Sakura Red Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

A selectively bred red form of the cherry shrimp

The Sakura Red Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) is a small freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae and one of the red colour forms of the species the hobby calls the cherry shrimp. Adults grow to about 4 cm. The species is native to Taiwan, eastern China, the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam, where it lives in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. It is kept as a group in a matured, planted aquarium, where its red shows up well against green plants.

The names can look confusing, so here is the short version. WoRMS accepts Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier, 1904) as the valid name and records Neocaridina heteropoda, which still appears on many trade labels, including ours, as a junior synonym. Both names point to the same animal, and "Sakura Red" is the trade name for this red form.

Wikipedia describes the wild type as a mottled brown shrimp. The red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, white and clear forms sold today were produced by selective breeding, and the popularity of the red form gave the whole species its common name. The shrimp in our photograph shows that red clearly: a deep red body flecked with fine white speckles, translucent legs and long antennae, standing on a carpet of small green leaves.

What each purchase includes

Each purchase supplies one live Sakura Red Shrimp, dispatched at 1 cm. That is the size it travels at, well short of the adult size of about 4 cm, so it still has growing to do. Because shrimp are usually social, order the number of shrimp you want in your group: the quantity you choose is the number of shrimp you receive.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Neocaridina heteropoda Sakura Red listing has no sex-guaranteed option. A group bought here is therefore unsexed, and the balance of males and females is not chosen.

Gallery images have been digitally enhanced to improve image quality. Natural colour, pattern, size and maturity can vary between live animals.

If you are still choosing a colour, you can compare the cherry shrimp colours in our range before deciding; the care below is written for this Sakura Red offer.

Five things to settle before you order

Shrimp are easiest to keep when the aquarium is ready before they arrive. Work through this list first:

1. Mature the filter until weekly tests show zero ammonia and zero nitrite.
2. Test your tap water for pH, hardness and nitrate, so you know how it compares with the ranges in the care tab and what your own nitrate ceiling is.
3. Decide how big the group will be and check the aquarium gives it room: at least 10 litres for a small group on OATA's guidance, and more if fish will share it.
4. Look hard at any fish already in the tank. None should be able to fit a 1 cm shrimp in its mouth.
5. Check that every treatment you might add is safe for invertebrates and free of copper.

Once all five are settled, the order can go in, and the arrival steps in the care tab cover the day itself. If one of them is not ready yet, a week spent maturing a filter or rehoming an unsuitable fish is far cheaper than losing a group of shrimp.

Build the aquarium around a group

Plan the tank for the group you want to keep rather than for one shrimp. OATA's care sheet for freshwater shrimp and snails recommends an aquarium of at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater shrimp, and places cherry shrimp among the smaller species. It advises a larger aquarium whenever shrimp share it with any fish, and buying as large an aquarium as is reasonable, because a bigger volume keeps temperature and water quality more stable.

What the tank needs

• A filter. OATA calls a filter essential whatever the size of the aquarium.
• Aquarium gravel or sand as the base; OATA notes that sand or fine gravel is important for some species.
• Live plants for cover wherever possible. The shrimp in our photograph is standing on a low, small-leaved carpet plant, the kind of dense growth that gives a group plenty of cover.
• If you do not keep live plants, plastic plants and ornaments such as plant pots or model caves to give the shrimp shelter.
• A thermometer, plus a heater if your room falls below the temperature range in the next section.

Sizing up for the future

Ten litres is a floor for a small group, not a target. If your shrimp breed, the group will grow in number, and every extra shrimp adds waste for the filter to handle, so a larger tank gives you room to let the colony expand without the water quality slipping. If fish are part of the plan, size up from the start rather than adding them to a small shrimp tank later.

For a complete build from an empty tank to the first shrimp, follow our guide to setting up a first freshwater shrimp tank.

Water values: what to aim for and how to check

Aim for 17–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0, general hardness of 4–18°dH and carbonate hardness of 3–15°dKH, with ammonia and nitrite at zero and nitrate no more than 20 mg per litre above your tap water. OATA gives these figures for freshwater shrimp and snails as a group rather than as a species-specific optimum, and describes the group as usually undemanding of water chemistry. Wikipedia notes that Neocaridina davidi can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions; that describes how wild and escaped populations cope, not a target for your aquarium, so keep conditions steady inside the ranges below.

