At a glance the quick version
German Wikipedia gives about 22 mm; English Wikipedia 25-38 mm. Females are larger.
Looks how to spot one
Exoskeleton (dwarf freshwater shrimp)
A see-through shrimp with fine, sharp-edged dark stripes along the rear body, like a tiny tiger. Some have orange eyes or orange on the tail.12
Personality what they are like
A peaceful, easygoing omnivore that leaves other tank mates alone.1
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Busy grazer; plenty of plants and stones give it room to forage.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Prefers clean, soft water; keep it steady with regular small water changes.1
Home where they are happiest
Soft water with pH about 6-7.5 (about 6.5 is ideal) and temperature 18-24 C.1
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Eats biofilm on stones, decaying plant matter and tiny insect larvae.2
Company who they like around
Ranked among the most popular dwarf shrimp; kept in groups.2
The story where it all began
Tiger shrimp were common in aquariums for years under the placeholder name Caridina cf. cantonensis. Klotz and von Rintelen formally described the species as Caridina mariae in 2014.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
Recognised by the official bits
- Taxonomy (Klotz & von Rintelen, 2014)
- Described in 2014 in the family Atyidae; previously traded as Caridina cf. cantonensis.1
- Aquarium hobby
- Colour forms include Blue Tiger, Black Tiger, Orange Tail Tiger, Golden/Tangerine Tiger and Red Tiger Orange Eye.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Tiger Shrimp. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amountsevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeSmall, gentle water changesevery week
- Water testevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Caridina mariae - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for taxonomy, range, size, lifespan, appearance, water parameters, breeding
- Caridina mariae - Wikipedia (de) de.wikipedia.orgused for size, colour forms, diet, breeding season, popularity
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.