TANGERINE TIGER SHRIMP (Caridina Serrata)

The Tangerine Tiger Shrimp is a naturally occurring species that hails from China. Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are light orange to yellow-orange in appearance with brown spotting on the top of their body and striping on the side of their body. Their coloring is somewhat translucent, but still very bright and consistent. Sexing Tangerine Tiger Shrimp can be somewhat difficult until the shrimp begin to mature. Female shrimp have slightly larger tails and display a “saddle” formation on the upper body, behind the head, where eggs are stored before fertilization. When female shrimp are “berried”, or have eggs ready for fertilization, the saddle shape will appear more prominent. Once the shrimp are fully-grown the males will be smaller than the females.

Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are tolerant to a fairly wide range of water parameters, making them excellent for pairing with other species. As long as the shrimp are acclimated properly to your chosen parameters and are not subjected to extreme changes in temperature or acidity, they are adaptable and resilient. The ideal water parameters are 62°-78° F with 6 to 8 pH. However, as mentioned, you may keep them outside of these parameters as long as the shrimp are protected from extreme or frequent fluctuations.

Tangerine Tiger Shrimp will feed off of algae, biofilm, and plant waste that naturally builds up, especially in a planted tank. Supplemental feeding once per day or every other day may be necessary depending on how many shrimp are in your tank. Be sure to remove any excess food that is left after feeding, as this can increase ammonia and nitrite levels. Excess food means that the shrimp are being overfed, which can damage their health and even kill them. When your shrimp molt out of their shell, make sure to leave the shells in the tank. They provide the necessary calcium in the shrimp’s diet.

Tangerine Tiger Shrimp males are aggressive breeders, and while they won’t breed with Neocaridinas, they will try to breed with other Caridinas species. Once the shrimp reach maturity, and if there are males and females present, they should breed naturally and frequently. It is recommended to purchase 8-10 shrimp to ensure that there are enough male-female pairs for successful breeding. When female shrimp have eggs available for fertilization, they will molt and release pheromones that the male shrimp respond to with frenzy. Once the shrimp breed, the eggs will gestate for about 2 weeks. The shrimp fry will feed from the same food sources as their parents. Keep in mind that if you are keeping shrimp with other species of fish, or possibly aggressive shrimp species, this may affect reproduction. If the shrimp feel threatened or don’t have places in your tank to hide they may not breed.

Tangerine Tiger Shrimp are a great addition to any shrimp hobbyist’s aquarium, whether it is long established or just beginning. These shrimp are easy to care for and make a great match with many other species of fish and shrimp. If you want to enjoy an active shrimp that is gaining popularity, the Tangerine Tiger Shrimp is a great choice.