Will cardinal tetras eat my amano shrimp?

No. Cardinal tetras are too small and peaceful to catch or eat amano shrimp, which are larger and faster than they appear when startled.

Will amano shrimp eat cardinal tetra eggs or fry?

Amano shrimp are scavengers. They may opportunistically eat eggs or very tiny fry if they find them, but they will not actively hunt or consume live juvenile or adult tetras.

How many amano shrimp can I keep with cardinal tetras in a 15-gallon tank?

Three to four amano shrimp in a 15-gallon tank works well. They need plenty of biofilm to graze on, so heavily plant the tank or supplement with alder cones to keep them fed.

Can Amano Shrimp Live With Cardinal Tetra?

By Alex WalshLast reviewed Apr 18, 2026

It depends

Maybe, with caveats , amano shrimp and cardinal tetras share overlapping water parameters and occupy different tank zones, which generally works, but amanos are large shrimp that may outcompete tetras for biofilm and small food particles.

Why

Temperature overlap of 73-80°F covers both species well, with amanos preferring the cooler end around 70-75°F.
pH overlap of 6.5-7.0 works for both species, slightly acidic to neutral.
Amano shrimp are bottom dwellers that graze on biofilm and algae while cardinal tetras school mid-tank, so direct conflict is minimal.
Amano shrimp grow to 2-3 inches and are active foragers that may outcompete small tetras for food at feeding time.
Both species do best in planted tanks with plenty of hiding spots from plants or hardscape.

Minimum shared tank

15 gallons

Shared temperature range

73-80°F

What could go wrong

Amano shrimp will scavenge anything organic, including uneaten fish food meant for cardinal tetras, which can lead to tetras not getting enough to eat.

Gear for a shared tank

Sized for the 15 gallon minimum this pairing needs. Affiliate links — we earn a small commission if you buy through them.

AquaClear 30 Power Filter

Oversized filtration is what lets you stock two species together without water quality crashing. Rated for a tank slightly larger than the 15 gallon minimum.

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Eheim Jager 150W Thermostat Heater

Holds a steady temperature inside the 73-80°F window both species need.

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API Freshwater Master Test Kit

Keep ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in check. Two-species tanks have more bioload and less margin for error than single-species setups.

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Better pairings to consider

Amano shrimp do well with corydoras, otocinclus, or peaceful rasboras. Cardinal tetras do well with nerite snails, mystery snails, or other non-competitive tankmates.