Red Galaxy Shrimp Care Guide - Setup, Diet & Breeding

Red Galaxy Shrimp are a striking ornamental form of Caridina cantonensis, recognised for their red-and-white coloration and irregular galaxy-like spotting or marbling. The exact pattern can vary considerably between individuals, with some showing dense white coverage and others displaying more transparent areas and scattered red markings.

These tiny freshwater shrimp spend much of their time grazing across surfaces with specialised mouthparts. They pick at biofilm, algae and microscopic organisms on leaves, wood, rocks and substrate, moving with quick, delicate steps and occasionally swimming through the aquarium when disturbed or seeking food.

Caridina cantonensis is a small stream-dwelling shrimp associated with clear, cool, soft water and mineral-poor habitats. Its natural relatives live among stones, leaf litter and submerged vegetation, where their subdued wild coloration provides camouflage against the bottom.

Red Galaxy Shrimp are peaceful and non-territorial, making them popular subjects for planted nano aquariums and selective-breeding projects. Because this is a cultivated colour form rather than a naturally occurring population, pattern quality and colour intensity can differ from one shrimp to the next.

Red Galaxy Shrimp are a selectively bred aquarium colour and pattern form of Caridina cantonensis. The wild species originates from southern China, Hong Kong and nearby parts of Taiwan in Asia, while the Red Galaxy strain was developed through captive breeding in the ornamental shrimp hobby.

A group of Red Galaxy Shrimp should have at least 20 litres of established aquarium volume, with a footprint of roughly 30 by 20 cm or larger. Use a mature, fully cycled setup with gentle filtration, ideally a sponge filter or a pre-filtered intake, and provide live plants, moss, driftwood, smooth rocks and other surfaces that support biofilm. An inert or shrimp-specific substrate is appropriate, with plenty of cover for moulting shrimp and young shrimplets. Stable, clean, soft, slightly acidic water is more important than elaborate decoration.

Females reach about 3 cm (1.2 in), while males usually grow to around 2.5 cm (1 in).

Red Galaxy Shrimp obtain much of their food by grazing on natural biofilm and soft algae. Supplement this with a quality shrimp pellet or wafer, blanched vegetables such as spinach, courgette or nettle, and occasional small portions of protein-rich food. Feed sparingly and remove uneaten food promptly, as excess food can quickly affect water quality in a small aquarium.

Red Galaxy Shrimp are best kept in a dedicated species aquarium or with peaceful, small tankmates such as otocinclus, pygmy corydoras, celestial pearl danios and small non-predatory rasboras. Snails such as nerites and Malaysian trumpet snails are generally compatible. Avoid bettas, larger tetras, cichlids, gouramis, loaches and most other fish that can swallow shrimplets; avoid housing them with other Caridina cantonensis colour strains if maintaining a particular line is important, as crossbreeding may produce unpredictable offspring.

Red Galaxy Shrimp breed readily in mature, stable aquariums when water quality is suitable. Females carry a clutch of eggs beneath the abdomen, where they are fertilised and aerated until they hatch as fully formed miniature shrimplets after around three to four weeks. The young require no larval stage and can be raised in the same aquarium, provided there are biofilm-covered surfaces and no fish that will eat them.

Females are generally larger and deeper-bodied than males, with a broader abdomen that forms a protective chamber for carrying eggs. Mature females may also show a visible saddle or egg mass, while males tend to be slimmer and more lightly built.