Can Cardinal Shrimp live with Yucatan Molly?
Not recommended
Why
- Yucatan Molly is 7.5× the length of Cardinal Shrimp — easily mouth-sized, and anything that fits in the mouth is a predator.
- Yucatan Molly 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 | Yucatan Molly | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 79–84°F | 72–82°F |
| pH | 7.5–8.5 | 7.5–8.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 8–18 dGH | 15–30 dGH |
| Adult size | 0.8" | 6" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 15 gal | 40 gal |
Together, plan on at least 40 gallons.
Compatible alternatives
Instead of Cardinal Shrimp (to keep Yucatan Molly):
- Black Rose Shrimp — 1.5", peaceful buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
- Carbon Rili Shrimp — 1.5", peaceful buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
- Painted Fire Red Shrimp — 1.5", peaceful buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
Instead of Yucatan Molly (to keep Cardinal Shrimp):
- Thick-lipped Gourami — 3.5", peaceful
- Noble Gourami — 3", peaceful
- Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) — 2.5", semi-aggressive
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, Yucatan Molly →Everything compatible with Cardinal Shrimp · …with Yucatan Molly