Neocaridina: Everything You Need to Know

In this article we are going to discuss freshwater shrimp called Neocaridina. These are a group of dwarf shrimp that have the following types, Snowball shrimp, Blue pearl shrimp, Cherry shrimp and Yellow shrimp. Continue reading to learn more and more about these species of shrimp.

General information about Neocaridina shrimp

The easiest type of shrimp for beginner hobbyists is the Cherry shrimp, as the other types are rather difficult to maintain.

The origins of these shrimp come from South-East Asia. They are usually found in ponds and streams, and as natural substrate they use rocks, plants and wood.

Maintenance of Neocaridina

It is recommended to keep Neocaridina shrimp in aquariums with a lot of plants and hiding places. The plant not only provide hiding places but also provide enough place for bacteria and algae to live. The algae and other bacteria are the main component in the diet of these shrimp.

Also it is recommended to keep these shrimp in groups, preferably at least a group of six, otherwise they will feel shy.

Tank requirements for Neocaridina shrimp

You can keep these shrimp in minimum 15 L aquariums as they are rather small and do not require much space. But if you are going to keep them with other species then you can get a bigger tank.

These shrimp should be kept in super clean water, they have a high nitrite and ammonia intolerance. So even the existence of a little ammonia in the tank can kill the shrimp. To avoid this, the tank of Neocaridina shrimp should be perfectly cycled with filtration.  They are also highly intolerant to copper, so whenever you bring a new plant to the tank you need to carefully clean it from copper. Also, you cannot give them medications containing even a small amount of copper, otherwise the result can again be fatal.

The hardness of the tank water should be pH pH of 6.5-8.0. As for the tank water temperature it is recommended to keep it between 18-28°C. With higher temperature water these shrimp breed faster but their lifespan gets shorter, because hot water affects their metabolism.

Tankmates for Neocaridina shrimp

If you want the main attention keepers in your tank to be Neocaridina then it is recommended to keep them with other types of dwarf shrimp and snails. This way you will be able to see more of their character.

But if you want to keep them with fish, then you need to get smaller fish that will not eat the shrimp. You can get plant eater fish. You can also keep small Corydoras and small types of catfish that will not be dangerous to keep with Neocaridina.

Diet of Neocaridina

Feeding Neocaridina shrimp is pretty easy, as they eat almost everything. They spend their time looking for foods like algae on the surface of the water. Even though they get food naturally you still can feed them on a daily basis. You can get food made for shrimp or you can feed them with small pieces of vegetables.

How to breed Neocaridina shrimp?

There is nothing special that you should do to breed Neocaridina, if the shrimp are healthy they will breed naturally. When they are ready for breeding, female shrimp release pheromones into the water to let males know that they are ready for mating. Also, another way to know that the female is ready for breeding is the coloring at their shoulder height. You can see the immature eggs inside the shrimp. When the female shrimp gets fertilized by the male the eggs get to the female abdomen where the female shrimp will keep them until they will get hatched. The eggs are hatched after 3 week of the fertilization.

After the eggs are hatched the Neocaridina shrimp do not show any parental care. If you are going to keep the newborn shrimp with fish then it is recommended to have a lot of plants and other hiding places for the newborns, as they are very small and vulnerable. Also, you should be careful to provide high quality water with the right temperature for the newborn shrimp.

What can cause Neocaridina shrimp to die?

Let’s discuss a few most common reasons that can cause death to Neocaridina. The main cause is the old age. Usually these shrimp live 12-18 months and people get surprised when they die, but no unfortunately they have a very short lifespan. Another common cause can be poisoning from copper. This can happen while adding new plants to the aquarium. Failure doing moulting period can also cause death for the Neocaridina shrimp.

This can happen when the shrimp lacks iodine or calcium in their food. So if you often have had these types of a situation consider adding more of these to the diet of your other Neocaridina shrimp. Bad water quality can also cause neocaridina to die. For instance, even if a small amount of ammonia appears in the water, this can be fatal for the shrimp. And finally another reason that can cause Neocaridina shrimp to die is being “bullied” by their tankmates.

Overall specifications

• pH: 6.8-8.0
• Temperature: 18-28°C
• Hardness range: 8-20 dkh
• Tank size: min. 15 L

So, overall we have tackled everything regarding the care of Neocaridina shrimp. As we can see these shrimp are pretty easy to keep in a tank especially for new hobbyists as they do not require any specific care. You just need to provide them with the right quality water and a lot of places for hiding. Also, you should be careful to keep them with smaller tank mates for their own safety. As for the breeding, like we have mentioned above it is very easy to breed these shrimp. So, for those looking forward to breed their shrimp, you do not have to do anything, if you have healthy shrimp they will do everything naturally. Hopefully this article was helpful and you learned a lot of information about Neocaridina shrimp.