Start with your tap water

Test your tap water before you set the aquarium up, because it is the water every change will bring in. It also sets your nitrate ceiling: if the tap reads 5 mg per litre, the aquarium should stay at or below 25 mg per litre. You can check tap and tank readings against these ranges with our water parameter matcher, and our guide to what each aquarium water test measures explains why every reading matters.

Through the seasons

The range is broad, but a steady tank is still the aim. If your room drops below 17°C on winter nights, fit a heater to hold the aquarium inside the range; in a heatwave, read the thermometer every day and act if the tank climbs above 27°C. OATA recommends a larger aquarium precisely because it keeps temperature and water quality more stable, so avoid a spot where sun or a radiator will warm the tank through the day.

Test weekly and keep a log

OATA advises testing at least once a week so that ammonia and nitrite do not build up. Record each result with the date. In a shrimp tank, a log is the quickest way to see a slow change, such as nitrate edging up as the group grows, and to act with an extra water change before the shrimp show any sign of it.

Start with a matured filter and grow the group slowly

Shrimp waste releases ammonia, and ammonia is toxic. The RSPCA explains how a working biological filter deals with it: beneficial bacteria grow in the filter and break waste down, converting ammonia to nitrite, which is also toxic, and then to nitrate, which is safer. A new filter has not grown those bacteria yet, which is why the aquarium must be matured before any shrimp go in.

OATA's rule is to check that ammonia and nitrite are both at zero before adding freshwater shrimp, and to increase numbers only slowly. The bacteria have to catch up every time livestock is added and feeding increases. Overstocking, or stocking too quickly, can result in "new tank syndrome", where there are not enough nitrifying bacteria for the extra waste, ammonia and nitrite reach unhealthy levels, and that may cause freshwater shrimp to become ill or die.

Building a group in stages

If a test shows ammonia or nitrite after an addition, pause there. Change part of the water with conditioned water, feed less, and wait for the readings to return to zero before the next shrimp go in.

Arrival: filming, floating and first checks

Your shrimp are hand-bagged in pure oxygen and packed in an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, and a licensed live-animal courier carries the parcel. We email the tracking number and your confirmed delivery date so you know when to be in. The Live Arrival Guarantee requires someone to be at the delivery address to receive the parcel, because live animals cannot be left unattended, the parcel to be opened and inspected the same day it arrives, and a continuous unboxing video that starts with the parcel still sealed. Read the full terms on our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee page.

Film every delivery from the sealed parcel onward, then follow these steps:

1. Start a continuous video before anything is opened, with the sealed parcel and the outer box in view.
2. Keep filming in one take as you open the box, and show the shrimp still inside the sealed bag so their condition can be seen before anything is disturbed.
3. Float the bag in the aquarium for 20–30 minutes before releasing the shrimp.
4. Release the shrimp into the aquarium, and never pour the bag water into your tank.
5. If anything has gone wrong, contact us the same day, with WhatsApp the fastest route, and send your order number and the unboxing video so we can arrange a replacement or refund.

For the aquarium itself, OATA's advice is to confirm that ammonia and nitrite read zero before freshwater shrimp are added, so test the tank the day before delivery. Once the shrimp are in, watch where they settle to graze; after a day or two you will know the group's normal behaviour, which is the baseline for the health checks further down.

The first two weeks with a new group

Use the first fortnight to confirm that the aquarium copes with its new residents and that the group has settled. Each check below leads to a clear next step.

If a shrimp dies in these early days, lift it out promptly, because it will break down and foul the water just as uneaten food does, and test ammonia and nitrite the same day. A single loss with clean readings calls for watching; a loss alongside a rising reading calls for a water change and lighter feeding straight away.

Resist the urge to add the rest of the group, or new fish, during this fortnight. OATA's advice to increase numbers only slowly is at its most important while the filter is adjusting to the first shrimp.

Feed the group two or three times a week

Wikipedia describes Neocaridina davidi as an omnivore, and in the aquarium it grazes on algae as well as taking prepared food. OATA advises supplementing that grazing with algae wafers so the shrimp get enough to eat, and notes that commercial pellets made for freshwater shrimp are available. Offer both, alternating between them, so the group has more than one kind of food.

Feed only two or three times a week. OATA advises leaving pellets or wafers in place for at least 30 minutes so the shrimp have time to feed, and taking care not to overfeed, because uneaten food breaks down and releases toxic waste into the water. In a small shrimp tank a little too much food shows up quickly as rising ammonia or nitrate.

