Cherry Shrimp care guide

Breeding Black Rose Shrimp

Overview

The Black Rose shrimp is a selectively bred color morph of Neocaridina davidi. Like all Neocaridina, it breeds readily in freshwater and does not have a larval stage, so a stable, sexed group will reproduce without special intervention.

Sexing

Females are larger, have wider tails for carrying eggs, and show richer, more opaque coloration; in more transparent morphs the developing eggs may be visible as a green or yellow saddle on the back. Males are smaller, slimmer, and less colorful. Aquarium Co-Op reports females reaching up to about 4 cm and males around 2.5-3 cm.

Breeding Conditions

• Temperature: about 22-24 °C is most comfortable for breeding
• pH: 6.5-8.5
• GH: at least 6 ° (around 110 ppm)
• KH: at least 2 ° (around 40 ppm)
• Breeding requires only a sexed pair, stable water parameters, and a food source

Eggs & Young

A berried female carries roughly 20-30 eggs affixed to her swimmerets (pleopods) and fans them to keep them oxygenated. Eggs hatch in about 2-3 weeks (gestation is roughly a month depending on temperature). Hatchlings are tiny copies of the adults, only about 1-2 mm long, with no free-swimming larval stage. Sexual maturity is reached at roughly two months of age.

Color Stability & Culling

Color morphs of Neocaridina davidi are produced by selective breeding. Without culling, populations tend to degrade in appearance over time, so less colorful individuals are removed to maintain a high-grade, stable black coloration. First-time or stressed females may sometimes drop their eggs.

Breeding Carbon Rili Shrimp

Overview

The Carbon Rili shrimp is a two-tone (rili) selectively bred color morph of Neocaridina davidi, with opaque black sections separated by a clear midsection. Like all Neocaridina, it breeds readily in freshwater and has no larval stage.

Sexing

Females are larger, have wider tails for carrying eggs, and show richer, more opaque coloration; the developing eggs may appear as a green or yellow saddle on the back. Males are smaller, slimmer, and less colorful. Aquarium Co-Op reports females reaching up to about 4 cm and males around 2.5-3 cm.

Breeding Conditions

• Temperature: about 22-24 °C is most comfortable for breeding
• pH: 6.5-8.5
• GH: at least 6 ° (around 110 ppm)
• KH: at least 2 ° (around 40 ppm)
• Breeding requires only a sexed pair, stable water parameters, and a food source

Eggs & Young

A berried female carries roughly 20-30 eggs affixed to her swimmerets (pleopods) and fans them to keep them oxygenated. Eggs hatch in about 2-3 weeks (gestation is roughly a month depending on temperature). Hatchlings are tiny copies of the adults, only about 1-2 mm long, with no free-swimming larval stage. Sexual maturity is reached at roughly two months of age.

Color Stability & Culling

Rili and other Neocaridina davidi patterns are maintained by selective breeding. Without culling, populations tend to degrade in appearance over time, so individuals with poor contrast or off-pattern are removed to keep the carbon rili look consistent.

Cherry Shrimp Breeding Guide

Overview

Neocaridina davidi reproduces freely in a stable freshwater aquarium and has no larval stage, which makes it one of the easiest aquarium invertebrates to breed. A colony only requires a sexed pair, stable water parameters and a steady food source. Shrimp reach sexual maturity at roughly two months of age, and a colony begun with about ten individuals should contain both sexes.

Sexing

Females are larger, more deeply coloured and have a wider, more rounded tail; they also show a yellow or saddle-shaped marking on the back when eggs are developing in the ovaries. Males are smaller, more slender and less intensely coloured.

Breeding Conditions

Stable parameters matter more than precise targets. Provide steady water chemistry, gentle filtration and live plants or moss that host the microfauna and biofilm the colony grazes on. After moulting, a receptive female releases pheromones that attract males to mate.

Egg-laying & Juveniles

Once mated, the female becomes berried and carries 20-30 eggs attached to her pleopods (swimmerets) under the tail, fanning fresh water over them to keep them oxygenated and clean of fungus. Eggs take about 2-3 weeks to hatch and darken as development proceeds, with tiny eyespots visible before hatching. Hatchlings are roughly 1-2 mm miniatures of the adults that lack full colour at first; feed them powdered foods and offer leaf litter or moss, and they mature in around a month.

