# Cherry Barb and Red cherry shrimp?



## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

Hi. 

I have kind of a peaceful aquarium focus on red cherry shrimp along with some fish which are not suppose to harass or eat the shrimp. 

I am wondering if Cherry Barb and Red cherry shrimp can get along?

Currently I have 

white cloud, otto catfish, harlaquin rasboras, neon tetra, cory catfish living I hope peacefully with the red cherry shrimp. 

Please let me know if anyone has kept the chrry barb with the red cherry shrimp. 

Thanks.


----------



## essabee (Oct 7, 2006)

Bad idea - forget it if you love the cherries.


----------



## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

essabee said:


> Bad idea - forget it if you love the cherries.


Also, the temperature would not agree with the type if fish I have in my shrimp tank. Most of colder water fish.


----------



## Straight shooter (Nov 26, 2015)

> white cloud, otto catfish, harlaquin rasboras, neon tetra, cory catfish living I hope peacefully with the red cherry shrimp


Everything in that lineup will eat juvenile cherries. Cherry barbs also eat juvenile cherries.

How long has your cherry population been living with all of these fish? Are you seeing any juveniles?


----------



## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

Straight shooter said:


> Everything in that lineup will eat juvenile cherries. Cherry barbs also eat juvenile cherries.
> 
> How long has your cherry population been living with all of these fish? Are you seeing any juveniles?


Yes, an entire generation of juveniles shrimp has grown up however the rasborars are new to the tank. Also I used to have only one white cloud but now I have 6. I have not seen any juvenile lately but I see some pregnant shrimp now. The tank has some areas with very dense plants where are the juvenile shrimp can hide out

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk


----------



## Straight shooter (Nov 26, 2015)

Is it heavily planted? RCS are pretty good at hiding from predators in amongst the plants.


----------



## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

Straight shooter said:


> Is it heavily planted? RCS are pretty good at hiding from predators in amongst the plants.


+1 

If you're well planted the RCS will survive. Some will get picked off by the fish. I have a thriving RCS colony in my well planted tank with black skirt and cardinal tetras and I have seen a smaller shrimp get picked off by a fish on occasion, but that was a shrimp that decided to go for a swim. Those that stay among the plants are usually pretty much ignored and the adult shrimp are left alone.


----------



## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

Any fish with a mouth big enough to encompass a shrimp is liable to do so. But feed well, provide plenty of plants and hidey holes, and hope for the best. In a worst-case scenario, cherry barbs won't be difficult to rehome.


----------



## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

Straight shooter said:


> Is it heavily planted? RCS are pretty good at hiding from predators in amongst the plants.


So you have seen Otto Catfish eat baby red cherry shrimp? Even with that sucker mouth that goes on the glass. 

Here is what my research has indicated are ok for Red cherry shrimp. 

Based on information found on this website and the planted tank. 

The Best Types Of Fish For Your Shrimp Aquarium

Ottos
Green Neon Tetras
Corys
Glassfish
White Clouds
Harelequin Rasboras
Glow-light Tetras
Neon Tetras
Cherry Danios or red zebra danio ( according to a forum on this plantedtank.net however I am not sure about this one) 

My understanding is that no fish is safe with the baby shrimp except maybe an otto catfish however you seem to be saying that not even the otto is safe right? 

If anyone would like to correct, remove or add to this list, please let me know. 
Please note when I say " ok for red cherry shrimp" , I mean will not eat the adult shrimp. Since the babies are like microscopic, I guess they are fair game for any fish. 

Thanks.


----------



## Straight shooter (Nov 26, 2015)

Ottos are one of the most shrimp safe fish out there. I'd be pretty confident having them with expensive shrimp even so long as they stayed well fed. They could technically eat a juvi shrimp if they wanted to, if they were hungry enough, but it is incredibly unlikely. They are mostly vegetarian and eat biofilm just like shrimp do.


----------



## windelov (May 30, 2015)

Harlequins and neons/cardinals are fine with the adults. And I agree with densely planted areas of the tank providing refuge for juvenile development. 

From my own experiences, some individuals will survive to adulthood through each successive generation regardless of the stocking of the tank, if there are sufficient hiding areas. For example: I had a RCS colony with a silver arowana for a little while (long story lol), and although the arowana was duck-diving down and actively feeding on the RCS shrimplets some survived to adulthood from each generation due to an extremely densely planted background. Those that ventured from the dense areas were consumed with remarkable consistency. All that being said, RCS aren't the brightest things in the world, and there is no guarantee that a vast majority of the shrimplets will not leave safe refuge for a swim amongst the predators. 

The short version is this: if you really want an impressive and exponential RCS colony, have them as a species tank.


----------

