For me, keeping Caridina is about maintaining stable conditions rather than chasing a perfect number on a chart. On the farm, I focus on a range I can maintain week after week, rather than an ideal reading on a single day.
What I watch
- TDS means total dissolved solids. I use it as a quick check of the water’s overall dissolved-solids level.
- GH means general hardness. Shrimp need minerals for moulting.
- KH means carbonate hardness, which helps buffer pH. Many Caridina setups run with low KH.
- pH: I focus on keeping it steady. Sudden swings concern me more than a reading that is slightly outside my target.
- Temperature: I prefer cool, stable conditions to warmer water with a drifting temperature.
Farm note: A reading is a snapshot. What matters to me is how steady the conditions remain over the following weeks. If a reading drifts, I look for the cause before making a correction.
Stability over perfection
In my experience, a tank that stays within a consistent range breeds better than one that is adjusted every other day. I change one thing at a time and record what I have changed.
For beginners coming from Neocaridina
Neocaridina are more forgiving, while I take a slower approach with Caridina. I recommend starting with fewer animals, using older water when possible, and planning how to remineralise reverse-osmosis (RO) water if that is the approach you choose. Take time to let the water settle rather than rushing the setup.
Related farm methods: thin soil · soft reset · breeding setup.