Fish That Eat Shrimp — The Species to Keep Away From a Colony

When you ask which fish are safe with shrimp, the honest framing is the reverse: almost all fish eat shrimp given the chance, and the useful knowledge is which ones will definitely wipe out a colony and why. Dwarf shrimp — cherries, blue dreams, bloody marys, and the rest — are small, soft, and slow, and to a fish that is the definition of food. This guide is the predator list: the fish that eat shrimp, sorted by how much of a threat they are, the biology behind it, and the handful of exceptions worth knowing. It is the companion to Fish That Can Live With Shrimp — that one is the safe list; this is the danger list.

The Rule: Mouth Size and Opportunity

Every entry below follows one principle: if a fish can fit a shrimp (or a shrimplet) in its mouth, it will eat it, eventually. This is not aggression — it is feeding. A perfectly "peaceful" fish still inhales prey-sized animals, because to a fish, small moving things are food. That is why "peaceful community fish" is not the same as "shrimp-safe," and why predation, not temperament, is the deciding factor with shrimp. The complete compatibility guide covers this predation factor in depth.

Two sub-points matter: adults versus babies (many fish cannot eat adult shrimp but readily eat shrimplets, which quietly ends a colony's reproduction), and cover (dense planting lets some shrimp survive even with predators, but does not save a colony from a determined shrimp-eater).

Tier 1: Will Eat Adult Shrimp (Avoid Entirely)

These fish are large or predatory enough to eat adult shrimp, not just babies. A colony cannot persist with them.

• Cichlids — almost all of them, from oscars and large South Americans down to rams and apistogramma. Predatory and shrimp-hungry; even "peaceful" dwarf cichlids hunt shrimp.
• Goldfish — eat shrimp readily (and want cold water besides).
• Larger barbs (tiger, rosy) and larger tetras (buenos aires, serpae) — big enough to take adults and often aggressive.
• Gouramis (especially larger ones) — opportunistic shrimp hunters.
• Angelfish and discus — deep-bodied cichlids that eat shrimp that fit their mouths.
• Loaches (most) — active hunters that root shrimp out of cover.
• Pufferfish — dedicated invertebrate predators; shrimp are a target food.
• Most catfish beyond the tiny species — many are nocturnal predators that eat shrimp while you sleep.

With any of these, treat shrimp as occasional live food, not a population.

Tier 2: Will Eat Shrimplets (Colony Won't Breed Up)

These fish usually cannot swallow a full-grown adult shrimp but will eat the babies, which means the colony slowly dwindles because reproduction cannot outpace the predation.

• Bettas — many hunt shrimplets and some take adults; conditional at best (see Betta and Shrimp).
• Guppies, endlers, and other livebearers — small-mouthed but eager shrimplet hunters.
• Most small tetras and rasboras — eat shrimplets; a colony with heavy cover can sometimes stay ahead, but it is a constant pressure.
• Pygmy corydoras and small bottom fish — opportunistically pick at the smallest shrimplets.

With Tier 2 fish, a heavily planted, well-established colony can survive and even grow if reproduction outpaces predation — but if you want maximum shrimp output, even these are a drag on the colony.

The Exceptions (Genuinely Low-Risk)

A short list of fish that are small-mouthed and peaceful enough to leave a breeding colony largely intact in a planted tank:

• Chili rasboras and the smallest nano fish — mouths so tiny they take few shrimplets and no adults.
• Otocinclus — algae grazers with no interest in shrimp.
• Pygmy corydoras — low-impact (they take occasional shrimplets but mostly forage detritus).

And the true zero-risk options are not fish at all: snails (nerite, mystery) coexist with shrimp completely safely. For amano shrimp specifically, their larger size makes them safe with many fish that would eat cherries — see the amano note in Fish That Can Live With Shrimp.

How to Protect Shrimp If You Keep Fish

If you want shrimp alongside fish, the levers are the same regardless of which fish:

• Choose the smallest-mouthed, most peaceful fish you are happy with (Tier 2 exceptions, not Tier 1).
• Establish a breeding colony first and let it build before adding fish, so reproduction can absorb shrimplet losses.
• Plant heavily — dense moss, leaf litter, and cover give shrimp and shrimplets places to hide. This is the single biggest survival factor.
• Keep fish well fed so they hunt shrimp less.
• Accept the trade-off — fish-and-shrimp means fewer shrimp than a species-only tank. For maximum colony growth, keep shrimp alone.

For the husbandry that keeps a colony strong enough to withstand fish, see Best Live Food for Shrimp, and for the safe-fish list, Fish That Can Live With Shrimp.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish eat shrimp?

Most fish eat shrimp if they can fit them in their mouths. The serious predators that eat even adult shrimp include cichlids (from oscars to rams), goldfish, larger barbs and tetras, gouramis, angelfish, discus, loaches, puffers, and most catfish. Smaller fish like guppies, small tetras, and bettas eat shrimplets, which prevents a colony from breeding up. Snails and the tiniest nano fish are the low-risk exceptions.

Will my fish eat my cherry shrimp?

Very likely, at least the babies. Predation is about mouth size and opportunity, not aggression — any fish that can fit a shrimp or shrimplet in its mouth generally will. Large or predatory fish eat adults; small community fish eat shrimplets and slowly reduce the colony. Only the smallest-mouthed nano fish and snails leave a breeding colony largely intact, and even then heavy cover is essential.

Can shrimp survive with any fish?

Yes, with the right small, peaceful fish and the right setup. Chili rasboras, the tiniest nano fish, otocinclus, and snails are low-risk, and a heavily planted, established colony can survive alongside them because reproduction outpaces the light predation. For maximum shrimp output, though, a species-only tank with no fish is always safest.

Do cichlids eat shrimp?

Yes — almost all cichlids eat shrimp, including the smaller "peaceful" dwarf cichlids like rams and apistogramma, not just large species like oscars. Cichlids are predatory by nature and will hunt both adult shrimp and shrimplets. A dwarf shrimp colony cannot persist in a tank with cichlids, so they should be kept separately.

How do I keep shrimp safe from fish?

Choose the smallest-mouthed, most peaceful fish (or snails), establish a breeding colony before adding fish, and plant the tank heavily with moss and leaf litter so shrimp and shrimplets can hide — cover is the biggest survival factor. Keep the fish well fed, and accept that any fish means fewer shrimp than a species-only tank. For maximum colony growth, keep shrimp without fish.