Neocaridina shrimp, including Red Cherry, Blue Dream, Blue Velvet and the other colors of Neocaridina davidi, are the easiest freshwater shrimp to keep and breed. They handle a wide range of water, eat almost anything and breed on their own in a stable tank. This guide covers what they need, from setting up the tank to raising babies. We have kept and bred shrimp since 2013, and this is how we do it. The most important thing is a stable environment: shrimp thrive when their water stays the same from week to week.
Water parameters
| Parameter | Range |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 68–78°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.5 |
| GH | 6–12 |
| KH | 0–10 |
| TDS | 250–350 ppm |
| Ammonia / nitrite | 0 |
| Nitrate | under 40 ppm |
Water source: we use 100% RO/DI water, remineralized for Neocaridina, in all our tanks. Neocaridina can get by on dechlorinated tap water, but tap water changes through the year and from place to place. Starting from RO/DI makes it much easier to keep the parameters steady.
Steady water matters more than hitting exact numbers: shrimp kept at a constant pH 7.4 do better than shrimp whose pH moves between 6.8 and 7.2. Keep GH at 8 or higher if you can. Shrimp need the minerals to build a new shell each time they molt, and harder water brings out stronger color.
Tank setup
- Size: 10 gallons minimum. 20 gallons is the sweet spot: large enough to stay stable, small enough to keep an eye on the shrimp.
- Cycle first: cycling takes 4–8 weeks, and we always give a new tank the full 8 weeks so it matures and grows the biofilm shrimp graze on. When the cycle finishes, ammonia and nitrite drop to 0 and nitrate spikes above 40 ppm. That spike means the tank is cycled. We then do a 100% water change, and the tank is ready for shrimp. Don't do water changes during the cycle; just top off evaporation. Add shrimp a few at a time over the first months, since a new tank can't support a big group at once.
- Filter: use at least a sponge filter. Sponge filters are low maintenance, safe for babies and give the gentle flow shrimp prefer. Shrimp don't like strong current, so a powerful filter does more harm than good.
- Substrate: any inert gravel or sand. Neocaridina don't need special shrimp soil.
- Frogbit: we keep frogbit floating in every tank. It grows fast and soaks up excess nitrate, which keeps the water clean between water changes.
- Plants and moss: moss and leaf litter give shrimp cover and grow the biofilm they eat. Shrimp feel safer and show better color with plenty of plants. Moss is the easiest choice: it needs no fertilizer, no CO2 and no extra care, unlike high-maintenance plants. Rinse new plants well and check them for pests like hydra before they go in.
- Heater: only if the room drops below about 68°F. Keep the tank under 80°F in summer.
Adding new shrimp
- Float the closed bag in the tank for 15–20 minutes to match the temperature.
- Pour the shrimp and their water into a clean container. Drip tank water in slowly (2–3 drops per second) for about an hour, until the water volume has roughly tripled. No drip kit? Add 1/4 cup of tank water every 15 minutes, four times.
- Net the shrimp into the tank. Don't pour the shipping water in.
- Keep the lights low for the rest of the day and wait a day before feeding.
It's normal for new shrimp to hide for a few days, and some may molt soon after arriving. Leave the old shells in the tank; shrimp eat them to recover minerals.
Feeding
Shrimp get about 70% of their food from biofilm and algae in the tank, so they need less food than you might think. We feed 2–3 times a week, mainly snowflake food (soybean hulls). Leftover snowflake doesn't foul the water the way pellets and vegetables do, and overfeeding is one of the main causes of shrimp deaths. Once a week we also add a fine baby shrimp powder such as Bacter AE, which spreads through the tank so the babies can find it.
- The 80% rule: when you add food, at least 80% of the shrimp should go for it. If they don't, they aren't hungry: skip the next feeding.
- Keep the menu short: one or two main foods plus a baby powder. With a dozen different foods, you'll never know which one caused a problem.
- Watch for deaths after feeding: shrimp that die the day after a feeding point to too much food or the wrong food. Cut back, or pause feeding until the deaths stop.
Water changes and maintenance
A stable tank needs fewer water changes than most people expect. Every change is a chance for the water to shift.
- Top off with RO/DI water: only water evaporates and the minerals stay behind, so topping off with plain RO/DI water keeps the hardness steady. Tap water or remineralized water would slowly push it up.
