Guppies and red cherry shrimp can live in one aquarium. The two species require similar water parameters but it is important to take measures to prevent guppies from eating the shrimp. Shrimp should be more numerous than guppies in the tank, and it helps to have live plants and decorations to allow shrimp to hide and feel safe. Feed your shrimp strategically, so guppies do not consume all their food.
Guppies and Red Cherry Shrimp: Water Parameters
Guppies and red cherry shrimp are compatible tankmates because they prefer similar water conditions.
There is a range of water parameters that make guppies and red cherry shrimp happy.
| Parameter | Red cherry shrimp | Guppies |
| Temperature | 65-85°F (18-29.5°C) | 72-82°F (22-28°C) |
| pH | 6.5-8.0 | 7.0-7.8 |
| General hardness | over 6-8 dGH (100-150 ppm) | 8-12 dGH (150-200 ppm) |
| Flow | slow to high flow, well-oxygenated | slow-moving, calm water, well-oxygenated |
Red cherry shrimp tolerate a wide range of temperatures but are most comfortable when the temperature is around 72-75°F° (22- 24°C). That happens to be the lowest temperature a guppy likes.
Keeping pH between 7 and 7.8 is appropriate for both species, and a general hardness of around 8 dGH (150 ppm) is also suitable for both.
Shrimp is not a demanding species regarding water flow but guppies need low-flow water. Keeping the water in your tank slow-moving is best. Plants and decorations can be useful in diffusing the flow if needed.
Will Guppies Eat Red Cherry Shrimp?
Guppies view shrimp as a food source and are likely to eat baby and grown shrimp, including red cherry shrimp.
It would be difficult to breed shrimp in an aquarium with guppies – baby shrimp will almost definitely get eaten. It is possible, however, to maintain a stable colony of grown red cherry shrimp in the same tank with guppies.
How to Keep Guppies and Red Cherry Shrimp in the Same Aquarium
Guppies are surface-dwelling fish, so your tank should provide ample surface area for the fish to swim comfortably. A wide and shallow tank is more suitable than a tall narrow tank.
Conversely, shrimp occupy little room and do not compete with guppies for swimming space. They stay out of the guppies’ ways, which makes the two good neighbors, in general, as long as they are not tempted to eat the shrimp.
Provide Ample Space
Although shrimp do not need much space and guppies are small fish, a spacious tank helps both species feel more comfortable and helps reduce the odds of guppies eating cherry shrimp.
If you have a small school of guppies (4-6 fish) and a small colony of shrimp (ideally a few more than the number of guppies), then you need a 10-gallon aquarium.
Add Live Plants and Artificial Decorations
Shrimp greatly benefit from live plants. Live plants provide a constant food source for shrimp and serve several other functions. Java moss, in particular, is a popular and easy aquarium plant for novice and experienced fish keepers.
Although guppies do fine with artificial decorations in the tank and live plants are not essential for them, plants benefit the tank and its inhabitants overall in several ways:
- Plants oxygenate water, which stabilizes the acidity in the aquarium
- Plants purify the water by removing carbon dioxide and nitrates
- Natural plants are an excellent hiding place for shrimp and guppies alike
- They also provide useful bacteria growth
- Shrimp in particular like to use plants as one of their food sources
Establishing Shrimp First Can Be Helpful
It can be beneficial to allow your shrimp to live in an aquarium by themselves first and add guppies later, although it may not always be feasible.
Establishing a small shrimp colony before adding guppies allows the shrimp to settle down, create their ideal habitat, and feel more confident in the tank. They are less likely to experience stress and less likely to get eaten by guppies that way.
If you already have a guppy tank and have to add the shrimp to an established aquarium, there are advantages to that scenario too.
Specifically, shrimp are more fragile than guppies. A tank with thriving guppies indicates that the tank can provide a good environment for red cherry shrimp.
Maintain the Right Ratio of Guppies to Shrimp
It is best to keep the number of shrimp above the number of guppies in the aquarium. Guppies are more likely to leave the shrimp alone if they are less numerous.
Make Sure the Shrimp Get Enough Food
Guppies are omnivores. They are also quick and will eat the food intended for shrimp.
Ensuring that guppies have sufficient nutrition is important but you should observe that some shrimp food lands on the bottom and the plants and decorations in the tank. Then the shrimp are likely to get some of that food.
Red cherry shrimp will use algae, plants, and debris as their food sources but their diet needs to be supplemented by small pieces of vegetables and commercial shrimp food.
Plants and decorations help save some of the food for shrimp as guppies eat at the surface level of the water.
To Conclude
Guppies and red cherry shrimp can be good tank mates and, if you are strategic, you can maintain the aquarium in a way that will keep the shrimp safe from guppies.
Shrimp are also useful aquarium dwellers because they are so good at keeping the water and the tank clean.
In addition, red cherry shrimp are visually beautiful and fun to watch so they can be wonderful in a fish tank for practical and aesthetic reasons.
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