Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi): care and breeding for beginners

The cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi var. red) is a selectively bred form of a wild freshwater shrimp from Taiwan. Today it's the world's most popular aquarium shrimp: bright red colour, hardy, easy to breed, omnivorous. The perfect 'first invertebrate' — given stable parameters and no predatory fish.

Tank and equipment

Minimum for a stable colony — 19 L (5 US gal), optimum — 38 L. Filter — an air-lift sponge or a canister with a MANDATORY pre-filter sponge on the intake (without it shrimp get sucked in). A heater is optional — room temperature 20–24 °C is perfect. Moderate lighting so that moss and biofilm thrive.

Water parameters

Temperature: 20–26 °C (24 °C is the breeding sweet spot; above 28 °C shortens lifespan). pH 6.8–7.8. gH 6–12 (minerals are critical for moulting — without them shrimp die during shell shedding). kH 2–8. TDS 200–350 ppm. Ammonia and nitrite: strictly 0 — shrimp are far more sensitive than fish and die first.

Water changes and stability

Water changes — 10–15% once a week, no more. Big changes trigger mass moulting and shock deaths. Always condition water and check TDS. Shrimp fear sudden swings; parameter stability matters more than absolute values. More in our [water-changes guide].

Feeding

Shrimp are omnivorous scavengers. The base of their diet is biofilm and micro-algae that grow on driftwood and moss in a mature tank (from 2 months onward). Supplement 2–3 times a week: a blanched piece of zucchini, spinach or carrot for 1–2 hours (then remove), specialised tablets (Shrimp King, Shirakura Ebi Dama). Most important — do NOT overfeed: food leftovers raise nitrate and seed planaria.

Tankmates

Best option — a shrimp-only species tank. Compatible with peaceful nano fish: pygmy corydoras, otocinclus, micro-rasboras (chili rasbora, microrasbora nanus). NOT compatible: bettas, angelfish, tetras of any kind, all cichlids, gouramis, small predators. Shrimp 1–3 mm long are a snack for most fish.

Compatible with all snails. Nerites (algae cleaners), bladder snails and ramshorns are particularly useful. Nerites don't breed in freshwater — they're safe from population issues.

Breeding

Sexual maturity at 3–4 months. The female carries 20–30 eggs under her belly for 25–35 days (faster at 26 °C). Babies hatch as miniature adults, with no larval stage — that's what makes Neocaridina simple to breed compared to Caridina. No brackish baths, no special feeding — just stable water, moss for hiding, and the colony grows itself.

Realistic growth: 10 shrimp under stable conditions become 100 within 6 months and 300+ within a year. Surplus shrimp can be sold or given away — local aquarium communities always welcome them.

Colour grades

From entry-level to premium: Sakura (pale cherry, transparent patches) → Fire Red (solid red) → Painted Fire Red (full coverage, black eyes) → Bloody Mary (deep wine-red). Each grade is 2–3× the price of the previous one. For stable colour the colony needs 'weeding': remove the palest individuals every 2 months.

A shrimp tank is the zen variant of aquarium-keeping. Minimum intervention, meditative observation, constant reward of new babies.

Common mistakes and diseases

• Copper in any form (copper-based medications, plant fertilisers with Cu²⁺) — lethal to all invertebrates within hours.

• An abrupt water change with cold/hard/soft water — mass moulting and death.

• Planaria (flatworms) — arrive with live food, hunt juveniles. Treatment: fenbendazole 0.1 g / 100 L.

• Hydra (small polyps on the glass) — eat babies. Treatment: raise temperature to 30 °C for 36 hours, or Planaria Zero.

• Overpopulation — above 1000 shrimp per 100 L leads to stress and disease. Sell or rehome surplus every six months.