Shrimp Care & Breeding Guide

Everything you need to support a thriving Neocaridina colony.  

01 — SET UP

Create the right home

Tank setup

  • Tank size: 20L or more
  • Sponge filter create gentle flow, protects shrimp babies
  • Heater: 22–24°C as slightly warmer temperature encourages breeding
  • Plants & moss are important for shrimp babies survival
  • No predators or aggressive tank mates

Water Parameters

  • Temperature:22-24C
  • PH: 6.8–7.5 / GH: 6–8 dGH / KH: 2–5 dKH
  • TDS: 150–220 ppm

Key rule: Stable water is more important than perfect numbers

02-PREPARE

Create the right conditions for breeding

  • Keep a group of 8–10+ shrimp
  • Feed regularly but lightly
  • Small weekly water changes (10-20%)
  • Slightly warmer temperature can encourage breeding (24°C)
  • Create plenty of biofilm, plants, moss and hiding places

03 — BREED

Watch your colony grow

Signs of breeding

  • Female with saddle at their backs mean they are pregnant
  • After a few days the saddle disappear and become eggs under her tail ("berried")
  • Male may swim actively searching after a female molts
  • Barried female will move their small feathery swimming legs regularly to provide good water circulation and oxygen to the eggs
  • Eggs develop for around 3–4 weeks

    Leave berried females where they are unless there is a specific reason to move them.

04 — HATCH

Welcome your first shrimplets

  • Babies hatch after around 3–4 weeks
  • No larval stage
  • Do not move them or disturb the tank
  • Provide moss/ biofilm surfaces
  • Add a small pinch of spirulina powder
  • Avoid strong filtration and intake gaps
  • Avoid large water changes

05 — GROW

Give your shrimplets the best start!

  • Mature tank
  • Biofilm
  • Dense plants and moss
  • Hiding and grazing surfaces
  • Gentle maintenance
  • Stable parameters
  • Maximise survival

06 — IMPROVE

Build a stronger colony

  • Select the strongest/deepest blue shrimp
  • Remove lower-colour shrimp if maintaining a strong blue line
  • Breed from your best individuals
  • Improve colony colour and quality over time

07 — TOUBLESHOOT

Common questions

I can’t see my shrimp.

Shrimp often hide after moulting, during periods of stress,
or when they are settling in. Check around plants, moss, leaves and shelter.

My shrimp aren’t breeding.

Give them time. Stable water parameters, good nutrition,
biofilm and a mature environment are more important than trying to force
breeding.

I can’t see any babies.

Shrimplets are extremely small and excellent at hiding. Look
closely around moss, leaves, shelter and other grazing surfaces.

There is uneaten food.

Reduce the amount you feed. Shrimp need less food than you
may expect.

My shrimp are moulting.

Moulting is a normal part of shrimp growth. Avoid disturbing
the shrimp or making sudden changes to the aquarium.