Can Cardinal Shrimp live with Swordtail?
Not recommended
Why
- Swordtail is 6.9× the length of Cardinal Shrimp — easily mouth-sized, and anything that fits in the mouth is a predator.
- Swordtail 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.
Side-by-side
| Cardinal Shrimp | Swordtail | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 79–84°F | 72–82°F |
| pH | 7.5–8.5 | 7–8.4 |
| Hardness (GH) | 8–18 dGH | 12–30 dGH |
| Adult size | 0.8" | 5.5" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Semi-aggressive |
| Min tank | 15 gal | 29 gal |
Together, plan on at least 29 gallons.
Compatible alternatives
Instead of Cardinal Shrimp (to keep Swordtail):
- Blue Tiger Shrimp — 1.2", peaceful
- Orange Eye Blue Tiger Shrimp — 1.2", peaceful
- Oolong Shrimp — 1.2", peaceful
Instead of Swordtail (to keep Cardinal Shrimp):
- Thick-lipped Gourami — 3.5", peaceful
- Noble Gourami — 3", peaceful
- Variatus Platy — 2.75", 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 Cardinal Shrimp, Swordtail →Everything compatible with Cardinal Shrimp · …with Swordtail