Complete Neocaridina Care Guide

Neocaridina shrimp (like Cherry, Blue Dream, Yellow, Black Rose, etc.) are considered one of the hardiest freshwater shrimp available. They can live and breed in a wide range of hobbyist water conditions — which is why they’re popular for beginners.BUT — they are only “hardy” when their water parameters stay stable.They don’t respond well to sudden drops or spikes in TDS, pH, temp, GH, KH, or to big sudden water changes.

Food types

Daily / Staple

natural biofilm (their #1 food)

soft algae (brown/green film algae)

quality shrimp pellets / wafers

Supplement (rotate)

Bacter style powders (biofilm builder)

Snowflake food (soy hulls)

Blanched veggies:
spinach
zucchini
green beans

Protein (1–2× per week only)

shrimp/fish protein pellets

crushed brine shrimp pellets

quality nano fish food crumbs

Things to Avoid

copper-heavy foods (read labels)

flavored “treat” fish foods (oils)

Feeding schedule

Daily


  • let them graze natural biofilm

  • tiny pinch of shrimp pellets every other day (not daily)

Every 3–4 days


  • add snowflake food OR blanched veggie piece

1–2× per week


  • small protein food (very small amount)

Remove leftover food after ~2–3 hours

Less is safer than more.

Overfeeding is the #1 shrimp killer.

Supplements

Every 3–4 days


  • biofilm booster powder (ex: Bacter AE type)

1× per week


  • minerals / GH+ (if needed → only when TDS is dropping)

1× per month


  • leaf litter top-up (catappa / guava / mulberry)

  • replace or add a small piece of cholla wood if needed

Only when necessary


  • baby food powder (when berried females / lots of babies)

  • probiotic type powders (sparingly)

Always micro-dose → shrimp need way less than most people think.

Tank size

Minimum


  • 5 gallons (ONLY for low population)

Recommended


  • 10 gallons+ (best for stability & breeding)

Bigger is always easier

More water = less parameter swings

Stocking rule of thumb


  • Start: ~10–20 shrimp per 10 gallons

  • Colony can safely grow to 100+ in a mature tank

Important


  • avoid nano <4 gallons

  • shrimp do best with stable volume not tiny jars

Decorations

Best Options


  • Live plants (anubias, mosses, buce)

  • Cholla wood

  • Leaf litter (catappa, mulberry, guava)

  • Rock piles / caves

  • Inert sand or gravel substrate

Avoid


  • Painted / dyed ornaments

  • Metals (can leach toxins)

Tips


  • More surface area = more biofilm = healthier shrimp

  • Moss is the #1 baby shrimp safe zone

  • Keep décor stable — avoid moving stuff constantly

Substrate

Best Choices


  • Inert sand (pool filter sand, natural sand)

  • Small gravel

  • Eco-style planted substrates that are non-buffering

Avoid


  • Active buffering soil (ADA / Brightwell etc.)

    → those are meant for Caridina, will drop pH too low

  • Colored / painted gravel (can leach dyes)

Why inert is best


  • Neocaridina like stable pH

  • Soil that shifts pH causes molting problems

Tips


  • Add leaf litter on top to grow biofilm

  • Thin top dusting of crushed coral can help if GH/KH is low (light amount)

Lifespan

  • 1.5 – 2 years typical

Max


  • up to ~2.5 years in very stable conditions

Important Notes


  • New adults you buy may already be 4–6 months old

  • Highest mortality is usually in the first 30 days after purchase (acclimation + parameter differences)

  • Babies born in your tank live the longest because they grow up in your exact water

Tips for long life


  • stable parameters > perfect parameters

  • low stress, low predators

  • light feeding, high biofilm

Breeding

Difficulty


  • Very easy if stable water

Female cycle


  • berried (eggs) ~ 28–35 days

  • no special breeder tank needed

Baby survival tips


  • lots of moss + biofilm

  • sponge filter so babies don’t get sucked in

  • no predators in tank

Signs breeding is active


  • saddled females (yellow patch behind head)

