Dalmatian shrimp - Caridina serrata

Caridina serrata "Dalmatian" comes from southern China. The small dark brown to black dots on the body of the wild colored dwarf shrimp are really somewhat reminiscent of a Dalmatian. The Dalmatian shrimp is also known as Stardust shrimp. Otherwise, the interesting shrimp are more or less transparent. The females grow with about 2-3 cm body length a little bit bigger than the males and have further down extended belly pockets.

The Dalmatian shrimp could be very interesting especially for breeders - hybrids with Caridina cantonensis and Caridina logemanni or Caridina mariae could turn out very interesting. But also in a species-pure group-keeping this beautiful wild form makes a very good figure.

Caridina serrata are the namesakes of the species group around Caridina serrata and thus very closely related to bee shrimp and tiger shr imp. In nature, the Dalmatian shrimp is found in small streams in southern China with soft water. A so-called bee setup is therefore just right for the Dalmatian shrimp: Active Soil or neutral gravel, soft, slightly acidic water and preferably a carbonate hardness of 0-1 dKH. With osmosis water or fully demineralized water and an appropriate hardening salt for bee shrimp and other soft water shrimp you do everything right. Humic substances should also not be missing in the aquarium water. A water temperature of 25 °C should not be exceeded for a longer period of time, for hot summers you might need an aquarium cooler for your aquarium with Caridina serrata.

In an aquarium from 20 liters an initial stock of 10-20 of the finely dotted crawlers feels very well. Caridina serrata "Dalmatian" does not necessarily need a particularly dense planting in the aquarium - in nature the shrimps live in rather bare habitats. Of course, the dwarf shrimp still enjoy surfaces that they can graze on. This of course includes plant leaves or moss threads! From these surfaces they eat the finest algae coatings, diatoms, microalgae and biofilms of bacteria and other microorganisms.

Hiding places like shrimp tubes and other hiding places are mainly used more by young Dalmatian shrimp, which like to retreat after molting to harden up again in peace. Nice dense moss cushions and generally a good structure in the aquarium, designed with roots and stones, offer Dalmatian shrimp not only surfaces to graze on but also shelter and hiding places.

Caridina serrata "Dalmatians" are peaceful dwarf shrimp that are fun to watch. Like all dwarf shrimp, the Dalmatian shrimp, as a sociable group animal, needs the company of at least 10 to 20 conspecifics in the aquarium. Because Caridina serrata can reproduce in the aquarium, the group will grow larger all by itself over time  

The Dalmatian shrimp is not very assertive against other dwarf shrimp, which reproduce very quickly. Therefore it is best to keep them in a species tank. Important: These shrimp can probably interbreed with bee shrimp, tiger shrimp, Taiwan Bees, Tangerine Tiger and other Caridina species from the serrata group - but there is no practical experience about this yet, because the Dalmatian shrimp is still very new in the hobby.

You can socialize the Dalmatian shrimp with very small, peaceful fish or soft water tolerant snails, if the water conditions allow this socialization. Because of the absolute rarity of the Dalmatian Dwarf Shrimp in the aquaristics we plead here however decidedly for a species tank!

Caridina serrata "Dalmatian" belongs to the specialized reproduction type, which means that their young grow up in fresh water without any problems. The adults do not strongly pursue the offspring, so the baby shrimp can be raised in the parent aquarium. After successful mating with one or more males, the females of the Dalmatian shrimp carry about 15 to 30 clearly visible brownish eggs under their abdomen on their webbed feet. After 3-4 weeks of brood care (the exact duration depends on the temperature) the young of the Dalmatian shrimp hatch.

As omnivorous dwarf shrimp in the aquarium, Dalmatian shrimp are absolutely perfect waste recyclers. In addition to biofilms, algae growth and plant remains, some brown autumn leaves or sea almond tree leaves have proven useful for Caridina serrata in the aquarium. In addition, the beautiful finely patterned small shrimps like to take high quality shrimp food with many vegetable parts (like our NatureHolic Mainfeed) and as a protein supplement once or twice a week a protein food suitable for dwarf shrimps like the NatureHolic Proteinfeed. Dust foods or food pastes for shrimp (shrimp pudding) are also readily eaten by Dalmatian shrimp.

Our food recommendation: NatureHolic's soft mainfeed softpads are designed for daily feeding. They contain all the nutrients shrimp need for shell development, egg formation and growth. During the production we pay attention to a gentle and environmentally friendly production, which preserves the vitamins and other valuable ingredients as much as possible.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planaria and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.