Can Painted Fire Red Shrimp live with Zebra Pleco?
Caution — with care
Why
- Zebra Pleco is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Painted Fire Red 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.
- No overlapping temperature: Painted Fire Red Shrimp wants 65–75°F but Zebra Pleco wants 79–86°F.
- Zebra Pleco is much larger than Painted Fire Red Shrimp but is not a shrimp hunter — it may take a shrimplet or clean up a moult. Adults are safe with cover.
- Zebra Pleco will eat Painted Fire Red Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
- Only a narrow water hardness overlap — keep both around 6–6 dGH.
Side-by-side
| Painted Fire Red Shrimp | Zebra Pleco | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 65–75°F | 79–86°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.8 | 6–7.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 6–15 dGH | 2–6 dGH |
| Adult size | 1.5" | 3.5" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 10 gal | 30 gal |
Together, plan on at least 30 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 · A larger tank · GH remineraliser
Where to buy
- Painted Fire Red 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
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Design a tank with Painted Fire Red Shrimp, Zebra Pleco →Everything compatible with Painted Fire Red Shrimp · …with Zebra Pleco