Judge the portion after 30 minutes

With a growing group, spread food across two or three spots so smaller shrimp are not pushed away from a single piece, and increase portions in small steps as numbers rise rather than all at once.

The weekly water change and filter care

OATA strongly recommends a partial water change of 25% at least once every week, with a siphon to remove solid waste from the gravel. Treat the replacement water with tap water conditioner to remove any chlorine or chloramine before it goes into the aquarium.

A shrimp-safe routine

1. Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate before the change, so you know what the water was like.
2. Siphon out a quarter of the water, drawing gently over the gravel to lift waste and old food.
3. Check the bucket for small shrimp before you empty it, and return any you find.
4. Refill with conditioned water.
5. Check the filter for blockages.

Cleaning the filter without losing the bacteria

When the filter needs cleaning, do not run it under the tap, because any chlorine or chloramine present may kill the beneficial bacteria living in the media. Rinse the media lightly in the tank water you have just removed during the water change instead; that way far fewer bacteria are lost.

A worked example

In a 10-litre shrimp tank, a 25% change means removing 2.5 litres and replacing it with 2.5 litres of conditioned water. Done at least once every week, that keeps nitrate in check and the water values steady, which matters more for a small volume than for a large one.

Reading your shrimp: health signs and copper

OATA points out that every shrimp varies a little in behaviour and appearance, and that watching for changes helps you spot a problem before it becomes a real health issue. Keep an eye on:

• Swimming behaviour: more inactivity than usual, restlessness or unusual behaviour.
• Colour: turning darker or paler than normal.
• Temperament: a change in aggression, or hiding more than normal.
• Breathing: a change in breathing rate or effort, or more time spent where oxygen is highest.
• Appearance: white spots, discolouration, lesions, abnormal growths, damage to the exoskeleton or loss of legs or antennae.
• Condition: noticeable weight gain or loss, or abnormal swelling.
• Feeding: eating less, or losing interest in food.

For a red shrimp, colour is an especially useful signal: learn how deep the red looks on your group in the first week so you can tell a real change from normal variation. If you see any of these signs, test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate first, and contact us with your readings if you are concerned about the shrimp's health.

Copper

Being invertebrates, freshwater shrimp are very sensitive to copper and will die if exposed even to low levels. Make sure that any treatment added to the aquarium is safe for invertebrates, and check the label of every product before it goes near a tank that holds shrimp.

Growth, maturity and young shrimp

A Sakura Red Shrimp arrives at 1 cm and grows to about 4 cm; Wikipedia gives approximately 3–4 cm for the species at maturity, so plan space and tank mates around the upper figure. The same account notes that Neocaridina davidi has no distinct larval stage and that the shrimp reach maturity in 30 days.

This listing does not select shrimp by sex, so there is no promise of breeding from a group bought here. If young shrimp do appear, they need nothing different from the adults: clean, matured water, food that reaches the bottom and tank mates that cannot eat them. Check your siphon bucket with extra care once there are young in the tank.

Keep shrimp out of ponds and waterways

Neocaridina davidi copes with a wide range of conditions, and Wikipedia records that it has become invasive in thermally polluted waterways in Japan, the United States, Poland and Germany. The release of captive shrimp is thought to be how it reached those places.

Keep your shrimp in the aquarium. Never release shrimp into a pond, river, stream or drain, and if you ever need to reduce a group that has grown, pass the surplus on to another aquarium keeper instead.

Choosing fish that will leave shrimp alone

OATA's guidance is that freshwater shrimp are generally compatible with most species in the aquarium, but should be mixed with caution because common aquarium fish may eat them. Its shrimp rule is clear: freshwater shrimp should not be mixed with any fish which can fit them in their mouth, or any species known to be predatory. OATA also advises a larger aquarium whenever shrimp share it with fish.

Screen every fish before it goes in

Newly hatched young are smaller still than the 1 cm size shrimp are dispatched at, so a fish that is safe with adults may still take babies. OATA recommends checking before mixing freshwater shrimp with any fish species, so ask us about a specific combination before you buy.

Snails, other shrimp and other colour forms

Freshwater snails share the same OATA care sheet and water values as shrimp, and OATA treats both as generally compatible with most aquarium species, so a snail makes a straightforward companion in a shrimp tank. The two differ socially: OATA notes that snails are not social creatures, while shrimp species usually are, which is why the shrimp are the ones kept as a group.

