AQUATICS BY GEORGE

       NEOCARIDINA SHRIMP CARE

 

Neocaridina davidi Species Freshwater Shrimp (Cherry, Fire Red, Yellow, Pumpkin, Snowball etc.)

 

Neocaridina davidi are one of the best choices for a beginner to the freshwater dwarf shrimp hobby. They tend to be hardier and more adaptable than the slightly less common (and generally more expensive) Caridina species.

 

WATER CONDITIONS

 

can adapt to a wide range of water parameters. They can tolerate temperatures between 14 to 30 degrees Celsius (57 to 86 Fahrenheit) but do best in the low to mid seventies. Keeping them towards the higher end of their preferred temperatures may encourage them to breed faster, but will also significantly shorten their life span. They're also sensitive to low oxygen levels, which can be more serious in higher temperatures, so if your aquarium is on the warmer side, during the summer for example, you should increase oxygenation to compensate. 

 

Neocaridinas will also tolerate a wide range of pH levels, but seem to do their best between 7 and 8.5. They also prefer somewhat hard water, with medium to high levels of general hardness (GH) and carbonate hardness (KH). 

 

SEXING

 

Females typically grow to an adult size of about 2.5 cm (1 inch) and the males are slightly smaller. The males also tend to be somewhat colourless and transparent, compared to the females, although the males can become more colourful from careful selective breeding over many generations. Females will also have a yellowish saddle when ovulating which is the most reliable way of sexing them. 

 

VARIETIES

 

There are several species and countless sport colour varieties of Neocaridina, but the most common one to see in the aquarium hobby is Neocaridina davidi (previously known as Neocaridina heteropoda) red variety, also known as "red cherry shrimp". Some of the other common varieties include "fire red", "bloody Mary", "yellow", "pumpkin", "jade green", "snowball", "chocolate", "blue dream", "blue velvet", "blue diamond", "black" and recently a purple variety has also been developed. There are also "rili" varieties of most colours, which are missing a band of colour around the midsection. All of these colours originated from the wild type Neocaridina davidi, which is a reddish brown. 

 

New varieties are constantly being developed. Keeping multiple colour varieties together is commonly reported to result in the shrimp reverting to wild type, however this is also typically where new varieties result from, so if you have the inclination to play mad scientist, and cross two different varieties, you may get some less desirable brownish shrimp from it (these should be sold, given away, or put in a different aquarium, if your interest is breeding for brighter colours) just might make something that no one has ever seen before. If you plan on selling any if your offspring, it would probably be wise to keep them divided by colour variety, so that your clients will know that their shrimp will breed predictably. 

 

ILLNESS

 

Shrimp can suffer from many different illnesses, including fungus, parasites, mineral deficiencies, (a bit of cuttle bone for them to pick at can help to prevent this), heavy metal toxicity, and are also unusually sensitive to even very low levels of ammonia and nitrite, which may not effect most pet fish species at all, and can also become ill or die when exposed to high levels of nitrates, which would very rarely kill most other aquatics.

 

In my own experience, Neocaridina davidi very rarely become ill when kept in hard water, at moderate temperatures, with no fish present (except maybe some small, inoffensive scavengers, such as pygmy cory catfish (Corydoras pygmaeus or habrosus).

 

It is important to avoid introducing parasites and micropredators, such as Planaria and Hydra, since these can and will attack and eat shrimplets. Assassin snails (Clea helena, actually a freshwater whelk, not a true snail) will also occasionally attack and eat shrimp, if they're hungry. Be sure to quarantine new plants and avoid dumping water from pet shops into your tank, to avoid bringing in unwanted hitchhikers. 

 

Shrimps can sometimes also die for no apparent reason, especially just after being added to a new tank, after being transported. This could be for any number of reasons, including stress, inability to adjust to new water conditions, low oxygen levels, or injury while being netted. Smaller juveniles and shrimplets may be more likely to adjust well to new water parameters, so choosing young ones could improve your chances of avoiding losses, but in any case, I would encourage you to make an effort to match temperature and pH as closely as possible to the water they came from, to avoid stress. 

 

Another common cause of death, heavy metal toxicity, can usually be avoided by using a water conditioner which binds heavy metals (Seachem Prime is a popular choice, but plain Sodium thiosulfate, which we sell as "Water Crystals" binds trace heavy metals as well), but in some cases where the water contains very high levels of copper, lead or other heavy metals, that won't be enough, and it will be necessary to use something like activated carbon, or a product like Cuprisorb or Poly-Filter to absorb the metals, and prevent the shrimps from being poisoned. 

 

FEEDING

 

Neocaridina davidi is a scavenger and will eat just about anything, but seems to prefer algae, shrimp pellets (and also dead shrimp and fish), leftover fish foods, soft vegetables, especially foods that are rich in calcium. They will actually eat all of the same types of algae as the famous "algae eating shrimp", (Caridina multidentata). 

 

WATER ADDITIVES

 

They may or may not benefit from some reef iodine being added to the water, but in any case, it doesn't hurt, and many swear by it. I like to add a small amount, about 1/10th the recommend dose for a coral reef. 

 

COMPATIBILITY

 

They should be kept in groups of six or more, to see them behave most naturally. In smaller numbers, they can be a bit shy.  They can be kept successfully with small, non predatory fish species, but to see them do their best, I would recommend keeping them in shrimp only settings. 

 

MINIMUM TANK SIZE 

 

In theory, you can keep this species in aquariums as small as one or two gallons, but I find that it's very difficult to prevent sudden changes in water chemistry, and temperature fluctuations in tanks that are smaller than five gallons. A five gallon could fit as many as fifty, but I would suggest aiming for more like half that, to be on the safe side. 

 

BREEDING

 

Breeding Neocaridinas is a simple as keeping them healthy and waiting. The females carry the eggs on their "swimming legs" (known as pleopods) while they pass through their larval stage, and when they are released, they will be perfect miniatures of the adults. As long as the intake of the filter is covered with a fine mesh or sponge, and there are no predators to eat them, the shrimp should grow and turn into a thriving colony, for you to enjoy, and with any luck, one day you’ll have enough to sell, trade or share them with your friends. 

​

George

 

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Sources: 

 

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/features/articles/frequently-asked-questions-on-neocaridina-shrimps

 

https://www.discobee.com/blogs/news/17030569-dwarf-shrimp-water-parameters

 

http://www.aquariadise.com/caresheet-cherry-shrimp/