  • males swimming excited at night (looking for ripe females)

Population growth


  • small colony can double in a few months if conditions are good

Best boost


  • stability + surface area

    (not protein dumping — overfeeding kills babies)

Behavior

Normal Behavior


  • grazing all day on surfaces (biofilm)

  • slow wandering + picking at décor

  • hanging in moss / plants

  • males darting around briefly when a female is ready to breed

Shy Behavior


  • hiding more when new to tank

  • staying under hardscape until they “settle in”

Warning Signs


  • sitting still too long / not grazing

  • swimming frantically constantly (not just breeding time)

  • climbing glass near surface (may mean bad water / low oxygen)

General rule


  • healthy shrimp = constantly grazing

  • unhealthy shrimp = still / hiding / surface climbing

Parameters

Ideal Range


  • Temp: 70–76°F

  • pH: 6.8–7.6

  • GH: 6–12 dGH

  • KH: 2–6 dKH

  • TDS: 180–300

Lighting


  • moderate → plants + biofilm grow better

Heater


  • optional if room stays 70–74°F stable

Rules


  • Stability > perfection

  • Avoid fast parameter swings

  • TDS jumps kill faster than “wrong” pH

Filtration

Best


  • sponge filter (gentle + safe for babies)

Also good


  • HOB / canister with sponge pre-filter on intake

What matters most


  • high surface area bio media

  • steady flow, not blasting

Avoid


  • strong jets / waterfalls

  • unprotected intakes (sucks up babies)

Tip


  • rinse sponges in old tank water, not tap — preserves bacteria

Maintenance

Weekly


  • test TDS / pH

  • light glass wipe

  • check filter flow + rinse sponge only if needed (in tank water)

Water Changes


  • 10–20% per week is enough

  • match temp + TDS before adding new water

Monthly


  • trim plants / re-tuck moss

  • replace leaf litter if it’s broken down

Always avoid


  • big sudden water changes

  • stirring up substrate deeply

Complete Caridina Care Guide

Caridina shrimp are stunning, high-end shrimp, but they need very specific soft-water parameters and active soil to stay healthy. They aren’t like Neocaridina shrimp — Caridina are much less forgiving, and small water swings can cause losses, so they’re better for keepers who can maintain stable, low-pH conditions.

Food types

Primary


  • natural biofilm (their main food source)

  • soft algae (brown/green film)

Daily rotation


  • high-quality shrimp pellets formulated for Caridina

  • powdered biofilm builders (Bacter AE-type)

  • snowflake food (soy hulls)

Veggies (1–2× per week)


  • blanched spinach

  • blanched green bean

  • tiny piece of zucchini

Protein (very small)


  • 1× per week max

    (Caridina are more sensitive to protein than Neocaridina)

avoid


  • copper-heavy foods

  • oily “treat” fish foods

  • overfeeding (they’re slower eaters)

rule

Caridina thrive more on micro foods + biofilm powder than on big pellets — “dust” feeding is better for babies and colonies.

Feeding schedule

Daily


  • let them graze biofilm + algae

Every 1–2 days


  • tiny amount of shrimp pellets

    (Caridina eat slower — smaller portions than Neos)

Every 3–4 days


  • powdered biofilm booster (Bacter AE type)

    better for babies than pellets

1× per week


  • tiny protein portion

Veggies


  • 1–2× per week (small blanched piece)

Remove uneaten food after ~3 hours

Supplements

Every 3–4 days


  • powdered biofilm booster (Bacter AE type)

Weekly


  • GH+ remineralizer (for RO water)

Monthly


  • refresh leaf litter (catappa / mulberry)

  • replace or add small cholla wood if needed

Only when needed


  • baby powder foods (when lots of babies)

  • probiotics (very small doses)

Important


  • Caridina rely on RO water + GH+ → do NOT add KH buffers

  • keep KH at 0–1 dKH or they will struggle

Tank size

Minimum


  • 10 gallons

    (Caridina are more sensitive — small tanks swing too fast)

