Caridina dennerli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caridina dennerli |
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Caridina
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dennerli
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Caridina dennerli is a tiny freshwater shrimp that lives in Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia. It can grow up to about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long. People often call it the cardinal shrimp or Sulawesi shrimp because of its bright colors. It got its scientific name, Caridina dennerli, from a German company called Dennerle, which helped scientists study it.
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What Does the Cardinal Shrimp Look Like?
Cardinal shrimps are very small. The female shrimp is usually a bit bigger than the male. She also has a deeper body shell, called a carapace. When a female shrimp lays eggs, she carries them safely under her belly. These eggs are quite large compared to the size of the shrimp itself!
Where Do Cardinal Shrimps Live?
The cardinal shrimp is special because it only lives in one place: Lake Matano in Indonesia. This lake is very unique! You can find these shrimps among rocks and cliffs, from shallow areas all the way down to about 10 meters deep.
Lake Matano has super clear water. You can see about 20 meters (65 feet) underwater! The water is also very clean and doesn't have many nutrients or much organic stuff. The temperature in the lake stays warm, usually between 27 and 31 degrees Celsius (81 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit). The water's pH is around 7.4, which is slightly alkaline. Scientists think cardinal shrimps eat tiny bits of dead plants and animals, called detritus, that they find in the lake.
Cardinal Shrimps in Aquariums
Many people who keep aquariums love cardinal shrimps! They are known as one of the most beautiful types of shrimp in the Caridina family. Because they are so small, barely reaching 1 inch when fully grown, they fit well in planted aquariums. In an aquarium, they eat tiny animals and other small food. However, cardinal shrimps need very stable water conditions. They are sensitive to any big changes in their tank's water.
Why Are Cardinal Shrimps in Danger?
Sadly, the cardinal shrimp is facing many threats. Their home, Lake Matano, is being affected by pollution from nickel mining and other human activities. Also, new types of fish, like the flowerhorn cichlid, have been introduced to the lake. These new fish might eat the shrimps or compete for their food. Hydro-electric power plants built on the lake's southern shore also cause problems.
Because of these threats, scientists haven't seen any cardinal shrimps in the wild since 2013. This means they might be extinct in the wild, which means they no longer live in their natural habitat. Luckily, some people are keeping and breeding them in aquariums, which helps keep the species alive!