- Change water only when nitrate is high: do a water change when it goes above 40 ppm. Frogbit keeps it low in most tanks.
- When you do change water: use remineralized RO/DI water (or dechlorinated tap water) matched to the tank's temperature, and dose beneficial bacteria afterwards.
- If shrimp are active and eating, leave the tank alone. Changing things in a healthy tank is asking for trouble.
- Sponge filters: we only clean ours when they clog. When you do, rinse in removed tank water, never under the tap, so the beneficial bacteria survive.
- Nets and tools: use a separate net for each tank and hang it to dry after use. Clean shared tools between tanks.
- Testing: once a tank is stable and the shrimp are actively picking and eating, regular testing is optional; we rarely test ours. If shrimp turn sluggish, stop moving around or stop eating, check all the parameters right away.
Breeding
Neocaridina breed readily with no special setup. Females are larger, rounder and usually more colorful. A yellow patch behind the head (the "saddle") means she is carrying developing eggs. After mating, she carries 20–30 eggs under her tail for about 30 days, fanning them to keep them clean. The babies hatch as tiny copies of the adults and graze on biofilm from day one. Shrimp reach breeding age in about 3–4 months and live 1–2 years.
A mature tank with moss and plenty of biofilm is the best thing you can give the babies, plus the weekly baby powder food. Avoid fish, or keep only very small, peaceful ones, if you want a large colony.
- Not too many males: when a female molts, every male chases her, and in a crowded tank the stress can kill her. Give shrimp plenty of moss to hide in.
- Stocking: a rough maximum is 10 shrimp per gallon, but it depends on how established the tank is.
- Breeding pauses are normal: there are months, often in winter, when shrimp stop breeding. If they are active and healthy, don't change anything. It passes.
One color per tank
All Neocaridina colors are the same species, so a Red Cherry and a Blue Dream will crossbreed. Within a few generations the offspring turn back toward wild brown and clear. Keep one color per tank if you want to keep the color line.
Tankmates
Shrimp do best in a shrimp-only tank. Good companions are snails such as nerites and ramshorns, otocinclus catfish and very small peaceful fish like ember tetras or chili rasboras. Most other fish, including bettas, gouramis and larger tetras, will eat babies and stress the adults. Neocaridina won't crossbreed with Caridina, but the two need different water, so keep them in separate tanks.
Common problems
- Shrimp dying a few at a time: usually a water quality problem. Test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, cut back on feeding and check that nothing toxic entered the tank. In an older tank where the water tests fine, waste built up in the substrate is a common cause: siphon it clean and do a large water change.
- Losses after adding shrimp: a few losses in the first week or two can happen as new shrimp adjust. Don't do water changes in a panic; wait it out and watch.
- Failed molts: a shrimp stuck in its old shell, or a white ring around the body, points to GH that is too low or water that changes too much. Raise GH slowly and avoid large water changes.
- Copper: copper is toxic to shrimp, and with few water changes even a trace in food or plant fertilizer builds up over time. Avoid copper-based medications, fertilizers and fittings, and check the label of anything you add to the tank.
- Hydra: tiny white tentacled pests, almost always brought in on plants or moss. Treat with a fenbendazole dewormer (sold as Panacur C), which is safe for shrimp.
- Insecticides and sprays: flea treatments, bug sprays and air fresheners near the tank can kill a whole colony.
- Faded color: stress, bare tanks and light-colored substrate make shrimp look pale. Plants, a darker substrate and stable water bring the color back.
Quick answers
How many shrimp should I start with? 10 or more. A larger group breeds sooner and the shrimp are less shy. A 20-gallon tank can grow into a colony of several hundred.
Do I need a heater? Not at normal room temperature. Neocaridina are comfortable from 68°F to 78°F.
Can I use tap water? Yes, with a dechlorinator, and Neocaridina will usually do fine. RO/DI water with a Neocaridina remineralizer is easier to keep steady, and it's what we use in every tank.
Do I need a lid? No. We don't use lids on any of our shrimp tanks.
How long do they live? About 1–2 years. A healthy colony keeps going for many years as new generations replace the old.
Ready to start? See our Neocaridina shrimp and moss and plants. Shipping and our live arrival guarantee are on the Shipping / DOA page.