What Fish Eat Shrimp?

Last updated: July 2026 | 8 min read

Dwarf shrimp are near the bottom of the food chain, and to a lot of fish they look like a moving snack. Before you add shrimp to a community tank or add fish to a shrimp tank, it pays to know which fish will hunt them. Some will eat adults, many more will eat babies, and a few are safe enough to trust.

Quick Answer

Most medium and large fish will eat adult shrimp, and almost any fish will eat baby shrimp. The worst offenders are cichlids, goldfish, larger barbs, angelfish, gouramis, bettas, and pufferfish. Safe tank mates for dwarf shrimp are tiny, peaceful fish with small mouths, such as otocinclus catfish, chili rasboras, small tetras, and pygmy corydoras, ideally in a heavily planted tank.

Fish That Will Eat Adult Shrimp

These fish are big enough or predatory enough to eat full-grown shrimp. Keep them out of a shrimp tank entirely.

• •Cichlids - almost all cichlids, from angelfish to larger species, will hunt and eat shrimp on sight.
• •Goldfish - large, opportunistic, and messy. They will eat shrimp and are a poor water-parameter match anyway.
• •Larger barbs - tiger barbs and similar active barbs will pick off shrimp.
• •Pufferfish - dwarf puffers and others are shrimp specialists that will hunt them relentlessly.
• •Loaches - many loaches actively eat shrimp and snails.
• •Larger gouramis - bigger gouramis have the mouth size and drive to eat adult shrimp.

Fish That Eat Baby Shrimp

This is the bigger, sneakier category. These fish may leave adult shrimp alone but will quietly eat every shrimplet, so your colony never grows.

• •Bettas - a betta may ignore adult shrimp but will pick off babies, especially after dark. See our honest take in can shrimp live with bettas.
• •Guppies and endlers - safe with adults but will eat shrimplets. More in can shrimp live with guppies.
• •Small tetras - neon and other small tetras have tiny mouths but still eat babies.
• •Most community fish - if a fish can fit a baby shrimp in its mouth, it usually will.

If you want your colony to expand while housing any of these fish, you need dense cover so enough babies survive.

The Safest Tank Mates for Shrimp

A handful of fish are gentle and small-mouthed enough to trust even with shrimplets:

• •Otocinclus catfish - the gold standard shrimp tank mate. These tiny algae eaters are peaceful and pose almost no threat to shrimp of any size.
• •Chili rasboras - nano fish under an inch with tiny mouths. Peaceful and beautiful in a shrimp tank.
• •Pygmy corydoras - small, peaceful bottom dwellers that generally leave shrimp alone.
• •Small peaceful tetras - species like ember tetras can work, though they will still eat the occasional shrimplet.

Even the safest fish are not a total guarantee, so always give shrimp plenty of cover. Our best tank mates for cherry shrimp guide ranks the options in detail.

How to Protect Shrimp in a Community Tank

If you want shrimp and fish together, stack the odds toward the shrimp:

• •Plant heavily. Dense moss and thick plants give shrimplets a place to hide and graze safely. This is the number one factor in colony survival.
• •Add hardscape and leaf litter. Driftwood, cholla wood, Indian almond leaves, and shrimp caves create shelter.
• •Establish the colony first. Let shrimp breed and build numbers before adding fish, so the colony can absorb losses.
• •Keep fish well fed. A fed fish is a less motivated hunter.
• •Choose the smallest, gentlest fish you can, and avoid anything with a mouth big enough to swallow an adult shrimp.

For a guaranteed thriving colony, a species-only shrimp tank with no fish at all is always the safest choice.

The Bottom Line

Plenty of fish eat shrimp. Cichlids, goldfish, puffers, larger barbs, and gouramis will eat adults, while bettas, guppies, and most community fish will eat babies. The safe tank mates are tiny, peaceful, small-mouthed fish like otocinclus, chili rasboras, and pygmy corydoras. If you mix shrimp and fish, plant heavily and give the shrimp lots of cover so the colony can still grow.

Related Guides

• •Best Tank Mates for Cherry Shrimp - Safe companions ranked
• •Can Shrimp Live With Bettas? - The honest answer
• •Can Shrimp Live With Guppies? - Protecting babies
• •Best Moss for Shrimp Tanks - Shelter that boosts survival

Frequently Asked Questions

◆What fish will eat cherry shrimp?

Cichlids, goldfish, larger barbs, angelfish, bigger gouramis, loaches, and pufferfish will eat adult cherry shrimp. Bettas, guppies, and most small community fish will eat baby shrimp even if they leave adults alone.

◆What fish are safe with shrimp?

Otocinclus catfish, chili rasboras, pygmy corydoras, and small peaceful tetras are among the safest. They are tiny with small mouths, though even these will occasionally eat a shrimplet, so provide plenty of plant cover.

◆Will fish eat baby shrimp?

Almost any fish will eat baby shrimp if it can catch them. To keep a colony growing in a community tank, plant heavily with moss and add lots of hiding spots so enough shrimplets survive.

◆Can I keep shrimp with no fish at all?

Yes, and it is the safest option. A species-only shrimp tank lets the colony breed and grow without any predation. Many keepers run dedicated shrimp tanks for exactly this reason.