Shrimp-safe fish

Small, peaceful fish and snails that share a cherry shrimp tank. Even shrimp-safe fish may eat a few shrimplets; dense moss or plants keep the colony growing.

Neon tetra

Scroll sideways to see them all. All drawn at one scale, adult size: = 1 inch. Tap one to open its care page.

Neon tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.6 in adult
10+ gal
70–79 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Platy

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2.5 in adult
10+ gal
70–80 °F
pH 7 to 8.2
groups of 3+

Harlequin rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
72–81 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 8+

Zebra danio

Peaceful · Top · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
64–77 °F
pH 6.5 to 8
groups of 6+

Cardinal tetra

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1.2 in adult
20+ gal
73–81 °F
pH 5 to 7
groups of 8+

Ember tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.2 in adult
10+ gal
73–84 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 8+

Honey gourami

Peaceful · Top · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
alone or pair

Otocinclus

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

2 in adult
20+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Panda corydoras

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

2 in adult
15+ gal
68–77 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Chili rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

0.8 in adult
5+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 5 to 7
groups of 8+

Celestial pearl danio

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1 in adult
10+ gal
72–78 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

White cloud mountain minnow

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.5 in adult
10+ gal
64–72 °F
pH 6 to 8
groups of 6+

Endler's livebearer

Peaceful · Top · easy care

1.8 in adult
10+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 7 to 8
groups of 3+

Cherry barb

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2 in adult
20+ gal
73–81 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Pygmy corydoras

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1 in adult
10+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 8
groups of 6+

Rummy-nose tetra

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

2 in adult
20+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 7
groups of 8+

Black neon tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.5 in adult
10+ gal
73–81 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Glowlight tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.5 in adult
10+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

American flagfish

Semi-aggressive · Middle · easy care

2.5 in adult
20+ gal
65–79 °F
pH 6.5 to 8.5
alone or pair

Asian stone catfish

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

1.6 in adult
10+ gal
64–75 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.5
groups of 3+

Bandit corydoras

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

1.9 in adult
20+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 7
groups of 6+

Black phantom tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.8 in adult
15+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Black-barred limia

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

2 in adult
20+ gal
75–79 °F
pH 7 to 8.5
groups of 5+

Bleeding heart tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2.4 in adult
20+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Bloodfin tetra

Peaceful · Top · easy care

2.2 in adult
20+ gal
65–82 °F
pH 6 to 8
groups of 6+

Brilliant rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2 in adult
20+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 5.5 to 7
groups of 8+

Bumblebee catfish

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

2.4 in adult
20+ gal
70–77 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
alone or pair

Checker barb

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2 in adult
20+ gal
64–77 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Clown killifish

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

1.4 in adult
5+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 5.5 to 7
groups of 4+

Coral red pencilfish

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1.1 in adult
10+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 5 to 7
groups of 8+

Diamond tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2.4 in adult
20+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Dwarf chain loach

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

2.5 in adult
20+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Dwarf corydoras

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1.4 in adult
10+ gal
68–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 8+

Dwarf pencilfish

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1.4 in adult
10+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Dwarf rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1 in adult
5+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 5 to 7
groups of 8+

Emperor tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2 in adult
20+ gal
73–81 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Exclamation point rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

0.6 in adult
5+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 7
groups of 8+

Flame tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1 in adult
10+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Forktail blue-eye rainbowfish

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

2 in adult
10+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 7 to 8
groups of 6+

GloFish danio

Peaceful · Top · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
64–77 °F
pH 6.5 to 8
groups of 6+

Glowlight danio

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.5 in adult
15+ gal
66–75 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Head and tail light tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.8 in adult
15+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.8
groups of 6+

Julii corydoras

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

2.5 in adult
20+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 8
groups of 6+

Kerri tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.1 in adult
20+ gal
75–81 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Kubotai rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

0.8 in adult
10+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 8+

Lambchop rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.2 in adult
10+ gal
73–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 8+

Least killifish

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.2 in adult
5+ gal
64–80 °F
pH 7 to 8
groups of 6+

Lemon tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2 in adult
20+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 8
groups of 6+

Leopard frog pleco

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

2.4 in adult
20+ gal
77–84 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
alone or pair

Lyretail killifish

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

2.4 in adult
10+ gal
70–79 °F
pH 5.5 to 7
groups of 3+

Marbled hatchetfish

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

1.5 in adult
20+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 7
groups of 6+

Medaka

Peaceful · Top · easy care

1.5 in adult
10+ gal
65–82 °F
pH 6.5 to 8
groups of 6+

Odessa barb

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2.5 in adult
29+ gal
68–79 °F
pH 6 to 8
groups of 6+

Penguin tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2.4 in adult
20+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Phoenix rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

0.8 in adult
5+ gal
74–82 °F
pH 5 to 7
groups of 8+

Pitbull pleco

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

1.6 in adult
20+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 3+

Red neon blue-eye

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

1.2 in adult
10+ gal
74–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Red phantom tetra

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1.3 in adult
15+ gal
68–77 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Rosy tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.3 in adult
15+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Ruby tetra

