Long-rostrum Shrimp Care Guide
Caridina longirostris · Freshwater Invert
What Long-rostrum Shrimp look like
Caridina longirostris is a small atyid shrimp with a laterally compressed, mostly translucent body and a notably long, narrow rostrum. Adults are expected to stay in the small dwarf-shrimp range, around 3-5 cm, with females usually fuller-bodied when carrying eggs. The body may show pale amber, gray, or olive tones with fine speckling, visible internal organs, delicate walking legs, long antennae, and a fan-shaped tail. Its subtle wild-type coloration makes it easy to confuse with other translucent Caridina unless the extended rostrum is visible.
Behavior & temperament
Long-rostrum Shrimp are peaceful benthic grazers that spend most of their time picking biofilm, diatoms, algae, and detritus from hardscape, moss, and leaf litter. Keep them in groups in a mature, well-filtered aquarium with stable water, gentle to moderate flow, fine plant cover, and no predatory fish. Like many amphidromous Caridina, adults can live in freshwater, but successful breeding is likely difficult in ordinary freshwater aquaria because larvae may need brackish or marine conditions before returning to freshwater.
Diet & feeding
In the wild, Caridina longirostris grazes biofilm, algae, diatoms, detritus, and fine organic material from stones, wood, leaf litter, and plant surfaces. In captivity, keep it in a mature aquarium with visible biofilm and supplement with shrimp pellets, algae wafers, blanched vegetables, leaf litter, and occasional powdered foods. Avoid overfeeding because small atyid shrimp are sensitive to fouled water.
Behind the name
Caridina is the atyid shrimp genus name; longirostris means long-beaked or long-rostrumed, referring to the elongated rostrum.
Plan your tank
Check the numbers before you buy: tank volume, a stocking plan, cycle progress, water changes, and your ongoing care routine.
Keeping Long-rostrum Shrimp?
AquaLens identifies your fish and plants from a photo, tracks water chemistry, and flags health issues early — free on iOS and Android.
