Aquarium shrimp care guides
From cherry shrimp to Crystal Red, from tank setup to berried females: answers to the questions shrimp keepers ask most.
Shrimp finderWhich shrimp is right for you? Temperature, water parameters and substrate
Getting started
First steps in shrimp keeping: tank setup, cycling and choosing the right shrimp.
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How to Set Up a Shrimp Tank: Step-by-Step Guide
Set up a freshwater shrimp tank the right way: equipment, cycling, water parameters, first shrimp and weekly maintenance for a stable Neocaridina colony.
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Cherry Shrimp and Neocaridina Care: Beginner's Guide
A practical beginner guide to cherry shrimp and Neocaridina care: tank setup, water parameters, acclimation, feeding, breeding and copper safety.
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How to Cycle a Shrimp Tank: A Step-by-Step Guide
Cycle a new shrimp tank safely before adding Neocaridina or Caridina: the ammonia source, test schedule, how long it takes and a checklist to confirm it is done.
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Caridina vs Neocaridina: The Differences Explained
The differences between Caridina and Neocaridina aquarium shrimp: water values, difficulty, example species, crossbreeding and breeding. Which should you start with?
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The 10 Easiest Plants for a Shrimp Tank
The 10 easiest aquarium plants for cherry shrimp and Crystal Red tanks: mosses, epiphytes and floating plants that grow in low light without CO2.
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How to Ship and Acclimate Shrimp: Transport and Arrival Guide
How to pack and transport live aquarium shrimp, how to receive shrimp that arrive by mail, drip acclimation step by step and how to reduce losses in the first days.
Water and feeding
Water parameters, food and tank mates: the basics of daily care.
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Shrimp Tank Water Parameters: pH, GH, KH and TDS
Practical shrimp tank water parameters for Neocaridina and Caridina: pH, GH, KH, TDS, temperature, stability, testing and the most common mistakes.
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What Do Aquarium Shrimp Eat? A Cherry Shrimp Feeding Guide
What do aquarium shrimp eat, how often should you feed them and how much? A practical cherry shrimp feeding guide: biofilm, vegetables, leaves and overfeeding.
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RO Water and Remineralizing: A Shrimp Tank Guide
What RO water is and how to prepare it with shrimp minerals for Crystal Red and other Caridina: target GH and TDS, active substrate, and whether cherry shrimp need it.
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What Is a TDS Meter and How to Use It in a Shrimp Tank
What a TDS meter is, how to use and calibrate it, TDS ranges for cherry shrimp (Neocaridina) and Caridina, and the water values TDS does not measure.
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What Fish Can Live With Aquarium Shrimp?
Which fish can share a tank with cherry shrimp and other aquarium shrimp? Compatible fish, risky species, snails and how to protect baby shrimp.
Health and problems
Deaths, molting problems and how to fix them.
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Why Are My Shrimp Dying? The 7 Most Common Causes
Losing shrimp? The 7 most common causes of shrimp deaths, from an uncycled tank and rushed acclimation to copper, heat and molting problems, and what to do.
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Shrimp Molting: Normal or a Problem?
Why and how often aquarium shrimp molt: empty shells, the white ring, the GH-KH-TDS balance, step-by-step care during molting and the most common mistakes.
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Planaria, Hydra and Vorticella in a Shrimp Tank
What planaria, hydra and vorticella are in a shrimp tank, whether they are harmful and how to get rid of them safely in cherry shrimp and Crystal Red tanks.
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Shrimp Tank in Summer Heat: How to Lower the Temperature
Summer heat and aquarium shrimp: which temperatures are dangerous, how to cool the tank with a fan, lid and lighting, how to add oxygen and what to avoid.
Breeding and selection
From berried females to growing a colony, from color selection to grading.
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How to Breed Cherry Shrimp: Growing a Healthy Colony
How cherry shrimp breed, how to tell males from females and how to grow a healthy colony with stable water, a sponge filter and simple color selection.
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Berried Shrimp: How Long Until the Eggs Hatch?
A practical guide to berried female shrimp: how long Neocaridina and Caridina eggs take to hatch, how many eggs to expect, why eggs drop and caring for the babies.
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How Fast Do Baby Shrimp Grow? A Shrimplet Care Guide
How fast baby cherry shrimp grow, what they eat and how to protect them: improving shrimplet survival, growth stages and when they reach maturity.
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Shrimp Grading Explained: What Do S, SS and SSS Mean?
What C, B, A, S, SS and SSS mean for Crystal Red, and Cherry, Sakura, Fire Red and Painted for Neocaridina. A guide to grading, health and selective breeding.
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How to Selectively Breed Shrimp
Selective breeding for shrimp: setting a goal, keeper and cull tanks, judging shrimp correctly, common mistakes and improving a line over generations.
Species and colors
Neocaridina colors, Caridina and Amano shrimp guides.
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Neocaridina Color Varieties: From Cherry Shrimp to Blue Dream
A practical guide to Neocaridina davidi color varieties: cherry, sakura, fire red, Blue Dream, rili and more, plus how to keep colors from mixing over generations.
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Caridina Shrimp Care: Crystal Red and Taiwan Bee Guide
Practical Caridina shrimp care for Crystal Red and Taiwan Bee: target water values, RO water, active substrate, feeding, molting and the most common mistakes.
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Amano Shrimp Care: The Algae-Eating Shrimp Guide
Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) care: size, lifespan, water parameters, food, algae control, tank mates and why they are so hard to breed at home.
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Blue Dream Shrimp Care: Water Parameters and Keeping the Color
Blue Dream (deep blue Neocaridina davidi) care: water parameters, why the blue fades, mixing with other colors, selective breeding and practical colony tips.
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