Recommended


  • 20 gallons+ for long-term stable colonies

Why bigger is better


  • soft-water + active soil = more unstable in tiny tanks

  • larger volume slows parameter swings

Stocking


  • start 10–20 shrimp per 10 gallons

  • colony grows slow at first, faster once stable

Avoid


  • “nano” jars / bowls — parameters shift too fast

Decorations

Best Options


  • Live plants (buce, moss, anubias)

  • Cholla wood

  • Leaf litter (catappa / guava / mulberry)

  • Rock that doesn’t raise pH (seiryu can raise KH → avoid unless pre-tested)

Avoid


  • anything that raises pH / KH

    (Caridina need low-KH soft water)

  • painted/dyed ornaments

  • metals

Why décor matters


  • plant + wood surfaces grow biofilm = baby shrimp food

  • leaf litter helps buffer stability + adds tannins

Tip


  • stable layout is better — don’t constantly move décor around in a Caridina tank

Substrate

BBest


  • Active buffering soil (ADA / Brightwell / Fluval Stratum type)

Why


  • lowers pH into the 5.8–6.4 zone

  • keeps KH near 0 (Caridina need almost no KH)

Avoid


  • inert gravel / sand (doesn’t buffer → pH will drift up over time)

  • crushed coral (raises GH+KH — totally opposite of what Caridina need)

Tips


  • soil lasts ~12–18 months before it weakens

  • replace soil slowly (never all at once)

Lifespan

Average Lifespan


  • 1.5–2 years (similar to Neocaridina)

When they live longest


  • soft, stable, low-pH water

  • active soil still functioning

  • slow / small water changes

Important Notes


  • Caridina are more sensitive to parameter swings → lifespan drops fast if unstable

  • store-bought shrimp may already be 4–6 months old

  • tank-raised babies usually outlive shipped adults

Breeding

Difficulty


  • moderate — requires stable soft water

Female cycle


  • berried ~ 28–35 days (similar to Neocaridina)

Key for success


  • active soil + low pH (5.8–6.4)

  • KH 0–1

  • very stable TDS (slow changes only)

Baby survival


  • powdered foods / “dust feeds” help a lot

  • lots of moss + biofilm surface area

  • sponge pre-filter to protect babies

Warning


  • small parameter swings (especially KH jumps) can crash babies fast

Behavior

Normal Behavior


  • slow grazing on wood, soil, moss

  • picking constantly at biofilm

  • males darting around when a female is ready to breed

More Shy Than Neocaridina


  • Caridina hide more at first

  • often stay lower in the tank + closer to soil

Warning Signs


  • climbing glass near surface (water quality issue)

  • sitting still / not grazing (stress or bad parameters)

  • sudden frantic swimming (parameter swing / TDS shock)

Parameters

Ideal Range


  • Temp: 68–74°F

  • pH: 5.8–6.4

  • GH: 4–6 dGH

  • KH: 0–1 dKH

  • TDS: 90–120

Water Type


  • RO or distilled + remineralizer (GH+ only)

    → never use straight tap water

Lighting


  • moderate; promotes moss + biofilm

Substrate


  • active soil to keep pH and KH stable

Rules


  • Soft, stable water is key

  • Avoid TDS or KH jumps — they cause molts and deaths

  • Always remineralize new water before adding

Filtration

Best


  • sponge filter (gentle + baby-safe)

Also good


  • HOB / canister with a sponge pre-filter on intake

What matters most


  • steady flow, not blasting

  • large surface area bio media

Avoid


  • strong jets / waterfalls

  • unprotected intakes (will suck up babies)

Maintenance

Weekly


  • test TDS / pH

  • check filter flow

  • light glass wipe only (don’t stir soil)

Water Changes


  • 10–15% per week

  • always use RO water + GH+

  • match TDS + temp BEFORE adding to tank

  • add new water SLOW (drip is best)

Monthly


  • refresh a little leaf litter if broken down

  • trim moss / plants lightly

Avoid


  • big sudden water changes

  • anything that raises KH

  • deep soil disturbances