Can Swordtail live with Tangerine Tiger Shrimp?
Not recommended
Why
- Swordtail is 5.5× the length of Tangerine Tiger 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 Tangerine Tiger 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 pH: Swordtail wants 7–8.4 but Tangerine Tiger Shrimp wants 5.8–6.8.
- No overlapping water hardness: Swordtail wants 12–30 dGH but Tangerine Tiger Shrimp wants 3–6 dGH.
Side-by-side
| Swordtail | Tangerine Tiger Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 72–82°F | 68–76°F |
| pH | 7–8.4 | 5.8–6.8 |
| Hardness (GH) | 12–30 dGH | 3–6 dGH |
| Adult size | 5.5" | 1" |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 29 gal | 5 gal |
Together, plan on at least 29 gallons.
Compatible alternatives
Instead of Swordtail (to keep Tangerine Tiger Shrimp):
- Black Molly — 4", peaceful
- Molly — 4", peaceful
- Thick-lipped Gourami — 3.5", peaceful
Instead of Tangerine Tiger Shrimp (to keep Swordtail):
- Ghost Shrimp — 1.5", peaceful
- Bamboo / Wood Shrimp — 3.5", peaceful buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
- Vampire Shrimp — 6", peaceful buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
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 Swordtail, Tangerine Tiger Shrimp →Everything compatible with Swordtail · …with Tangerine Tiger Shrimp