# Neon Tetras and Red Cherry Shrimp?



## Betta

My question is will Neon Tetras eat my Red Cherry Shrimp?

My Neons do fine with the big Ghost Shrimp I have.

I am planning to combine the two tanks I have into one 20gal long.
One is a 5.5 gal with 15 Neons Tetras and 2 Ghost Shrimp and the other is 10 gal with 15+ Red Cherry Shrimp (some .5 inch is size), some Amano Shrimp, 5 cories cats.

I do assume if I noticed my Cherries reproducing I will need to remove a female or else when the eggs hatch the Neons would eat the baby shrimp.


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## Aphyosemion

I'd be surprised if your neons could eat anything other than small bits of fish food. Not only are they small fish with small mouths, but they aren't particularly aggressive feeders. They wouldn't even be able to threaten any but the smallest of newborn cherries. I would bet ten bucks that they are safe with any invertebrate that doesn't eat THEM! Provide some cover for your baby cherries to hang out and they will be fine.
-Aphyosemion


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## Betta

Thank you for your comments Aphyosemion.

My Neons do snap up flake food a bit aggressively at times and have gorged themselves on white worms. Some worms 3/4 inch long.

I do have enough Java Moss and Hornwort for baby shrimp to hide (if they ever reproduce again).


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## John P.

My 15 Cardinals don't bother my fast-growing population of Cherry Shrimp. I think your Neons will also be fine. Provide cover for the youngins.


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## IUnknown

I've had ghost shrimp cut my neons to death. If you start getting dead neons in your tank, look out.


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## Betta

I know if a neon dies my two ghost shrimp will pick the skeleton clean in a day.

In my 5.5 gal tank with just two silk plants and black sand bottom, I can see everything that is going on in the tank. One night I did a water change. The next night I saw something white on the bottom. It was a skeleton. A ghost shrimp was picking on it then carried it away. No meat was left on it.


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## Aphyosemion

Although ghost shrimp can be a little predatory at times, I would bet that if you saw a dead neon with a shrimp picking it apart, it died on it's own. They are excellent little scavengers and can even take small baby fish at times, but I have never seen them attack anything bigger than the smallest fry and I am a little doubtful they could take a neon down. I keep ghost shrimp along with my guppies in my desktop tank and watch them very closely. It just doesn't seem like they have the firepower to do it, even if they wanted to. I could be wrong, though.
-Aphyosemion


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## miqws

In the aquarium food chain, neons rank just above flake food.


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## grahamb

*hey*

ok i read your guys messages and i have both neon tetras and cherry shrimp with ghost shrimp and a load of plant life. i have cherry shrimp that are breeding like crazy but i wanted something else with them so i bought some ghost shrimp which i have to say are huge compared to the cherry's lol and i got some neon's thinking maybe they wouldn't eat the baby's or the shrimp. the 2 different shrimp are getting along and they don't eat each others baby's i find, but i saw a neon eat a baby cherry shrimp and than after died with his guts coming out of him, i was like wow no way. i have never seen this before i don't think the baby shrimp got out of him but im not sure. my fish tank is soooooo beautiful i have like soooooooo many different plants and my tank is 120 us gallons and this shouldn't be happening. i found that the neon tetras have become territorial but not like to kill each other but the fact they chance each other to other parts of the tank and are very aggressive and not staying in a pack like normal neon's do which i find so weird.


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## Daplantkilla

That last post was totally cra cra. I can't believe a baby shrimp ate a neon from the inside out and escaped. They should put that in the next finding memo movie. Have jaques the cleaner shrimp murder some bad fish who eats him.


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## newbieshrimpkeeper

I kept neons with RCS, and they were fine, but they might molest the shrimps. Better add lots of vegetation. And the ghost shrimp can be rather deadly to peaceful fish, especially when they sleep, so keep ghost shrimp else where. Mine gutted a danio in a matter of seconds!


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## Daplantkilla

Ghost shrimp sound like the hitlers of shrimp. I hate them. And if I see one I will step on it. Gunna buy some cherries for my neons. Thanks for a great topic.


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## BettaBabe

I keep ghost shrimp in my community tank with neons. I heard their about their killer reputation later so I did some digging. Red claw shrimp are sometimes labeled ghost shrimp in stores, but they are not the same species. I don't think a ghost shrimp is capable of taking out a fish. Their claws are like little threads. Red claw shrimp on the other hand, can take out all kinds of fish and are active hunters.


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## Daplantkilla

I have 3 red cherry shrimp prisoners along with 9 neon tetra prisoners and my entire prison is in harmony. no escapes. No fights or shanking.


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## AWolf

My neons ate all of my ghost shrimp about a year ago, and I posted here on PT. I watched as the neons tore them to pieces and gobbled every last one right up. It was carnage. You can check out my post 'Neons kill shrimp'. I had someone agree that this happens sometimes. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/88-shrimp-other-invertebrates/803354-neons-kill-shrimp.html


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