Fire Red Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi · Peaceful · Beginner care
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A high-grade cherry shrimp in solid, fire-engine red. Easy to keep, breeds readily in a stable planted tank, and works all day grazing algae and biofilm off plants and hardscape.
At a glance
Species profile Neocaridina davidi
Origin
Taiwan and mainland China (selectively bred colour form)
Family
Atyidae (dwarf shrimp family)
Adult size
Up to 3 cm (1.2 in)
Diet
Grazes biofilm and algae; takes shrimp pellets, blanched vegetables and detritus (Omnivore)
Temperament
Peaceful
Swimming level
All levels
Minimum group
10+ (shoaling)
Lifespan
1-2 years
Minimum tank
20 L (5 gal)
Water type
Freshwater
Size to scale
3 cm adult length, shown to scale against an iPhone 15 Pro (14.66 cm).
Natural range
Where it comes from — East Asia
Taiwan and mainland China (selectively bred colour form)
Water
Singapore tap water vs its needs
Hardness: Medium to hard (6-15 dGH).
In the aquarium
How it lives in the tank
Swims at every level of the tank
Keep in a group of 10+
Sensitivity Index — Hardy
Hardy and beginner-friendly; keep up routine water changes and it will thrive.
Our own read on how forgiving this species is of water changes — not a formal standard.
Keeping & care
What this fish needs
Family
About the Atyidae family dwarf shrimp family
Atyidae is a large family of small freshwater "true" shrimp found across tropical and temperate waters worldwide, and it contains most of the shrimp kept in planted aquaria — notably the genera Neocaridina (e.g. Cherry Shrimp) and Caridina (e.g. Amano, Crystal/Bee, Tiger Shrimp). They are peaceful, sociable detritivores and algae/biofilm grazers, most equipped with fine feeding "fans" or brushes on their front legs, and are prized as clean-up crew and colourful nano livestock. Care is generally undemanding for the hardy Neocaridina, while many Caridina need stable, softer, cooler water and are more sensitive.
Excellent for planted community tanks as gentle algae and biofilm grazers — keep stable, well-cycled water, ensure copper-free medication, and provide plenty of plants, moss or cover; avoid housing them with larger fish that will treat small shrimp as food.
Breeding
Egg-carrying (berried female); larvae hatch as either mini-shrimp or planktonic zoea depending on genusFemales carry fertilised eggs under the tail ("berried") until they hatch, and there is no parental care afterward. Land-locked genera such as Neocaridina and the popular Caridina "bee/tiger" lines have abbreviated development: eggs hatch directly into tiny fully-formed shrimp in freshwater, so they breed readily in a stable, well-aged planted tank with minimal intervention. Other Caridina (notably the Amano Shrimp, C. multidentata) release planktonic larvae that require brackish or marine water to survive, making them difficult to breed in a standard freshwater aquarium without a dedicated saltwater rearing setup.
Feeding
Recommended food
Compatibility
Best tankmates
Community