Challenges

The main risk to a colony is predation: most fish will eat newborn shrimp, so a dedicated or heavily planted tank improves survival. Stressed or inexperienced females may drop their eggs, and stable conditions plus dense cover greatly increase the number of juveniles that reach maturity.

Green Jade Shrimp Breeding Guide

Overview

Green Jade is a color morph of Neocaridina davidi, a freshwater dwarf shrimp of the family Atyidae native to China and Taiwan. Like all Neocaridina, it is the same species as every other morph and breeds in plain freshwater, but holding its deep green color demands careful selective breeding. Adults reach roughly 3-4 cm and live about 1-2 years.

Telling Males from Females

Females grow larger (up to about 4 cm), are more strongly colored, and have wider tails; males are smaller (about 2.5-3 cm) and more translucent. A mature female shows a yellowish saddle of developing eggs on her back. A group of at least ten shrimp reliably includes both sexes.

Breeding Conditions

A sexed group in a predator-free tank reproduces on its own. Reported limits are 16-28 C (60-82 F), most comfortable 22-24 C (72-76 F), pH 6.5-8.5, GH at least 6 dGH (110 ppm) and KH at least 2 dKH (40 ppm). Mineral-rich water is required for successful molting; soft water can cause failed molts. Maturity is reached at about two months.

Eggs & Young

The berried female carries 20-30 eggs on her swimmerets after molting and mating; they darken over roughly 2-3 weeks until they hatch. There is no larval stage; young emerge as tiny copies of the adults, around 1 mm long, and adults do not eat their own young.

Maintaining Color

Green is one of the less stable Neocaridina colors and fades quickly without management. Breeders cull pale or off-color individuals strictly so that only the deepest-green shrimp reproduce. Mixing different morphs produces offspring that revert toward wild-type brown, so green colonies are kept isolated.

Breeding Black Diamond Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

Overview

The Black Diamond is a solid deep-black selectively bred line of Neocaridina davidi, the same freshwater species as the Cherry shrimp. Like all Neocaridina, it is a direct-developing shrimp: females carry the eggs to term and release fully formed miniature shrimp, so no separate larval or saltwater stage is needed. Reproduction in a stable colony is straightforward, and the main breeding challenge is preserving the dense black colour through selective pairing.

Sexing

Mature females are larger, rounder in the abdomen and more intensely coloured than males. A maturing female shows a pale ovary mass, the 'saddle', behind the head, formed by developing eggs. Males stay slimmer, smaller and less saturated. In a solid-black line the saddle is harder to spot than in lighter morphs, so judge by the deeper body and broader tail used to hold a clutch.

Conditioning

Keep both sexes together in a mature tank and feed a varied diet of biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and occasional protein. Aquarium Co-Op notes females are most receptive just after a molt, so steady feeding and stable water encourage molt-triggered mating. Avoid overfeeding, which fouls the water this species depends on.

Breeding Setup

• Minimum tank volume: 20 L for a self-sustaining colony
• Temperature: 20-26 C (68-79 F)
• pH: 6.5-7.8; GH 6-12 dGH; KH 2-8 dKH
• Sponge filter so shrimplets are not drawn in
• Live moss, plants and caves for cover after molts
• A dark substrate helps display the black colour

Spawning & Berried Females

After mating the female fans 20-30 eggs held under her abdomen with her pleopods to keep them clean and oxygenated. Per Wikipedia the clutch takes about 2-3 weeks to hatch. A stressed female may drop her eggs, so avoid large parameter swings and disturbance during this period.

Shrimplet Care

Newly released shrimplets are exact miniatures of the adults and graze biofilm and fine detritus from the first day. They need dense cover and a tank free of fish that would eat them. No special first food is required if the tank is mature and biofilm-rich.

Common Challenges

Copper-based medications are toxic to shrimp and must be avoided. Because the black colour is a selectively bred trait, crossing the line with other Neocaridina colour morphs causes offspring to revert toward the wild brown form within a few generations, so keep the line isolated and cull off-colour individuals to hold grade. Neocaridina davidi and Caridina cantonensis are different genera and do not interbreed.

Blue Dream Shrimp Breeding Guide

Overview

Blue Dream is a deep, near-royal-blue line of Neocaridina davidi, generally regarded as one of the highest-grade blue selections. Its breeding biology is identical to other Neocaridina morphs: easy reproduction with a sexed pair and stable water, external egg incubation by the female, and direct development of young without a larval stage.

