Caridina are picky about stability more than they are about chasing a perfect number on a chart. On the farm, I care about a range I can hold — week after week — more than a one-day “ideal.”
What I watch
- TDS — total dissolved solids. Useful as a quick health check of the whole soup.
- GH — general hardness. Shrimp need minerals for molting.
- KH — carbonate hardness. Buffers pH. Many Caridina setups run low KH.
- pH — keep it steady. Sudden swings do more damage than a slightly “off” target.
- Temperature — cool and stable beats warm and drifting.
Farm note: Match the water the shrimp were raised in when they arrive. Big parameter jumps are a common reason keepers struggle after a move — even with healthy animals.
Stability over perfection
A tank that sits quietly in a known range will outbreed a tank that gets “corrected” every other day. Change one thing at a time. Write down what you changed.
For beginners coming from Neocaridina
Neos are forgiving. Caridina are a slower conversation. Start with fewer animals, older water when you can, and a plan for remineralizing RO if that is your path. Rushing a hardscape before the water is settled is how people get discouraged.
Related farm methods: thin soil · soft reset · breeding setup.