Yellow Shrimp Breeding Guide

Yellow Shrimp is a Neocaridina davidi color morph that breeds readily in freshwater; females carry 20-30 eggs and young hatch as miniature adults.

Overview

Yellow Shrimp is a color morph of Neocaridina davidi, a freshwater dwarf shrimp of the family Atyidae native to China and Taiwan. All Neocaridina color varieties belong to one species, so the yellow morph breeds with the same ease as the red cherry shrimp. 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 intensely colored, and have wider tails; males stay smaller (about 2.5-3 cm) and more translucent. A mature female shows a yellowish saddle of developing eggs on the back. Keeping at least ten shrimp reliably provides both sexes.

Breeding Conditions

Once a sexed group is in a tank without predators, breeding happens 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 supports molting; soft water can cause failed molts. Maturity is reached at about two months.

Eggs & Young

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

Maintaining Color

Color quality drifts over generations without management. Breeders cull the least colorful individuals once the colony is established so only the best-colored shrimp reproduce, keeping the yellow vivid. Mixing different morphs tends to produce offspring that revert toward wild-type brown.