Sexing

Females are larger, more deeply and evenly blue, and have a broad curved tail for holding eggs; males are smaller and paler. The maturing egg saddle behind the head can be hard to see against the dark blue body but is still present before eggs pass to the swimmerets.

Conditioning

Keep parameters steady in the species range: temperature about 22-26 °C and pH near 6.5-7.8 with stable hardness. As detritivores the shrimp graze biofilm, algae and detritus and eat their molts, so a mature planted tank covers most feeding with light supplementation.

Breeding Setup

A species-only tank with gentle filtration and moss best supports a Blue Dream colony. The deep blue is a recessive selectively bred trait. Crossing different Neocaridina davidi morphs reverts the young to brown wild-type, so Blue Dream must be isolated from other color lines to keep the saturation high.

Spawning & Berried Females

Mating follows a molt, with pheromone signaling and external fertilization as eggs move to the pleopods. A berried female carries roughly 20-30 eggs and fans them under the tail for about two to three weeks until hatching. Steady parameters reduce the chance of a dropped clutch.

Shrimplet Care

Shrimplets hatch at about 1 mm as miniature adults and graze biofilm immediately. They mature in roughly two to three months and live one to two years. Holding the high grade requires firm culling of paler or patchy young so only the deepest, most even blues breed on.

Common Challenges

Even in a strong line some young hatch paler and are removed from breeding stock. The main risks are mixing with other morphs, which reverts color toward wild-type, and unstable water or copper exposure, which stress berried females and developing eggs.

neocaridina davidi blue dream

Blue Pearl Shrimp Breeding Guide

Overview

Blue Pearl is a translucent pale-blue morph of Neocaridina davidi and one of the earlier blue lines. It breeds like every Neocaridina: easy reproduction with a sexed pair and stable water, external egg incubation by the female, and direct development of young with no larval stage.

Sexing

Females are larger, more strongly tinted, and have a broad curved tail for holding eggs; males are smaller and more transparent. Because the body is translucent, the maturing egg saddle behind the head is often relatively easy to see before eggs pass to the swimmerets.

Conditioning

Keep parameters steady in the species range: temperature about 22-26 °C and pH near 6.5-8 with stable hardness. As detritivores the shrimp graze biofilm, algae and detritus and eat their molts, so a mature planted tank supplies most of the diet with light supplementation.

Breeding Setup

A species-only tank with gentle filtration and a dark background helps the pale blue show, and moss provides shrimplet cover. The blue tint is a recessive selectively bred trait. Crossing different Neocaridina davidi morphs reverts the young to brown wild-type, so Blue Pearl must be kept apart from other color lines.

Spawning & Berried Females

Mating follows a molt, with pheromone signaling and external fertilization as eggs move to the pleopods. A berried female carries roughly 20-30 eggs and fans them under the tail for about two to three weeks until hatching. Steady parameters reduce the chance of a dropped clutch.

Shrimplet Care

Shrimplets hatch at about 1 mm as miniature adults and graze biofilm immediately. They mature in roughly two to three months and live one to two years. Because the color is naturally pale, holding the line depends on grouping shrimp and culling the most colorless or off-tint young.

Common Challenges

The pale blue varies and some young appear nearly clear; weaker individuals are removed from breeding stock. The main risks are mixing with other morphs, which reverts color toward wild-type, and unstable water or copper exposure, which stress berried females and harm eggs.

neocaridina davidi blue pearl

Breeding Carbon Rili Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

Overview

The Carbon Rili, also called Black Rili, is a patterned Neocaridina davidi line with a black head and tail and a translucent midsection. It breeds with the same ease as other Neocaridina and develops directly, with no larval stage. The breeding goal is not just numbers but holding the two-tone Rili split, which is harder to fix than a solid colour.

Sexing

Females are larger, deeper-bodied and more strongly pigmented than males, with a wider tail for carrying eggs. A maturing female shows the ovary saddle behind the head. Males are smaller and more transparent overall.

Conditioning

Maintain both sexes in an established tank and offer a varied diet of biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and occasional protein. Females become receptive right after molting, so stable conditions and steady feeding are the main spawning cues; do not overfeed.

