Orange rhino shrimp - Caridina brevicarpalis

The Orange Rhinoceros Shrimp, also called Yellow Stone Shr imp, is scientifically named Caridina brevicarpalis. This dwarf shrimp is closely related to Caridina endehensis from Sulawesi, but is still a separate species. The Orange Rhinoceros Shrimp is found in the wild on the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Waigeo, but also in Fiji and Taiwan. The Orange Rhinoceros Shrimp is very rarely imported, making it a beautiful rarity.

The Orange Rhinoceros Shrimp has an orange-yellowish coloration on a transparent background and a rather faint lighter dorsal stripe. In the wild red specimens are often found. The animals become with up to 4 cm body length quite large for a dwarf shrimp. Females have a somewhat more bulbous shape than the rather slender males, which remain somewhat smaller.

The wide distribution of the orange rhinoceros dwarf shrimp suggests that Caridina brevicarpalis is a shrimp with marine larval stages, whose larvae must be reared in brackish water similar to those of the amano shrimp. However, there are no reliable findings about the breeding in the aquarium yet.

In nature the orange rhinoceros shrimp lives in habitats with a rather high pH-value around 8, medium to hard water and a rather high water temperature. In the aquarium it also prefers medium to hard water, a neutral to slightly alkaline pH of 7.5 to 8 and a water temperature of 22 to 30°C. In principle, the keeping of the Orange Rhinoceros Shrimp can be guided by keeping tips for Neocaridina, which inhabit very similar habitats in nature.

The aquarium should be set up with a neutral aquarium substrate such as shrimp gravel. Roots and rocks provide plenty of surfaces for the Orange Rhinoceros Shrimp to graze. The size of the animals requires an aquarium edge length from 60 cm upwards.

The orange rhinoceros shrimp is an omnivore and does not like leftovers. It needs algae growth and biofilms in the aquarium, but also eats brown autumn leaves (which belong as permanent food in every shrimp aquarium anyway). Initially the shrimp will eat the biofilm on the leaves, and later the leaves themselves. Our NatureHolic shrimp food is also a very useful addition to the daily diet. Twice a week the Orange Rhinoceros Shrimp likes protein feed for shrimp, for example our NatureHolic Protein Feed.

Its size allows the Orange Rhino Shrimp to be socialized with peaceful fish and with other dwarf shrimp that prefer similar water conditions. It is a peaceful group animal, the Yellow Stone Dwarf Shrimp always needs the company of conspecifics to truly feel at home. Crayfish are not suitable aquarium partners for these large, rare shrimp. We recommend a group size of 10 to 15 animals for an aquarium of 54 l volume upwards as a starting stock.

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, where the vitamins and other valuable ingredients are preserved 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.