An eye-catching, nearly transparent dwarf shrimp distinguished by a long, upturned red 'horn' (rostrum) that gives it its rhino and red-nose names. Peaceful, active and a tireless grazer, it tolerates fresh water in the display but is naturally a brackish-water species whose larvae need brackish conditions to develop — so it does not breed easily in a standard freshwater tank.
ℹ️
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.
🩺 Need expert help with your red nose shrimp?
Connect with a specialist near you or ask a licensed vet — never substitute online guidance for hands-on care in an emergency.
Adults about 3.5-4 cm (1.4-1.6 in), much of that a long, spike-like red rostrum.
Lifespan
1–2 years
Social needs
group
Native region
Indo-Pacific coastal fresh/brackish waters (Japan and Fiji through Indonesia to Madagascar)
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
Red Nose (typical)
The single natural form: a translucent, glass-clear body topped by a long, upturned red rostrum — the 'horn' that earns the rhino and red-nose names. No bred color morphs exist.
Habitat & enclosure
Keep a group in a cycled, planted tank of 40 L (10 gal) or more with gentle flow and plenty of plants, mosses and biofilm to graze. It is adaptable in the display: temperature 20-28 C (68-82 F), pH 6.5-7.5, GH and TDS in the moderate range, with stable, clean, copper-free water; it actually appreciates slightly harder, mineral-rich water given its brackish origins. Provide cover, as the translucent body makes it shy.
It has a wide Indo-Pacific native range, from Japan and Fiji through Indonesia to Madagascar, in coastal fresh and brackish waters near river mouths.
Substrate
Inert sand or fine gravel suits it; no active buffering soil is required. A mature, biofilm-rich layer with mosses and leaf litter provides the constant grazing it prefers and gives the shy, translucent shrimp places to feel secure.
Equipment & setup
A gently filtered, heated nano-to-small tank is enough: a sponge or guarded intake to protect small shrimp, a heater for stable tropical temperature, and modest light to grow grazable biofilm and plants. Serious breeding additionally requires a separate brackish larval setup, which most keepers do not attempt.
Diet
An omnivorous grazer of algae, biofilm and detritus that picks constantly over plants, decor and substrate. In a mature tank supplement with shrimp pellets, blanched vegetables, algae wafers and leaf litter so it stays well fed, since lean tanks leave it foraging for scraps.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful, social and best in groups of 6-10+, where it grazes openly and the red rostrums make a striking display. Plant-safe and harmless to tankmates, but its near-transparency makes it skittish, and shrimplets (and adults) are prey for most fish, so pair only with tiny peaceful nano fish, snails or keep species-only. The spiky rostrum can regenerate if it breaks.
Health
Extremely sensitive to copper, which is lethal in trace amounts — never use copper-based medications or untested fertilizers. Like all shrimp it relies on stable GH and minerals to molt cleanly; sudden water-parameter swings cause failed molts. Note this is a brackish-water species: it lives fine in freshwater but its larvae will not survive to settle without brackish water, so 'berried' females in a freshwater tank rarely yield surviving young. Drip-acclimate slowly. (Educational only, not a substitute for advice from an aquatic veterinarian.)
Tips, DIY & hacks
Drip-acclimate over 30-60 minutes. Keep it for its looks and grazing rather than as a breeding project — successful reproduction needs a dedicated brackish larval tank, so most aquarists treat colonies as non-breeding. Give it groups and cover so the shy, glass-clear shrimp comes out and grazes confidently.
Reviewed and signed off by: KinStation Editorial — pre-launch draft (pending DVM review) on 2026-06-09