While not ideal, you should be able to keep Cherry Shrimps, also known as Neocardinia Shrimps, in a tank without a heater. To find out how you can properly do so without harming your pets, you can follow this guide from Aquarium Blueprints.
Recommended Temperature Range for Cherry Shrimps
The recommended temperature range for the Neocardinia species is around 57°F to 86°F or (14°C to 30°C). Anything colder or hotter can cause major health issues to your pet inverts.
We found that our Red Chery Shrimps do best, in terms of staying healthily and breeding frequently, at around 68°F to 75°F (or 20°C to 24°C).
Since room temperature is considered to be 68°F to 72°F (or 20°C to 22°C), then you may not need to use a heater if you take the right precautions.
1. For the first precaution, we recommend that you avoid placing the tank near the window, doorway or any other areas that get a constant breeze. Otherwise, the temperature of your shrimp tank will easily be lowered in these places.
2. If you don’t plan on using a heater, then you might want to consider adding an air stone and/or filter in your tank.
These devices will add water movement, which will help increase and maintain the temperature of the aquarium.
3. Furthermore, you might want to add a fish tank light at the top as the heat generated from the fixture will help raise water temperature.
4. We also recommend putting a top on your aquarium as doing so will keep the heat from escaping the tank, making it better insulated as opposed to an open top.
5. The most important factor to consider if you want to keep an unheated shrimp tank is your room temperature.
You need to make sure that the temperature in the room where you are keeping the aquarium does not fall below 57°F or 14°C.
If you need to heat up your room, then you can use a space heater. If you keep the air temperature to 68°F to 72°F (or 20°C to 22°C), then the water in the tank should be around the same range as well.
Recap
You are able to keep Cherry Shrimps without a heater as long as you are able to maintain a room temperature of 68°F to 72°F (or 20°C to 22°C). Outside of this range, your pets could end up suffering from health and breeding problems.
If it falls below 68°F (or 20°C), then you can use a space heater to heat up your room, which should also raise the temperature of your tank water. Putting an aquarium top, air stone and/or filter in your tank should also help raise and maintain the temperature as well.
Moreover, you need to avoid putting the tank near any breezy locations. This is because the wind will cause the temperature in the aquarium to drop to unsafe levels.
