A small, bold, translucent-amber dwarf shrimp from Sulawesi that — unlike the famous Sulawesi cardinal/lake shrimp — comes from flowing rivers and springs, not the hot, hard, alkaline crater lakes. That riverine origin makes it one of the hardiest and most beginner-friendly Caridina available, tolerating ordinary freshwater parameters and breeding readily without brackish larvae.
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Educational only. KinStation content is reviewed by licensed veterinarians but cannot replace an in-person exam. Always consult a licensed veterinarian or board-certified specialist for diagnosis, treatment, or any decision affecting your pet's health.
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Small — adults about 1.5-3 cm (0.6-1.2 in); slim, translucent amber body.
Lifespan
1–2 years
Social needs
group
Native region
Rivers, streams and springs of Sulawesi, Indonesia (freshwater, not the alkaline lakes)
Origin
Old World
Climate
🌴 Tropical
Water type
💧 Freshwater
Family
Atyidae
Genus
Caridina
Part of the Freshwater shrimp
Small atyid and palaemonid shrimp kept in planted aquariums as peaceful algae-grazers and colorful colony animals. Care ranges from beginner-friendly Neocaridina to demanding species like the Sulawesi shrimp that need precise, stable water chemistry.
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Larva
Most marine invertebrates hatch into microscopic planktonic larvae (such as the zoea of crustaceans or the bipinnaria/veliger of echinoderms and mollusks) that drift and feed in the water column. The larva looks nothing like the adult and undergoes major reorganization.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
After settling out of the plankton, the juvenile takes on a recognizable miniature of the adult body plan — a tiny shell, a small star, or a translucent shrimp. Crustaceans grow by molting, shedding the exoskeleton to enlarge.
Photo coming soon
Adult
Adults reach full size and reproductive maturity with the species' mature shell, shape, or coloration. Many continue to molt or grow throughout life, and some show sex differences in size or claw/appendage shape.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Natural
Amber / Yellow-cheek (typical)
The single natural form: a small, mostly translucent amber-to-tan body, often with a faint yellowish cheek/cephalothorax tint. No bred color morphs exist.
Habitat & enclosure
A cycled, planted tank of 20 L (5 gal) or more comfortably holds a colony. Despite its Sulawesi name it is a soft-to-moderate freshwater shrimp, NOT a hard-alkaline lake specialist like Caridina dennerli: temperature 21-28 C (70-82 F), pH 6.5-7.8, GH 4-15, KH 1-10, with stable, clean, copper-free water and gentle flow. Mosses, floating plants and leaf litter give grazing surfaces and cover.
It is native to the rivers, mountain streams and springs of Sulawesi, Indonesia (notably the Malawa spring near Tjamba) — flowing freshwater habitats, distinct from the island's deep alkaline lakes.
Substrate
Inert substrate (sand, fine gravel) is preferred — unlike crystal/bee shrimp it does NOT need an active buffering soil. A mature, biofilm-rich layer with mosses and leaf litter feeds shrimplets and adults alike.
Equipment & setup
A gently filtered, heated nano tank is enough: a sponge or guarded intake to protect tiny shrimp, a heater for stable tropical temperature, and modest light to grow grazable plants and biofilm. No special hard-water remineralizing or active soil is required, unlike true Sulawesi lake shrimp.
Diet
An algae and biofilm grazer that works the tank constantly and helps control soft film and detritus. In a mature tank supplement with shrimp pellets, blanched vegetables, algae wafers and leaf litter; it is not fussy, but a biofilm-rich tank keeps a colony thriving and breeding.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful, fearless and active — it roams openly rather than hiding, which makes a busy colony fun to watch. Keep 10+ for natural behavior. Plant-safe and a good nano cleanup crew, but shrimplets are eaten by most fish, so pair only with tiny peaceful nano fish, snails or keep species-only. It does not interbreed with other dwarf shrimp, so it can share a community tank without muddying other lines.
Health
Hardy, but like all dwarf shrimp it is highly sensitive to copper, which is lethal even in tiny concentrations — avoid copper medications, untested fertilizers and copper plumbing. Stable GH and steady minerals are needed for clean molting; avoid large sudden water changes that swing parameters. Drip-acclimate slowly. (Educational only, not a substitute for advice from an aquatic veterinarian.)
Tips, DIY & hacks
Drip-acclimate over 30-60 minutes. Do not confuse it with hard-alkaline Sulawesi lake shrimp — it wants ordinary stable freshwater, not hot high-pH lake water. A settled colony breeds on its own with no special setup, since young develop directly in freshwater; keep GH steady and feed sparingly for steady growth.
Reviewed and signed off by: KinStation Editorial — pre-launch draft (pending DVM review) on 2026-06-09