20 Cherry Shrimp Tank Setup Ideas For Absolute Beginners

Ready to start your journey with cherry shrimp? Hold on, not yet!

You might need to get some inspiration before setting up the cherry shrimp tank. In this article, I have cherry-picked 20 awesome tank ideas from Instagram.

All of these tanks are suitable for keeping cherry shrimps. Just be aware of tank mates. Don’t keep anything large like goldfish with your cherry shrimp!

20 cherry shrimp tank setup ideas

1. Warm Jungle Glow Tank

Style: Soft-lit planted nano tank

Theme: Cozy, natural feel with dense plants and dark background

How to Do It:

• Use plants like Ludwigia, Rotala, and Crypts.
• Add shrimp-safe sponge filter and soil substrate.
• Keep lighting soft and warm for that golden glow.

What Makes It Unique:

It gives a calm evening vibe. Great for tiny red cherries to pop against the background.

2. Minimal Volcano Scape

Style: Iwagumi-inspired with lava rock

Theme: Simple mountain-style with a single focal point

How to Do It:

• Center one large lava rock with moss or Anubias.
• Plant smaller green ground covers like dwarf hairgrass or Pogostemon.
• Use sand and fine gravel for layering.

What Makes It Unique:

Clean layout, great for desktops. The shrimp love hiding in the rock’s holes.

3. Nightlight Shrimp Garden

Style: Natural rock island tank

Theme: Focused hardscape with soft background greens

How to Do It:

• Build around one large porous rock.
• Add bushy plants and moss.
• Keep shrimp-safe sponge filter to avoid baby shrimp loss.

What Makes It Unique:

Great light focus makes the red shrimp stand out. A mix of zen and jungle in a compact space.

4. Fantasy Carpet Forest

Style: High-tech aquascape

Theme: Bright, colorful garden path scene

How to Do It:

• Use carpeting plants like Monte Carlo or HC Cuba.
• Add reds with Rotala and Ludwigia.
• Needs CO₂ and strong light for this look.

What Makes It Unique:

Looks like a dreamland. Great for shrimp and nano schooling fish like neon tetras.

Hungry for knowledge about Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina)? We’ve got you covered in this article. Do Cherry Shrimps Eat Brown Algae?

5. Natural Tree Trunk Landscape

Style: Nature-style layout with dry tree branches

Theme: Forest floor under a leafless tree

How to Do It:

• Use rocks, mosses, and Anubias around the base.
• Add fine sand or gravel.
• Place real wood branches above for a forest feel.

What Makes It Unique:

The dry branches give it a poetic, lifelike look. Shrimp love hiding in the plants and moss.

6. Tree-Inspired Forest Tank

Style: Riparium tree scape

Theme: A rooted tree growing from the water

How to Do It:

• Use driftwood to mimic a tree trunk.
• Attach live plants like Anubias and moss around the base.
• Grow real plants above, letting roots hang in the water.

What Makes It Unique:

Feels like a tree by a pond. Roots give shrimp hiding spots and boost water quality.

7. Shrimp Lab Setup

Style: Multi-tank shrimp station

Theme: Organized tank space for breeding and display

How to Do It:

• Use multiple tanks with individual lights and filtration.
• Keep each tank scaped for a different shrimp group.
• Add hardscape and moss for hiding zones.

What Makes It Unique:

A hobbyist’s dream layout. It’s neat, functional, and looks like a mini aquarium gallery.

8. Lush Wall Jungle Tank

Style: Wall-to-wall plant scape

Theme: Full front view covered in greens

How to Do It:

• Plant thick with stem plants, moss, and Bucephalandra.
• Use CO₂ for dense growth.
• Place hardscape low to let plants be the star.

What Makes It Unique:

Shrimp vanish into the jungle. It’s a living green curtain — alive and always growing.

9. Curved Glass Stream Layout

Style: Wabi-kusa-inspired curved tank

Theme: Driftwood stream with open swim space

How to Do It:

• Use curved front tanks for open look.
• Add rocks, wood, Vallisneria, and floating moss.
• Keep substrate open in the front for shrimp foraging.

What Makes It Unique:

The curve adds depth and flow. Clean, low-maintenance and shrimp-safe.

Hungry for knowledge about Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina)? We’ve got you covered in this article. Do Cherry Shrimps Eat Black Beard Algae?

10. Miniature Tree Garden

Style: Diorama tree landscape

Theme: Shrimp walking through a tiny forest path

How to Do It:

• Build trees from driftwood and moss.
• Carve out a “trail” using sand or white gravel.
• Add small plants to mimic forest undergrowth.

What Makes It Unique:

Looks like a fantasy world. Perfect for showing shrimp exploring a tiny forest.

11. Overgrown Jungle Trim

Style: Thick jungle with trimming in progress
Theme: Nature explosion of green and red plants
How to Do It:

• Mix fast growers like Rotala, Ludwigia, and moss.
• Use nutrient-rich substrate and regular trims.
• Good lighting and CO₂ make it thrive.

What Makes It Unique:
Feels wild and natural. Great for shrimp breeding with all the plant cover.

12. Moss Mountain Colony

Style: Mossy wood center with open background
Theme: Central moss dome with shrimp everywhere
How to Do It:

• Use moss tied on driftwood in the middle.
• Add soft black sand and stem plants around it.
• Keep lighting bright and flow gentle.

