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Encyclopedia / Shrimp / Cherry shrimp
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Variations

14 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Cherry shrimp

Neocaridina davidi · Red cherry shrimp, Shrimp, Neocaridina, Rcs, Blue dream shrimp, Blue velvet shrimp

Tiny red shrimp that graze algae all day. Many fish will eat the babies.

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3 cmAdult size ✓
18–28 °CTemperature ✓
6.5–8pH ✓
20 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Cherry shrimp only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Betta eats animals up to about 2.5 cm. Cherry shrimp only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Dwarf gourami eats animals up to about 2.5 cm. Cherry shrimp only grows to 3 cm.
With conditions
  • Congo tetra will eat baby cherry shrimp. Add lots of moss and plants so some survive.
With conditions
  • Tiger barb will eat baby cherry shrimp. Add lots of moss and plants so some survive.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

226 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓4–15 dGH
Group size ?10 or more
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ✓1–2 years
Size in shops 1–2 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Peaceful; eaten by most fish bigger than a few centimetres.

Food

Biofilm, algae, leftovers; shrimp pellets twice a week.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Females are bigger and more colorful, with a curved underside and a yellow or green "saddle" of developing eggs behind the head.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-layer (substrate spawner) · Easy

Breeds easily. Females carry the eggs under the tail for about 16-19 days (2-3 weeks); the young hatch as miniature adults with no larval stage.

Pairing

Start with 10 shrimp, with more females than males. Females have a saddle of eggs.

Setup

A 20-40 L tank with moss, plants and a sponge filter. Stable water, pH 6.5-8.

What starts it

Warm water of 22-26 C and good food are enough. They breed on their own.

Eggs

Females carry about 20-60 eggs under the tail for 16-19 days; young reach sexual maturity at around 30 days.

Raising the fry

Shrimplets graze on biofilm and powdered food. Keep moss for hiding. No need to separate if there are no fish.

Common mistakes
  • Adding fish that eat shrimplets
  • Copper in water or foods
  • Big water changes with different water
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionMan-made colour strain – wild ancestor from East Asia (China, Taiwan, Korea & Vietnam)
Rivers and lakesStreams and ponds of China and Taiwan
HabitatAncestors live in vegetated streams and ponds
Native rangeAbout 1,500 km across
See it on the world map

Plants that suit it

AnubiasBucephalandraJava mossChristmas mossRicciaDwarf hairgrassMonte CarloStaurogyne repens

The story of the cherry shrimp

The red form was bred in Taiwan. They clean up leftovers and algae and breed easily in planted tanks.

French zoologist Eugène Louis Bouvier described this shrimp in 1904, originally in the genus Caridina. The bright red 'cherry' strain was selectively bred by aquarists, commonly credited to breeders in Taiwan, and spread worldwide in the 2000s. It is now one of the most popular aquarium shrimp, with many colour lines.

First described by Eugène L. Bouvier in 1904.

  • Wild Neocaridina are mostly brownish-green.
  • Many colour lines have been bred, including yellow, blue and black.
  • It breeds in fresh water; young hatch as tiny shrimp.

Sources

13 facts checked with sources