Super Red Sakura Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

Choose the animal and dispatch size

Super Red Sakura Shrimp is a selectively bred red aquarium form of Neocaridina davidi, a freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae. The World Register of Marine Species lists the accepted identity, while Wikipedia’s species summary places its native range in Taiwan, areas east of China, the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam. Adults reach approximately 4 cm. It suits keepers prepared to provide a mature biological filter, measured water, established grazing surfaces and carefully screened companions.

One purchase supplies one animal in the size chosen through the live selector. The dispatch sizes are 1–1.5 cm and 2–2.5 cm. These measurements help you choose the size that travels from us; they must not be used as an estimate of the final aquarium size. The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size.

Use the selector rather than colour, images or a size assumption when choosing between the two sizes. A larger dispatch measurement does not guarantee sex, reproductive status or particular colour coverage. Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Super Red Sakura Shrimp listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

These representative gallery images have been digitally enhanced for presentation, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal. Treat Super Red Sakura as the selected colour line while allowing for natural differences between individual animals and changes in appearance under different aquarium lighting.

We rate the husbandry as intermediate. The shrimp itself is small, but success depends on mature biological filtration, measured water, established grazing surfaces, careful feeding and companions screened for predation. If you are comparing red forms or planning a larger group, browse the cherry shrimp collection and assess each animal by its own identity and care needs.

Plan around adult size and core care numbers

Neocaridina davidi inhabits inland freshwater settings including lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. It is omnivorous in nature, and the familiar red aquarium form comes from selective breeding rather than the mottled-brown wild type.

Plan for an adult length of approximately 4 cm. Arrange hardscape, feeding access, filter protection and community screening around that adult measurement rather than either dispatch size. Our cautious starting policy is a mature, filtered aquarium of 20 litres for a small group. This is a planning point rather than a shrimp-per-litre formula, and an aquarium shared with other animals must account for the complete adult community.

A 20-litre plan works only when the filter is mature, the measured water is suitable and the group has enough feeding and grazing area. Substrate, wood, plants and equipment reduce the working water volume, while every companion adds waste and feeding competition. Choose a larger aquarium when the full community or expected population growth would leave little room for maintenance errors.

The decisive purchase check is therefore not whether a shrimp physically fits inside a small container. Confirm that the aquarium is biologically mature, measure ammonia and nitrite at zero, provide established surfaces and protect the filter inlet before choosing a dispatch size. The complete Cherry Shrimp Care Guide expands on these planning decisions without turning litres into a permanent stocking ratio.

Mature the aquarium before the group arrives

Begin with a working biological filter and measured water rather than a fixed waiting period. A mature aquarium can process the planned waste load while tests continue to show zero ammonia and zero nitrite. The OATA freshwater aquarium guidance supports cycling, regular testing and gradual stocking; a calendar alone cannot show whether that work is complete.

Build the system in the right order

1. Set up the aquarium, substrate, filter and intended hardscape.
2. Establish biological filtration before adding shrimp.
3. Test ammonia and nitrite and proceed only when both remain at zero.
4. Allow plants, wood, rock or other aquarium-safe structure to develop grazing surfaces.
5. Fit protection to any filter inlet that could draw in small shrimp.
6. Add livestock gradually so the bacterial population can respond to increased waste and feeding.

Use the real water volume after substrate and equipment have been installed. Our 20-litre starting policy gives a small group more headroom than OATA’s broad 10-litre screen, but neither figure grants a fixed number of shrimp per litre. Footprint, filter capacity, grazing area, feeding access, companions and possible population growth all affect the sensible capacity.

Plants are useful because they add cover and surfaces that shrimp can inspect for food. Sand or aquarium gravel can both form the base, while suitable ornaments and cave-like shelters can provide additional retreats. Arrange the aquarium so that you can still inspect the filter, reach feeding areas and remove settled waste without dismantling all the cover.

Established grazing surfaces matter because these shrimp spend time picking at biofilm and soft growth. Biofilm supports grazing, but it is not a substitute for a complete shrimp food or proof that water quality is safe. A mature-looking aquarium still needs measured ammonia, nitrite, temperature, pH and hardness.

Use the freshwater shrimp-keeping guide to plan the full setup before livestock arrives. The practical goal is a stable system with enough biological capacity, cover and accessible surface area for the starting group, not the smallest container that can hold water.

Match the water and keep changes gradual

Keep the aquarium at 17–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and 4–18°dH. OATA’s freshwater-shrimp guidance gives these values for the group as planning screens, not a species-specific optimum. It also gives 3–15°dKH, ammonia at zero mg per litre, nitrite at zero mg per litre and nitrate no more than 20 mg per litre above the normal tap-water level.