Breeding Setup

• Minimum tank volume: 20 L for a colony
• Temperature: 20-26 C (68-79 F)
• pH: 6.5-7.8; GH 6-12 dGH; KH 2-8 dKH
• Sponge filter to keep shrimplets safe
• Moss, plants and caves for post-molt shelter
• Stable parameters to support continuous breeding

Spawning & Berried Females

After a post-molt mating the female carries 20-30 eggs under her abdomen and fans them with her pleopods. Per Wikipedia the clutch hatches in roughly 2-3 weeks. Keep parameters stable; a stressed female may abandon the eggs.

Shrimplet Care

Shrimplets emerge as tiny adults and graze biofilm from day one. They require dense moss cover and a fish-free tank. Pattern only becomes clear as they grow, so grading for clean Rili split is done on juveniles and young adults.

Common Challenges

Avoid copper-based medications. Rili patterning is unstable, so each generation throws solid-colour and reverted individuals; cull those that lose the clear midsection to keep the line true. Crossing with other Neocaridina morphs accelerates reversion to wild brown. Neocaridina davidi does not interbreed with Caridina cantonensis, a separate genus.

Breeding Orange Rili Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

Overview

The Orange Rili, sometimes sold as Pumpkin Rili, is a Neocaridina davidi line showing pumpkin-orange head and tail with a clear middle band. It develops directly with no larval stage and breeds as readily as any Neocaridina. The work lies in keeping the warm orange tone and the two-tone Rili split through selection.

Sexing

Females are larger, deeper-bodied and more saturated orange, with a wider egg-carrying tail and a visible ovary saddle when maturing. Males are smaller, slimmer and lighter in colour.

Conditioning

Keep a mixed-sex group in a mature tank and feed varied rations of biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and occasional protein, without overfeeding. As females mate right after molting, the practical triggers are stable parameters and consistent feeding.

Breeding Setup

• Minimum tank volume: 20 L for a colony
• Temperature: 20-26 C (68-79 F)
• pH: 6.5-7.8; GH 6-12 dGH; KH 2-8 dKH
• Sponge filter to protect shrimplets
• Moss and plant cover for molting shrimp
• Stable parameters for continuous breeding

Spawning & Berried Females

A berried female fans 20-30 eggs under her abdomen with her pleopods. Per Wikipedia the clutch hatches in about 2-3 weeks. Avoid disturbance and large water changes during incubation, since a stressed female may drop the eggs.

Shrimplet Care

Shrimplets are miniature adults that feed on biofilm and detritus from the start and rely on dense cover and a predator-free tank. Orange depth and Rili split sharpen with growth, so cull weakly patterned juveniles to maintain the line.

Common Challenges

Keep copper out of the tank. Each generation will produce solid-orange and faded individuals; remove those without a clear midsection. Crossing with other Neocaridina colour morphs pushes offspring back to wild brown over a few generations. Neocaridina davidi does not interbreed with the separate genus Caridina cantonensis.

Painted Fire Red Shrimp Breeding Guide

Overview

Painted Fire Red is the top grade of the red Neocaridina davidi line, selected for completely opaque red covering the body, legs, antennae and rostrum. It shares the breeding biology common to all Neocaridina: easy reproduction in a mature tank, external egg incubation by the female, and direct development of young without a larval stage.

Sexing

Top-grade females are large, uniformly deep red, and carry a broad curved tail for holding eggs, while males stay smaller and somewhat paler even in heavily selected stock. The yellow or green saddle behind the head marks eggs maturing in the ovaries before they move to the swimmerets.

Conditioning

Keep water stable within the species range: temperature around 22-26 °C and pH near 6.5-7.8 with steady hardness. As detritivores the shrimp graze biofilm, algae and detritus and eat their molts, so a well-aged planted tank covers most feeding needs with only light supplements.

Breeding Setup

A species-only tank with gentle filtration and abundant moss suits this top-grade line. The full-coverage red is a recessive selectively bred trait, and any cross with another Neocaridina davidi morph reverts offspring to brown wild-type. Painted Fire Red must be isolated from all other color lines to keep the trait fixed.

Spawning & Berried Females

Mating follows a molt, with pheromone signaling and external fertilization as eggs pass to the pleopods. A berried female carries roughly 20-30 eggs and tends them under the tail for about two to three weeks until hatching. Holding parameters steady reduces the chance of a dropped clutch during incubation.

