Red Cherry Shrimp

The Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina heteropoda), also known as Red Cherry Shrimp or RCS, is a dwarf freshwater shrimp native to Taiwan. Red cherry shrimp is a freshwater shrimp that is peaceful and famous for its algae eating abilities. Suitable for both beginners and experienced aquarists, it is one of the hardiest and tolerant shrimp available.

They will add colour into any tank they are in and require little maintenance. Their beautiful red color comes from years of selective breeding, and there are now different grades and types of red cherry shrimp. This invertebrate produces little waste and survive in nearly all freshwater aquarium setups, even ones without a filter. If it is in a planted setup with lots of shelter and hiding spots, this cherry shrimp will start producing baby shrimps very soon!

Red Cherry Shrimp Care: Feeding, Tank Setup, and Maintenance

Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) are an extremely popular shrimp with aquarium hobbyists becase of for their vivid red color, peaceful nature, and tank-cleaning habits. They’re beginner-friendly and extremely hardy which make for a fantastic addition to most community tanks. In this guide, we’ll cover all you need to know about Red Cherry Shrimp care, feeding, and aquarium setup.

Setting Up the Ideal Tank for Red Cherry Shrimp

Although Red Cherry Shrimp are very hardy and can live in small tanks (minimum 5 litres), they often do better in larger tanks which offer more stability in terms of water pH and temperature. These shrimp prefer a pH between 6.5 and 8.0 and temperatures between 20-26°C but can tolerate temperatures as low as 10°C. A sponge filter is the main preference because it won't suck up shrimp babies and ensures sufficient water flow without disturbing the shrimp, who prefer calm water.

Ideal Substrate and Plant Setup for Cherry Shrimp

Red Cherry Shrimp love fish tanks with substrates, such as sand, gravel or aquasoil because they like to pick and forage on these surfaces. Adding live, fast growing plants like Java Moss, Anubias, and Java fern will offer tonnes of additional hiding spots and more surfaces for biofilm to grow on, which is a great, natural food source for them. Furthermore, adding driftwood (such as Malaysian Driftwood or Spiderwood) and rocks can help reduce the shrimp's stress by providing shelter and food. They also love Indian Almond Leaves and Cholla Wood which have a plethora of surfaces for cherry shrimp to graze on.  

Red Cherry Shrimp Diet & Feeding

Red Cherry Shrimp are actually natural scavengers and fish tank cleaners that feed on algae, biofilm, and detritus in the fish tank. However, it is best to supplement their diet with shrimp pellets, algae wafers, and blanched vegetables like zucchini or cucumber for the optimum, healthy diet. Please avoid overfeeding because it can worsen water quality—feed only what they can eat in a 1-2 hours and remove excess food. 

Key Features of Red Cherry Shrimp: