The interaction between two corotating shielded Gaussian vortices is studied by two-dimensional numerical simulations at low Reynolds numbers. It is shown that the outcome of the interactions can be a shielded monopole, a tripole, or dipolar breaking depending on the initial separation distance and Reynolds number. A flow regime map is given in the parameter space of initial separation distance and Reynolds number. Using formal decomposition for vorticity, we show that the tripole formation is due the same physical mechanism than merging of unshielded vortices, while in dipolar breaking both the symmetric and antisymmetric vorticity contributions play important role. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.