Can Red Claw Crab live with Cardinal Shrimp?
Not recommended
Why
- Red Claw Crab hunts shrimp and is 3.1× the length of Cardinal Shrimp — it will eat them.
- Red Claw Crab is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Cardinal 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.
- Red Claw Crab will eat Cardinal Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
Side-by-side
| Red Claw Crab | Cardinal Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 75–82°F | 79–84°F |
| pH | 7.5–8.5 | 7.5–8.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 15–25 dGH | 8–18 dGH |
| Adult size | 2.5" | 0.8" |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 15 gal | 15 gal |
Together, plan on at least 15 gallons.
Compatible alternatives
Instead of Red Claw Crab (to keep Cardinal Shrimp):
- Fiddler Crab — 2", peaceful
- Carnival / Polka Dot Freshwater Crab — 1.5", peaceful
- Purple Vampire Crab — 1.5", semi-aggressive
Instead of Cardinal Shrimp (to keep Red Claw Crab):
- Blue Tiger Shrimp — 1.2", peaceful
- Chocolate Shrimp — 1", peaceful
- Orange Eye Blue Tiger Shrimp — 1.2", peaceful
Design the whole tank, not just the stocking
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Design a tank with Red Claw Crab, Cardinal Shrimp →Everything compatible with Red Claw Crab · …with Cardinal Shrimp