Indian shrimp

The Indian Zebra Shrimp or Babaulti Shrimp (Caridina babaulti “Stripes”) belongs to the Atyidae family. Native to the waters of India. It has a modest size, adults barely exceed 2.5–3 cm. They lead a secretive lifestyle, when settling in a new aquarium they will hide for a long time and only after acclimatization can they appear in plain sight.

There is a similar color form – green babaulti shrimp (Caridina cf. babaulti “Green”). It is worth avoiding the joint maintenance of both forms in order to avoid the appearance of hybrid offspring.

Maintenance and care

It is possible to keep in a common aquarium with peaceful species of fish. Avoid mixing with large and/or aggressive species that can harm such miniature creatures. The design welcomes a large number of plants, including floating, creating moderate shading. They do not tolerate bright light well. The presence of shelters is mandatory, for example, in the form of hollow tubes, ceramic pots, vessels. Water parameters are not so significant, Babaulty shrimp successfully adapts to a wide range of dH values, however, it is recommended to maintain the pH around the neutral mark.

They eat everything that aquarium fish accept. It is advisable to diversify the diet with herbal supplements from pieces of potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, spinach and other vegetables and fruits. With a lack of plant food, they will turn their attention to plants. Pieces should be renewed regularly to prevent water contamination.

In a home aquarium, they breed every 4–6 weeks, but the juveniles are relatively weak, so a small percentage survive to adulthood. They grow slowly compared to other freshwater shrimp.