Shrimplet Care

Hatchlings are about 1 mm, fully formed, and graze biofilm from day one. They mature in roughly two to three months and live one to two years. Sustaining the top grade demands strict culling: only shrimp showing fully opaque red onto the legs and rostrum are retained for breeding.

Common Challenges

Because the grade is so high, even good stock produces some young with incomplete coverage that must be removed. The decisive risks are mixing with other morphs, which collapses the line toward wild-type, and unstable water or copper, which stress berried females and developing eggs.

neocaridina davidi painted fire red

Breeding Red Rili Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

Overview

The Red Rili is the original Rili pattern, selected from red Cherry stock of Neocaridina davidi, with a bright red head and tail and a translucent middle section. It develops directly and breeds easily like other Neocaridina; the breeding focus is maintaining the clean red-and-clear split rather than fertility.

Sexing

Females are larger, more opaque red and wider-tailed, and a maturing female shows the ovary saddle behind the head. Males are smaller, slimmer and more translucent. The red is usually deeper in females.

Conditioning

Maintain both sexes in an established tank and feed a varied, moderate diet of biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and occasional protein. Females mate right after molting, so the reliable triggers are stable water chemistry and steady feeding.

Breeding Setup

• Minimum tank volume: 20 L for a colony
• Temperature: 20-26 C (68-79 F)
• pH: 6.5-7.8; GH 6-12 dGH; KH 2-8 dKH
• Sponge filter to keep shrimplets safe
• Moss and plant cover for molting shrimp
• Stable parameters for continuous reproduction

Spawning & Berried Females

The berried female holds 20-30 eggs and fans them with her pleopods to keep them clean and oxygenated. Per Wikipedia the eggs hatch in about 2-3 weeks. Keep parameters steady during incubation, as a stressed female can abandon the clutch.

Shrimplet Care

Shrimplets are tiny adults that graze biofilm and detritus from day one and need dense cover and no predators. Red depth and the Rili split firm up with age, so grade growing juveniles and remove poorly patterned ones.

Common Challenges

Avoid copper-based medications. The Rili pattern is unstable and throws solid-red and reverted shrimp each generation; cull individuals that lose the clear midsection. Crossing with other Neocaridina morphs drives reversion to wild brown over a few generations. Neocaridina davidi and Caridina cantonensis are separate genera and do not interbreed.

Breeding Yellow Rili Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

Overview

The Yellow Rili is a Neocaridina davidi line bred from yellow Sakura stock, showing a bright yellow head and tail with a translucent midband. As with all Neocaridina it develops directly: females release fully formed shrimplets and there is no larval phase. Breeding is easy, but holding the Rili split and a clean yellow tone takes ongoing selection.

Sexing

Females are larger, more opaque yellow and broader in the tail; a maturing female carries a visible ovary saddle behind the head. Males stay smaller, slimmer and paler. The yellow coloration is usually stronger in females.

Conditioning

Run a mixed-sex colony in a mature tank and feed varied rations of biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and occasional protein in moderation. Mating follows the female's molt, so the main triggers are stable water chemistry and steady, restrained feeding.

Breeding Setup

• Minimum tank volume: 20 L for a colony
• Temperature: 20-26 C (68-79 F)
• pH: 6.5-7.8; GH 6-12 dGH; KH 2-8 dKH
• Sponge filter to protect young
• Moss and plant cover for molting shrimp
• Stable parameters for continuous reproduction

Spawning & Berried Females

The berried female holds 20-30 eggs and fans them with her pleopods to keep them clean and oxygenated. Per Wikipedia they hatch in about 2-3 weeks. Stress and large parameter swings can make her drop the clutch, so keep the tank quiet during incubation.

Shrimplet Care

Hatchlings are tiny adults that graze biofilm and detritus immediately and need dense cover and no predatory fish. Yellow intensity and Rili split firm up with age, so grade for colour and pattern on growing juveniles.

Common Challenges

Avoid copper-based medications. Expect solid-yellow and washed-out offspring each generation; cull those that lose the clear midsection. Crossing with other Neocaridina morphs drives reversion to wild brown within a few generations. Neocaridina davidi and Caridina cantonensis are different genera and do not hybridize.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Neocaridina davidi (CC BY-SA 4.0)
2. Seriously Fish (Inverts)
3. Aquarium Co-Op
4. Aquarium Co-Op