Beginners guide to keeping cherry shrimp.

Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

RCS or neos as they are sometimes called, are a hardy shrimp which are excellent for beginners. They are cheap and more tolerant to a wider range of water parameters than other species like crystal shrimp. A colourful addition to any planted tank provided there aren't too many predators. From the humble red cherry shrimp to the selectively bred blues, yellows, oranges, browns, blacks and more, there is lots of options.

What size aquarium do you need?

Cherry shrimp will grow and breed in small aquariums around 10L . However, smaller tanks will be more sensitive to temperature changes and dissolved minerals (TDS) from evaporation. Larger aquariums will cost more to set up but it is easier to keep the water parameters stable. Unlike fish, shrimp have a very small bioload on the filter and can be stocked in high densities even in small tanks. This makes them perfect for small planted aquariums in apartments. It is important to completely cycle the aquarium before adding shrimp as they are sensitive to ammonia and nitrites.

I have kept cherry shrimp in everything from 10 L aquariums to 200+ L planted tanks in the past. Now I have three sections in my shrimp rack dedicated to breeding different colours.

What hardscape is best for shrimp?

You will generally want rocks which don't alter the water hardness. An easy way to check this is the simple vinegar test. Pour some on the rock, if it fizzes, the rock will generally increase the hardness. This doesn't always work as sometimes there isn't enough of a reaction to see. It is best to do some research before putting anything in the tank. I prefer to use lava rock as it is usually inert. It is sold at Bunnings as scoria for use in gas BBQs or at garden supply centres for landscaping. Look for a red or brown rock with lots of holes.

Can you use gravel for red cherry shrimp?

Any inert aquarium gravel is fine for cherry shrimp as they don't require buffering soil. Darker natural colours seem to make the shrimp stand out more so I choose a finer black or brown gravel. If the gravel is too large I have found that the baby shrimp crawl their way down between the gaps and get stuck.

Which plants work best with cherry shrimp.

I prefer easy growing low light plants such as java ferns and mosses as they provide lots of places to hide and surface area for biofilm to grow. These can be tied to Driftwood, Rocks and mesh to hold it down and achieve your desired look.

If you intend to have stem plants beware when replanting as the roots can disturb the substrate and release some toxins.

Cherry shrimp can happily thrive in high tech planted aquariums due to the varied water parameters that they tolerate. CO2 can be an issue though as it can cause pH swings if it isn't monitored correctly. Many fertilizers also contain copper or other heavy metals in concentrations which is harmful to shrimp.

What water parameters do red cherry shrimp need?

The most important thing when keeping cherry shrimp is the water stability. As they shed their exoskeleton when the water parameters change. If you are changing the water often, the rate at which the shrimp moult will increase. This causes unnecessary stress and potentially an early demise.

Temperature

Cherry shrimp can survive a wide range of temperatures from 18 to 28°C . Growth rate is related to temperature. Higher temperatures will cause the shrimp to grow and breed faster whilst shortening their lifespan. In colder water it will be reversed.

A study was recently completed to determine the ratio of males to females at different temperatures. From the data I have worked out what is the best temperature for breeding cherry shrimp.

Water hardness & pH.

Hardness is more important than pH as the shrimp need a certain ratio of minerals to be able to safely moult. The carbonate hardness (kH) measures the calcium in the aquarium and should be around 4. The kH also influences the pH which should be in the range of 6.5-8. The general hardness (gH) which measures all the minerals should be around 7. TDS If you don't wish to outlay for the master test kit, it is possible to get water tested at most fish shops for a small fee. If you are a regular customer they might even do it for free. As far as water testing goes you can almost get away with only having a TDS meter. This is a simple way of detecting built up minerals and monitoring the hardness. Once you have established the TDS for the desired hardness then monitor fluctuations and keep it stable. The simple does TDS meters off eBay are great as the actual accuracy isn't that important. You are only looking for changes and to be able to check the incoming water.

My cherry shrimp rack is currently sitting at: 23°C; gH; 8 kH; 3 TDS: 160 . All the sections are breeding and the survival rate of the babies is high.

What do red cherry shrimp eat?

Shrimp are scavengers and will eat almost anything you put in the tank. They constantly feed off the biofilm and microorganisms which grow on all surfaces. Whilst this provides the majority of their diet, there is also a variety of commercial shrimp foods available. These can be supplemented with fresh vegetables as well as a variety of leaves. Some of the vegetables I feed are zucchini, carrot and pumpkin as well as kale and spinach as these have lots of beneficial minerals and don't foul the water.

If you do plan on adding leaves be sure to check that they aren't toxic. I like to stick to dried Indian almond leaves and fresh mulberry leaves as these are shrimp friendly and are good for the water quality. Dried Indian almond leaves can take over a month to break down and the mulberry leaves usually last less than a week.These are great for feeding when you go on holiday as they last a long time.

What fish can I keep with cherry shrimp?

Shrimp are best kept by themselves if you want to breed them as their babies will become snacks for most fish. You will often hear that the only true shrimp safe fish is the otocinclus. Whilst they are 100% safe, if the tank has enough cover, a variety of small fish will coexist with a colony of shrimp. I have kept endler guppies, white cloud minnows and a variety of killifish in with shrimp. The shrimp colonies were able to grow with only the occasional small shrimp being eaten as there was plenty of plants to hide in.

If you have any questions about red cherry shrimp feel free to post in the comments section below and I will try my best at answering them all.