Wild Shrimp

Description

🦐 Wild Shrimp (Neo-Caridina) – Hardy & Natural Freshwater Cleaners

Wild-type Neo-Caridina shrimp are an excellent addition to any freshwater aquarium. These ungraded shrimp are closest to their natural coloration, often appearing translucent, olive, or brown, with the occasional splash of color—making them perfect for natural or breeding tanks. Hardy, active, and algae-hungry, they’re ideal for beginners and advanced aquarists alike.

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🌿 Why Choose Wild Neo-Caridina?

🧼 Natural Cleanup Crew
Constantly grazing on algae, biofilm, and detritus—keeping your tank cleaner and more balanced.

💪 Hardy & Adaptable
Thrives in a wide range of water conditions. Great for new shrimp keepers or low-tech tanks.

🧬 Genetic Diversity for Breeding
Perfect if you’re starting a breeding colony or want to introduce fresh genetics into an existing population.

🌈 Natural Look with Occasional Color
Most appear clear, brown, or olive—but some may display hints of red, orange, blue, or yellow as a result of mixed genetics.

🐠 Peaceful & Community-Safe
Won’t harm fish, plants, or other inverts. Can coexist peacefully with other small, non-aggressive species.

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Quick Stats:

• Common Name: Neocaridina Shrimp (e.g., Cherry, Blue Dream, Yellow, Orange Sakura)

• Scientific Name: Neocaridina davidi

• Difficulty: Easy

• Temperament: Peaceful

• Lifespan: 1–2 years (sometimes longer with excellent care)

• Size: Up to 1.5 inches (3–4 cm)

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🧪 Water Parameters:

• Temperature: 68–78°F (20–26°C)

  • (Lower end preferred for longer lifespan)

• pH: 6.5–8.0

• GH (General Hardness): 6–8 dGH

• KH (Carbonate Hardness): 3–6 dKH

• TDS (Total Dissolved Solids): 150–250 ppm

• Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm (VERY sensitive)

• Nitrate: <20 ppm

Important:

• Stability matters more than hitting “perfect” numbers.

• Always cycle the tank fully before adding shrimp.

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🏡 Tank Setup:

• Tank Size: 5 gallons minimum (10+ gallons recommended for colonies)

• Substrate: Inert sand, planted soil, or shrimp-specific substrates.

• Plants: Heavily planted tanks are ideal!

  • Mosses (like Java Moss)

  • Floating plants

  • Anubias, Bucephalandra, Java Fern

• Decor: Driftwood, rocks, shrimp hides.

• Filtration: Gentle sponge filter or pre-filter sponge over intake (they’re tiny and can get sucked in).

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☀️ Lighting:

• Lighting Needs: Moderate (for plants)

• Notes: Shrimp don’t mind light intensity as much as plants do. More light = more biofilm = more food!

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🍽️ Feeding:

• Diet: Omnivores and scavengers.

• Staple Foods:

  • High-quality shrimp-specific pellets or wafers

  • Blanched veggies (zucchini, spinach, carrots)

• Supplements:

  • Biofilm (they graze on it naturally)

  • Occasional protein (like tiny bits of algae wafers or fish food)

• Feeding Frequency:

  • 3–4 times per week for small portions.

  • They should be slightly hungry to keep grazing naturally.

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🧹 Cleaning and Maintenance:

• Regular water changes (10–20% weekly).

• Always match temperature and parameters closely during water changes.

• Use dechlorinated water — they’re sensitive to chlorine and heavy metals.

• Avoid copper-based medications in shrimp tanks (copper is toxic to them!).

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🧬 Breeding:

• Difficulty: Easy

• How it Happens:

  • Females carry eggs under their tail (“berried”) for about 3–4 weeks.

  • Tiny shrimplets hatch fully formed and immediately start grazing.

• Requirements:

  • Stable, safe water.

  • Lots of moss and hiding spots for baby shrimp.

  • No predators (even small fish might eat babies).

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🛠️ Special Notes:

• Molting:

  • Shrimp shed their exoskeletons regularly.

  • Don’t remove molts — shrimp eat them to recycle minerals.

• Color Quality:

  • Good food, stress-free environment, and selective breeding keep their colors vibrant.

• Tankmates:

  • Best with shrimp-only tanks or peaceful nano fish like:

    • Ember Tetras

    • Otocinclus

    • Pygmy Corydoras

    • Nerite Snails

  • Avoid anything aggressive like Bettas, Guppies, or larger fish.

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Fun Fact:
Each color morph of Neocaridina (like Blue Dream, Bloody Mary, Yellow Neon, etc.) comes from selective breeding — they’re the same species, just different “shrimp breeds”! 🦐✨