Every colour form of the cherry shrimp, from red to blue or yellow, belongs to the same species, Neocaridina davidi. Different colours kept together can therefore interbreed. If you want your tank to stay red, keep Sakura Red on its own; if you are happy for the colours to mix, plan for young that may not look like either parent.

Commercial pellets made for freshwater shrimp can be used for both shrimp and snails, which keeps feeding simple in a mixed invertebrate tank. Stock any new neighbours as gradually as the shrimp themselves.

Shrimp-only tank or mixed community?

A shrimp-only aquarium

Keeping Sakura Red on its own, or with snails, removes the mouth-size question completely, because nothing in the tank can eat the shrimp or their young. It is also the simplest way to keep the colony red, since no other colour form is there to interbreed with. OATA's figure of at least 10 litres for a small group of shrimp is the starting point, and more room lets a growing group expand.

A mixed community

If fish are part of the plan, choose the aquarium with the fish in mind, as OATA advises a larger aquarium whenever shrimp share it with fish. Screen each fish with the questions above, add fish and shrimp gradually so the filter keeps up, and accept that fewer young shrimp are likely to reach adult size where fish can reach them. Dense planting gives the group cover, which OATA recommends for shrimp tanks.

Sakura Red questions

How big do Sakura Red Shrimp get?

Adults grow to about 4 cm at maturity, according to Wikipedia's account of the species, so plan the aquarium and choose tank mates around a shrimp of that size.

What size aquarium do they need?

OATA's group guidance for freshwater shrimp recommends at least 10 litres for a group of small shrimp, a category that includes cherry shrimp on its care sheet, and a larger aquarium whenever fish share the tank. A bigger volume keeps temperature and water quality steadier, so choose the largest aquarium that is reasonable for your space.

How many Sakura Red Shrimp should I keep together?

Keep a group rather than a single shrimp, because OATA notes that shrimp species are usually social. Build the group up gradually, adding more shrimp only once ammonia and nitrite have stayed at zero, so the filter bacteria can keep pace with the extra waste.

Are they a good choice for beginners?

Preparation matters more than experience. They suit a keeper who lets the filter mature until ammonia and nitrite read zero, tests the water weekly, changes 25% of it at least once every week and keeps copper out of the tank, because freshwater shrimp will die if exposed even to low levels of copper.

What do Sakura Red Shrimp eat?

Wikipedia describes the species as an omnivore, and in the aquarium it grazes on algae. Supplement that grazing with algae wafers or pellets made for freshwater shrimp, feed only two or three times a week, and leave the food for at least 30 minutes so the group can feed before you lift out any leftovers.

What temperature and pH do they need?

OATA's group guidance for freshwater shrimp and snails gives 17–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and general hardness of 4–18°dH, with ammonia and nitrite at zero. Keep conditions steady inside those ranges; the species' ability to cope with a wide range of conditions in the wild is not a target for the aquarium.

Is the Sakura Red Shrimp aggressive?

No. OATA describes freshwater shrimp as generally compatible with most species in the aquarium. The danger runs the other way: fish that can fit a shrimp in their mouth, and predatory species, should not share its tank.

What can live with this shrimp?

Freshwater snails and fish that cannot fit a shrimp in their mouth can share its aquarium. OATA advises that freshwater shrimp should not be mixed with any fish which can fit them in their mouth, or any species known to be predatory, and recommends checking before mixing shrimp with any fish. Other colour forms of the same species can interbreed, so keep that in mind before combining colours.

How does a Sakura Red Shrimp arrive alive in the UK?

It is hand-bagged in pure oxygen, packed in an insulated poly box with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, and carried by a licensed live-animal courier. Someone must be at the address to receive the parcel. Start a continuous unboxing video before you open the sealed parcel, then float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the shrimp, and never pour the bag water into your tank. Message us the same day, with your order number and the video, if anything has gone wrong.

Sources

• WoRMS: Neocaridina davidi, the accepted name, its authority and family, and Neocaridina heteropoda as a junior synonym.
• Wikipedia: Neocaridina davidi, native range, habitat, diet, colour forms, maturity and adult size.
• OATA: How to look after freshwater shrimp and snails, care guidance for the group on water values, aquarium size, introduction, maintenance, feeding, health signs and compatibility.
• RSPCA: aquarium environment, filtration and the nitrogen cycle.