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

1 in adult
10+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 5 to 7
groups of 8+

Salt-and-pepper corydoras

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

1 in adult
10+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Scarlet badis

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

0.8 in adult
10+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.8
one male per tank

Serpae tetra

Semi-aggressive · Middle · easy care

1.6 in adult
20+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Silvertip tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

2 in adult
20+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 6 to 8
groups of 6+

Sparkling gourami

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

1.6 in adult
10+ gal
76–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
alone or pair

Spotted blue-eye

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

1 in adult
10+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Threadfin rainbowfish

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

2 in adult
20+ gal
73–84 °F
pH 6 to 7
groups of 6+

X-ray tetra

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

1.8 in adult
15+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 6 to 8
groups of 6+

Amano shrimp

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
68–80 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.5
groups of 3+

Zebra nerite snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

1 in adult
5+ gal
70–80 °F
pH 7 to 8.5
alone or pair

Mystery snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
68–82 °F
pH 7 to 8
alone or pair

African dwarf frog

Peaceful · All levels · moderate care

1.5 in adult
10+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 6.5 to 8
groups of 2+

Assassin snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

1 in adult
5+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 7 to 8
alone or pair

Bladder snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

0.6 in adult
5+ gal
64–82 °F
pH 7 to 8.5
alone or pair

Crystal red shrimp

Peaceful · Bottom · demanding care

1.2 in adult
10+ gal
62–76 °F
pH 5.8 to 7.4
groups of 10+

Dwarf orange crayfish

Semi-aggressive · Bottom · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
60–77 °F
pH 7 to 8
alone or pair

Ghost shrimp

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

2 in adult
5+ gal
65–80 °F
pH 7 to 8
groups of 3+

Horned nerite snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

0.5 in adult
5+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 7 to 8.5
alone or pair

Japanese trapdoor snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

2 in adult
10+ gal
60–80 °F
pH 7 to 8
alone or pair

Malaysian trumpet snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

1.2 in adult
5+ gal
64–86 °F
pH 7 to 8
alone or pair

Ramshorn snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

1 in adult
5+ gal
64–82 °F
pH 7 to 8
alone or pair

Thai micro crab

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

1 in adult
5+ gal
70–82 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.3
groups of 3+

More fish lists

Names, and adult sizes where the article gives one, are checked against Wikipedia; care ranges are common hobby guidance, and each species page says which is which. 68 of these 82 are fish. Photos are real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, credited below; the lineup is our own drawing at one scale.

Photo credits

Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.

Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Platy Monika Korzeniec, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Harlequin rasbora NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Zebra danio Roundish, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Otocinclus CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Endler's livebearer Dgrummon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cherry barb Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pygmy corydoras Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rummy-nose tetra PierangeloGatto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
American flagfish nat_t (iNaturalist), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bandit corydoras Gonzalo Valenzuela, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Black phantom tetra Krächz, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Black-barred limia Janet Cremetti, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bleeding heart tetra 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bloodfin tetra VGW2006, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Brilliant rasbora Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bumblebee catfish CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Checker barb Dodoni, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Clown killifish Dornenwolf, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Coral red pencilfish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Diamond tetra SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dwarf chain loach Stefan Maurer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dwarf corydoras AquariaNR, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Dwarf pencilfish Fanch from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dwarf rasbora R.workoran, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Emperor tetra 7TP (Krzysztof Bartosik), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Exclamation point rasbora R.workoran, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Flame tetra Igor Balashov (iNaturalist), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Forktail blue-eye rainbowfish Dirk Godlinski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GloFish danio Karol Głąb (Karol007), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Glowlight danio Melanochromis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Head and tail light tetra Deadlyballistics (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Julii corydoras Bob Jenkins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kerri tetra Juan R. Lascorz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kubotai rasbora BottomDog, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lambchop rasbora AverageWalrus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Least killifish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lemon tetra SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Leopard frog pleco Frank M Greco, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lyretail killifish Alexander Prokoshev, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Marbled hatchetfish Sven Kullander, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Medaka Seotaro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Odessa barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Penguin tetra Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Phoenix rasbora Andrewbogott, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pitbull pleco Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Red phantom tetra Tsunamicarlos (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Rosy tetra Aquakeeper14, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ruby tetra Thomas Siems, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scarlet badis ATuin-hek, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Serpae tetra Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Silvertip tetra Filtropat; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sparkling gourami BEDO (Thailand), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Spotted blue-eye Der Regenbogenfisch, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Threadfin rainbowfish NRJMelvinT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
X-ray tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Amano shrimp Stefanie Leuker, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Zebra nerite snail TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Mystery snail Gabriel Resende Veiga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
African dwarf frog Stuart Halliday, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Assassin snail Steffi Klee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bladder snail Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Crystal red shrimp DirkBlankenhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dwarf orange crayfish HellSpawn754, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ghost shrimp Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Horned nerite snail Obsidian Soul, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Japanese trapdoor snail Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Malaysian trumpet snail Buchling, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ramshorn snail Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Thai micro crab Sean Murray, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons