up a moult. Adults are safe with cover.
- Only a narrow water hardness overlap — keep both around 5.5–7 dGH.
Sweet spot: both do well at 75–78°F and pH 6.5–7.6 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Blue Phantom Pleco | Yellow Neocaridina Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 75–82°F | 65–78°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.6 | 6.5–7.8 |
| Hardness (GH) | 5.5–7 dGH | 4–14 dGH |
| Adult size | 7" | 1" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 55 gal | 5 gal |
Together, plan on at least 55 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: A larger tank · GH remineraliser
Where to buy
- Yellow Neocaridina 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 Blue Phantom Pleco, Yellow Neocaridina Shrimp →Everything compatible with Blue Phantom Pleco · …with Yellow Neocaridina Shrimp