Identity and origin
- Origin
- Lake Matano, Sulawesi, Indonesia
- Identity
- Lake Matano endemic species
Red coloration, pale spots and white feeding appendages support recognition. Lake and source-line records remain essential.
Habitat and care
Rock surfaces and crevices in clear ancient-lake water. Habitat and identity reference
Use a mature, species-dedicated system with stable water chemistry, strong oxygenation and suitable grazing surfaces. Follow documented breeder parameters for the exact species and colony; do not transfer a soft-water bee-shrimp recipe to an ancient-lake species.
Explore the habitat
Rock surfaces and crevices in clear ancient-lake water.
Illustrative habitat reconstructionFROM THE SIGNATURE COLLECTIONS
Look closely
A red body dotted with pale blue-white spots and conspicuous pale forelegs gives the cardinal shrimp its distinctive appearance.
A detail worth knowing
Lake Matano rock surfaces and crevices are part of its natural setting. Watch how the forelegs work across a grazing surface; the rocky habitat is functional as well as beautiful.
Source review: 22 September 2026. Educational notes, not a stock or breeding-success claim.
Plan before choosing
- Habitat
- Ancient lakes
- Size and measurement
- A source-checked adult total length has not yet been added to this profile. Confirm it before choosing aquarium dimensions.
- Planning context
- Lake Matano endemic. Keep locality and captive-origin records and obtain a documented feeding and water-management protocol for the actual line before acquisition.
von Rintelen & Cai (2009) · Malili revision
Source check: . Independent husbandry review pending.
Before choosing this species
Care-planning notes. Confirm exact requirements for the species and source population.
- Confirm the adult size and social behaviour of the exact species before planning its aquarium.
- Establish biological filtration and stable water conditions before introducing animals.
- Ask for locality, captive history and the actual animal’s feeding record; a catalogue image cannot provide these.
Varieties and trade names
Cardinal / White Socks
Common namesNames for the typical red, white-spotted species; not separate taxa. Source
Blue Ghost
Reported captive colour lineReported as a captive C. dennerli line. A temporary blue stress response in wild-type animals does not prove Blue Ghost ancestry or stable inheritance. Source
Evidence record
Conservation record: Critically Endangered (CR); assessment year 2018. Conservation source record. Direct assessment record; check its assessment and publication dates. Check for a newer assessment before making conservation or sourcing decisions.
Identity and locality source check: . Editorial source check; independent taxonomic review pending. Research profile; availability is not open.
Catalogue inclusion confirms a research record, not current stock, legal export, or destination-country import permission.
- von Rintelen & Cai (2009), systematic revision.
- von Rintelen, K. & Cai, Y. (2009). Systematic revision of Caridina from the ancient lakes of Sulawesi. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57(2): 343–452.
- Klotz, W., von Rintelen, T., Wowor, D., Lukhaup, C. & von Rintelen, K. (2021). Lake Poso’s shrimp fauna revisited. ZooKeys 1009: 81–122.
- Sun, J. (2025). Sulawesi shrimp hobby in China. Sulawesi Keepers. First-hand aquarium names and breeding observations, not a taxonomic revision.
- Rejlková, M. & Sun, J. (2025). Crossbreeding Sulawesi shrimps. Sulawesi Keepers. Keeper-reported crosses; not controlled genetic verification.