What Makes It Unique:
A perfect shrimp playground. Clean layout with high visibility of the colony.

13. Beginner Shrimp Garden

Style: Basic planted setup with low-maintenance plants
Theme: Green beginner tank with a peaceful feel
How to Do It:

• Use plants like Amazon sword, Java fern, and Anubias.
• Add black substrate and some rocks.
• No CO₂ needed.

What Makes It Unique:
Simple and affordable. Perfect for new shrimp keepers wanting a natural vibe.

14. Mystic Red Shrimp Cave

Style: Dark theme with ancient statue decor
Theme: Murky shrine or hidden ruin
How to Do It:

• Use reddish lighting and tannin-rich water.
• Add driftwood, moss, and stone ornaments.
• Keep water parameters shrimp-safe.

What Makes It Unique:
Has an eerie temple look. Feels like a hidden world under the roots.

15. Mini Spy Car Aquarium

Style: Toy-themed nano tank
Theme: James Bond-style with a car centerpiece
How to Do It:

• Add plastic toy car and keep moss floating.
• Use black gravel and no heater or CO₂.
• Great for kids’ rooms or desktops.

What Makes It Unique:
Fun, creative, and playful. Shrimp zoom past the spy car like tiny agents.

Want to dive deeper into Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina)? This article has all the answers! Do Cherry Shrimp Eat Hair Algae?

16. Natural Driftwood Jungle

This tank looks like a little forest underwater. Big leafy plants and curved driftwood make a cozy place for the betta and shrimp. There’s a soft layer of sand with some scattered leaves and seed pods, perfect for grazing.

17. Mossy Mountain Layout

This one feels like a mini jungle hill. Dark gravel, bushy anubias, and moss-covered wood give it a wild but clean look. The shrimp love hiding in the moss, and the betta rests on the leaves like a king.

18. Natural Chaos with a Splash of Color

This tank is wild but balanced. The twisted driftwood centerpiece bursts through a jungle of java ferns and crypts. Bright pebbles on the bottom add texture, while scattered shells and moss soften the base. Cherry shrimp and colorful tetras dance through the forest-like setup. It feels like a mix of overgrowth and art.

19. Clean Growth, Laid-Back Vibe

This tank leans into a lush but organized look. Cryptocorynes and anubias dominate the scene, with floating plants covering the top. The scattered botanicals and shrimp on the sandy foreground bring a forest-floor feel. It’s peaceful, simple, and shrimp-friendly.

20. Minimalist Island Design

This setup is all about less is more. One big anubias cluster grows from smooth black stones placed on clean white sand. Floating plants cover the top like a soft roof. A few shrimp and a red betta add color to the calm scene. It’s stylish and perfect for a nano shrimp tank.

10 other interesting ideas to setup cherry shrimp tank

1. Natural Aquascape Theme:

Recreate a miniature underwater forest or riverbed using live aquatic plants like Java moss, Anubias, or Java fern. These plants not only enhance the natural beauty of the tank but also provide excellent hiding and grazing spots for the shrimp.

Incorporate driftwood and rocks to create a more natural and textured landscape. These elements also serve as additional surfaces for biofilm growth, which is a food source for cherry shrimp.

Explore the fascinating world of Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina)—this post has everything you need! 5 Homemade Cherry Shrimp Food Recipes For Beginners

2. Color Contrast Aquascape:

Choose a dark substrate like black gravel or soil, which makes the red color of cherry shrimp stand out beautifully.

Complement the substrate with green plants and perhaps a few brightly colored aquatic plants to create a vivid contrast.

3. Minimalist Design:

Opt for a simple, uncluttered layout with a few key elements like a single piece of driftwood, a couple of smooth stones, and one type of plant. This can create a serene and elegant look, emphasizing the shrimp themselves.

4. Japanese Iwagumi Style:

This style focuses on the strategic placement of rocks to create a harmonious, balanced aquascape. The rocks are the main focus, with plants playing a supporting role.

Use low-growing carpet plants like dwarf baby tears or hairgrass to complement the rocks and provide grazing areas for the shrimp.

5. Biotop Aquarium:

Mimic the natural habitat of cherry shrimp by researching and replicating the conditions of their native environments, such as river margins and rice paddies in Southeast Asia.

This could include specific types of plants, substrate, wood, and even water parameters.

6. Community Tank:

Consider setting up a community tank with other peaceful species that coexist well with cherry shrimp, like small fish or snails. Ensure the tank mates are non-aggressive and won’t harm the shrimp.

7. High-Tech Planted Tank:

For enthusiasts, a high-tech tank with CO2 injection and advanced lighting can allow for a wider variety of plants and faster growth, creating a lush underwater jungle.

8. Themed Decorations:

Incorporate non-toxic, shrimp-safe decorations that follow a specific theme, like a sunken pirate ship or an underwater cityscape. Just make sure these decorations do not alter the water chemistry.

9. Vertical Space Utilization:

Utilize the vertical space in your tank by incorporating tall plants or stacking rocks or driftwood vertically. This can create a more dynamic and three-dimensional environment.

10. Seasonal Themes:

Change the decorations or plants seasonally (e.g., adding specific colors or elements) to reflect different times of the year, like autumnal hues or winter-white landscapes.