Do not move the aquarium between the edges of these ranges. Measure the aquarium, compare it with the holding-water values shared for the animals and make any necessary adjustment gradually. The water matcher can organise that comparison, while the water chemistry guide explains what the individual tests represent.

Decide whether a heater is needed

Base the decision on measured room and aquarium temperatures. Use a correctly sized, guarded and thermostatically controlled heater when the aquarium would otherwise fall outside the stable shared range selected for its inhabitants. A warm room instead needs a plan that prevents overheating; season or postcode alone cannot decide the equipment requirement.

Change water without creating a second problem

OATA strongly recommends a 25% partial water change at least once each week. Treat replacement tap water with a suitable conditioner to address chlorine or chloramine before it enters the aquarium. Compare temperature and chemistry, add the replacement water carefully and investigate any recurring difference rather than repeatedly forcing large corrections.

A useful worked check is simple: if the aquarium remains at zero ammonia and nitrite but pH or hardness changes noticeably after each water change, compare the treated replacement water before the next change. If ammonia or nitrite rises above zero, pause further stocking, review filtration and feeding, and restore safe measured conditions.

Protect filtration and create usable cover

A filter is essential even when the animals are small. The RSPCA’s aquarium filtration guidance explains that a working biological filter supports bacteria that convert toxic ammonia to nitrite and then to the safer nitrate. For shrimp, the filter also needs an inlet that does not trap or draw in small individuals.

Check the filter as a complete system

• Biological capacity: mature the filter before adding livestock and increase the group gradually.
• Inlet protection: fit a fine guard or suitable sponge wherever a small shrimp could enter.
• Access: leave enough room to inspect the inlet, remove debris and check for blockages.
• Media care: rinse dirty media lightly in aquarium water removed during maintenance; do not run it under the tap.
• Continuity: preserve the established bacterial population whenever maintenance is required.

Check the inlet guard after cleaning, moving decor or trimming plants. Protection that has slipped away from the intake no longer performs its job. A worked inspection starts with the outer guard, follows the route into the filter and finishes by confirming that water can still pass without a debris blockage.

Provide cover without making the equipment inaccessible. Live plants are ideal, while aquarium-safe artificial plants and suitable ornaments can provide shelter where live planting is not used. Wood, rock and other safe structure can add sheltered surfaces, but the layout should retain a visible feeding area and a route for removing settled waste.

Cover is particularly important when shrimp need to retreat after disturbance or while moulting. It also gives individuals options when companions are present. It cannot make a predatory fish safe, so regard planting as part of the habitat rather than a substitute for compatibility screening.

A secure aquarium arrangement should also prevent escapes while keeping equipment positioned safely. Check openings around cables and pipes as part of routine maintenance. If several shrimp gather unusually near the waterline or the group’s normal activity changes, measure the water and inspect the equipment instead of assuming that extra cover will solve the underlying problem.

Feed the group without fouling the water

Neocaridina davidi is omnivorous in nature. In the aquarium, Super Red Sakura Shrimp will graze biofilm and some soft growth, but grazing alone should not be treated as a complete feeding plan. Use an appropriate complete sinking shrimp food as the nutritional base and observe whether every animal can reach it.

OATA’s freshwater-shrimp feeding schedule starts at two or three feeds each week. Leave a pellet or wafer for at least 30 minutes so the group has time to feed, then remove recurring excess before it breaks down. Treat that schedule as a starting point: the correct portion depends on group size, established grazing, other inhabitants and the amount left after feeding.

Shrimp can contribute to grazing nuisance algae, but they do not remove the need for maintenance. Do not purchase the group as a guaranteed cure for a named algae problem. Lighting, nutrients, waste and aquarium management still determine whether unwanted growth returns.

Use a feeding area that you can see and clean. This makes it easier to confirm that the group is active, identify an animal being displaced and remove leftovers before they disappear into the substrate. More food is not automatically helpful when a shrimp looks paler or hides; first check the measured water, recent changes and the behaviour of the whole group.

During the first weeks, keep a brief note of feed size, feeding response and test trends. If the same portion is cleared without a later deterioration in water quality, maintain it and continue observing. If waste accumulates, change one factor at a time so the effect of the smaller portion can be judged clearly.

Use a weekly maintenance rhythm

Stable shrimp care comes from repeated measurements and small, deliberate actions. Test the aquarium at least once each week for ammonia and nitrite, and carry out a 25% partial water change at least once each week. Record nitrate alongside those tests so a rising trend can be addressed before it becomes a persistent water-quality problem.

