Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) are one of the best additions to a planted freshwater aquarium: hardy, peaceful, constantly grazing, and able to breed into a self-sustaining colony without any intervention from you. They are also the shrimp a beginner can actually breed — unlike Amano shrimp, they need no brackish nursery, and unlike crystal shrimp, they do not demand soft, acidic water. What kills them is not fussy water chemistry. It is copper, predators, and unstable water.
At a glance
- Scientific name: Neocaridina davidi (formerly Neocaridina heteropoda)
- Adult size: up to about 3.5 cm (1.4 inches)
- Lifespan: roughly 18 months
- Minimum tank: 5 gallons; 10 gallons is the safer default
- Temperature: 18–26°C (64–79°F); breeding sweet spot 22–25°C
- pH: 6.5–8.0
- General hardness (GH): 6–8 dGH; carbonate hardness (KH) 2–5 dKH
- Ammonia and nitrite: 0 ppm, always; nitrate below 20 ppm
- Diet: omnivorous grazers — biofilm, algae, shrimp pellets, blanched vegetables
The tank: stable water beats fancy water
A 5-gallon tank is the practical floor for a self-sustaining colony, but 10 gallons is the safer default — a larger volume holds parameters steadier, and cherry shrimp crash when parameters swing. Start with 10–15 shrimp; in a stable tank, expect 50–100 within six months and potentially several hundred within a year.
- Cycle the tank first. Shrimp are far more sensitive to ammonia than fish — even 0.25 ppm can cause stress and failed moults. The tank must be fully cycled before any shrimp are added.
- Use a sponge filter. It provides gentle flow, will not suck up baby shrimp, and grows the biofilm shrimp graze on. Cover any other filter intake with a fine sponge.
- Plant it heavily. Mosses, fine-leaved plants, and floating plants give shrimp grazing surfaces and hiding places. Dark, fine substrate shows off their red colour and supports biofilm.
- Keep a lid on. Shrimp can climb out, especially after a moult or a water change.
Water parameters: the non-negotiables
Cherry shrimp tolerate a wide range — temperature 18–28°C, pH 6.5–8.0 — but they are unforgiving about instability and minerals:
- Temperature: 18–26°C is the comfortable range, with 22–25°C the breeding sweet spot. Avoid sustained temperatures above 28°C, which suppress breeding, reduce dissolved oxygen, and shorten lifespan from about 18 months down to 9.
- pH: 6.5–8.0, with 7.0–7.6 best for breeding.
- Hardness: GH 6–8 dGH and KH 2–5 dKH are the usual targets. Hard water, not soft, is what they need — calcium and magnesium in the water are the building materials of the exoskeleton, and water that is too soft causes failed moults. If your tap water is very soft, add a mineral supplement or a calcium source such as cuttlebone or crushed coral.
- Nitrate: keep below 20 ppm, and below 10 ppm for high-grade breeding colonies.
- Water changes: 10–15% weekly, matched to tank temperature and dechlorinated. Large, rapid water changes stress and can kill shrimp.
Copper kills them. The single biggest chemical risk to Neocaridina is copper: trace amounts from tap pipes, plant fertilisers, algaecides, or fish medications are lethal at levels fish tolerate without noticing. Check the label of everything you put in the tank and use copper-free products only.
Feeding: biofilm first, supplements second
Cherry shrimp are omnivorous grazers. In a mature, planted tank with biofilm and algae present, they feed themselves most of the time — overfeeding is a far more common error than underfeeding. Uneaten food rots, spikes ammonia, and clouds the water.
- Staple: a shrimp-specific pellet or wafer 2–3 times a week.
- Vegetables: a small slice of blanched zucchini, spinach, kale, or cucumber, dropped in and removed after 24 hours.
- Extras: snowflake food (dried soybean husks) and algae wafers. A tiny amount of protein once or twice a week supports moulting.
- Calcium: maintain GH at 6–15 dGH or supplement with cuttlebone, crushed coral in the filter, or mineral stones. Shrimp eat their own shed skin after moulting — leave it in the tank, it is a calcium source.
Breeding: it happens by itself
A stable, well-fed colony breeds without any intervention. The female carries green or yellow eggs under her tail; gestation runs roughly 3–4 weeks at 22–24°C. Juveniles are born as miniature adults — no larval stage — and are immediately independent, which is why the colony grows so fast.
Colour grades — Cherry, Sakura, Fire Red, Painted Fire Red — reflect selective breeding for intensity of red. Higher grades cost more and breed true less reliably; start with standard cherry shrimp while you learn the tank.
Tank mates: peaceful only
Cherry shrimp are peaceful and defenceless. Safe tank mates are small, peaceful fish that cannot eat adult shrimp — otocinclus, small rasboras, and snails are common choices. Most community fish, including bettas and gouramis, will hunt shrimp, especially the babies. A shrimp-only tank is the simplest way to grow a colony; if you mix them with fish, give the shrimp dense moss and hiding places and accept that some babies will be eaten.
Common problems
- Shrimp dying after a water change: check for copper in the water supply or a new product, and check that the change water matches the tank temperature.
- Failed moults (the “white ring of death”): usually water that is too soft — raise GH — or a sudden parameter swing.
- Colony slowly disappearing: usually predation, or a filter intake sucking up babies.
- Berried females dropping eggs: stress, often from a large water change or a temperature swing. Keep changes small and steady.
Sources
- Tank Logic — Cherry Shrimp Care Guide (Neocaridina davidi): https://mytanklogic.com/fish/cherry-shrimp
- TankStocking — Cherry Shrimp Care Guide: https://tankstocking.com/fish/cherry-shrimp.html
- App-Aquatic — Cherry Shrimp Care: https://app-aquatic.com/guide-cherry-shrimp-care.html
- FishyHub — Cherry Shrimp Care Guide: https://wf-uat.fishyhub.com/sg/blogs/blog-detail/cherry-shrimp-care-guide
- SpawnOS — Cherry Shrimp Care Guide: https://spawnos.ca/species/cherry-shrimp