At every routine observation

• Check normal activity and whether the group is grazing.
• Look for unusual inactivity, restlessness or increased hiding.
• Notice a darker or paler appearance, altered breathing effort or reduced feeding.
• Inspect the filter inlet, temperature control and water movement.
• Remove food that is clearly breaking down.

Once each week

1. Measure ammonia and nitrite and confirm both remain at zero mg per litre.
2. Measure nitrate and compare it with the previous result and tap-water baseline.
3. Replace 25% of the water with conditioned replacement water of suitable temperature and chemistry.
4. Use a siphon where appropriate to remove accessible solid waste from the substrate.
5. Check the filter for blockages and confirm that its inlet guard remains secure.

Clean filter media only when its condition requires attention. Rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during the change; do not run it under the tap. Avoid turning routine maintenance into a complete reset of the biological filter.

Use monthly checkpoints to review slower changes. Compare pH and hardness with earlier readings, assess whether plant growth has reduced open feeding space and count the visible group without dismantling its cover. Review the full community before adding more animals, particularly if juveniles have begun to appear.

When a result changes, investigate before adding a corrective product. For example, a nitrate increase alongside uneaten food points towards feeding and waste removal, while ammonia or nitrite above zero calls for immediate attention to biological filtration, recent stocking and feeding. Make one controlled improvement, repeat the tests and record the response.

This rhythm protects the mature system on which the group depends. It also creates a useful baseline: a sudden change in behaviour or appearance is easier to assess when you know the aquarium’s normal temperature, test results, feeding response and maintenance history.

Prepare for arrival and the first week

Complete the aquarium checks before the journey. OATA’s aquarium guidance supports gradual introduction into measured water, so confirm zero ammonia and nitrite, measure temperature, pH and hardness, inspect the protected filter inlet and make sure established cover and grazing surfaces are in place.

Follow the arrival steps in order

1. Be present to receive the parcel because live animals cannot be left unattended.
2. Start filming while the parcel is still sealed and the outer box is visible.
3. Open the parcel in one continuous take and show the animal still inside the sealed bag before anything is disturbed.
4. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the shrimp.
5. Never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

Open and inspect the parcel on the day it arrives. Keep the continuous video and order number if a Live Arrival Guarantee claim is needed, then contact us the same day. Review the delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy before the journey so these steps are familiar.

First-week checkpoints

Add further shrimp gradually rather than increasing livestock and feeding sharply in one step. The filter’s beneficial bacteria need time to respond to the increased load. Keep dedicated wet equipment where practical, observe new animals closely and never release shrimp, aquarium water, plants or equipment contents into natural waterways.

Respond to moulting and health changes

A shed exoskeleton can resemble a pale shrimp, so identify what you are looking at before taking action. Hiding may accompany moulting, but one shell or one hidden animal cannot diagnose the condition of the group. Compare behaviour, feeding and appearance across the aquarium and check the measured water when something changes.

Act on observable warning signs

Start with measurements rather than medication. Check temperature, ammonia and nitrite, then review nitrate, pH and hardness in context. Inspect filtration and recent maintenance, and consider newly added livestock, plants, decor, food, aerosols or treatments. A written timeline helps distinguish a sudden event from a gradual decline.

Freshwater shrimp are highly sensitive to copper and will die if exposed even to low levels. Before adding any treatment, read the exact current label and every warning for invertebrates. Use a product only when it is appropriate to the identified problem and compatible with every animal in the aquarium.

If signs are severe, persist or spread, obtain suitably qualified aquatic or veterinary advice and provide the test results, dates and photographs. Move an animal only when a prepared alternative system offers safer conditions than the mature aquarium. An improvised container without suitable filtration and matched water can add another abrupt change.

Continue monitoring after the immediate problem appears to settle. Repeat the relevant measurements, confirm normal feeding response and note whether the rest of the group behaves normally. Changing several products at once makes the outcome difficult to interpret, so make each intervention deliberate and record what follows.

Screen every fish for predation risk

OATA advises that freshwater shrimp should not be mixed with fish able to fit them in their mouth or with species known to be predatory. Apply that rule to the companions at their adult size, not merely to how small or calm they appear when introduced. A peaceful label does not remove feeding behaviour, territorial behaviour or opportunistic hunting.

Use a complete compatibility screen

• Adult mouth size: could the fish swallow an adult shrimp or a much smaller juvenile?
• Hunting behaviour: does the species search through plants, substrate or crevices for small prey?
• Territorial behaviour: could shrimp be driven away from cover or feeding areas?
• Feeding competition: can the group reach suitable food before faster companions consume it?
• Water overlap: can every inhabitant share the selected temperature, pH and hardness?
• Moulting risk: does the layout allow retreat without assuming cover prevents predation?
• Goal: is the aquarium intended for display coexistence or maximum juvenile survival?

No fish is guaranteed safe with newly hatched shrimp. Dense planting and sheltered surfaces may reduce exposure, but they cannot turn a predator into a dependable companion. When juvenile survival is the priority, a shrimp-only aquarium removes fish predation from the plan, though filtration, feeding, equipment and water-quality risks remain.

Assess the whole adult community whenever another animal is added. A pairing that appears calm during one observation can change as animals grow, territories form or food becomes concentrated. Keep a suitable separation option ready rather than relying on the aquascape to solve every conflict.

Choose between display and colony goals

Freshwater shrimp are generally social under OATA’s guidance and should be kept in groups of at least five. Use five as the starting social plan rather than a promise of a particular sex mix or colony outcome. Each purchase adds one animal, so choose the group count deliberately through the live selector.

The starting group must fit the mature aquarium after companions, substrate and equipment have been considered. Our cautious house policy begins at 20 litres for a small Cherry Shrimp group, then increases the plan when fish or other livestock share the system. There is no permanent shrimp-per-litre shortcut because filtration, grazing area, feeding, water stability and population growth all change the real capacity.

Decide what success means

Different colour forms of Neocaridina davidi share the species and may reproduce together. If preserving the Super Red Sakura line matters, plan a separate aquarium rather than assuming every descendant from a mixed-colour group will retain the same appearance. The traded colour name describes the chosen line; it does not guarantee identical coverage across every individual or descendant.

A female carries eggs beneath the abdomen, and juveniles hatch without the prolonged saline planktonic phase associated with Amano Shrimp. That biology does not promise a colony. An unsexed group may not contain the required sex mix, while predation, filter access, food, cover and water quality all affect the outcome.

Review capacity before adding further livestock or retaining every juvenile. If the population grows, reassess feeding space, waste trends and the full adult community rather than assuming the original 20-litre planning point grants unlimited expansion. A second prepared aquarium is a better contingency than waiting until competition or water quality has already deteriorated.

Answer the key buyer questions

How big does Super Red Sakura Shrimp get?

Super Red Sakura Shrimp reaches approximately 4 cm as an adult, so plan filtration, cover and companion screening around that size rather than the smaller dispatch measurement.

What size aquarium does it need?

Use a mature, filtered aquarium, with 20 litres as Tropical Fish Co’s cautious starting policy for a small group; account for substrate, equipment, companions and possible population growth.

How many Super Red Sakura Shrimp should I keep together?

OATA’s freshwater-shrimp guidance recommends a group of at least five. This number does not guarantee a particular sex mix, breeding result or permanent stocking density.

Is Super Red Sakura Shrimp suitable for beginners?

We rate Super Red Sakura Shrimp as intermediate because it needs mature biological filtration, measured water, established grazing surfaces, controlled feeding and careful compatibility screening.

What does it eat?

This shrimp is omnivorous and grazes biofilm and soft growth. Use an appropriate complete sinking shrimp food, begin with OATA’s schedule of two or three feeds each week and remove recurring excess.

What temperature and pH does this shrimp need?

OATA’s freshwater-shrimp guidance gives 17–27°C and pH 6.5–8.0 for the group, with 4–18°dH, zero ammonia and zero nitrite; keep the chosen values stable and make changes gradually.

Is Super Red Sakura Shrimp aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Super Red Sakura Shrimp is rated peaceful. Screen companions for adult mouth size, predatory and territorial behaviour, feeding competition and overlapping water needs.

What animals can Super Red Sakura Shrimp live with?

Avoid fish able to fit shrimp in their mouth and species known to be predatory. No fish is guaranteed safe for newly hatched shrimp, so choose a shrimp-only aquarium when juvenile survival is the priority.

How does it arrive alive in the UK?

Start filming the sealed parcel before it is opened. Someone must be present to receive it; film continuously as it is opened with the animal still in the sealed bag, float the bag for 20–30 minutes, and never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

References for identity and care scope

• World Register of Marine Species — accepted scientific name, authorship and family.
• Wikipedia: Neocaridina davidi — natural distribution, habitat, natural feeding mode, selective colour forms and mature length.
• OATA freshwater shrimp and snail guidance — water, group, aquarium, feeding, maintenance, health and compatibility guidance.
• RSPCA aquarium environment guidance — the role of established biological filtration.
• OATA freshwater aquarium setup guidance — cycling, testing and gradual introduction principles.