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Cherry Shrimp – What You Need To Know
Also known as Cherry Shrimp. The shrimp in this genus can actually be found in varying colors besides red.
Classification Info
Scientific name: Neocaridina davidi
Phylum: Arthropoda
Family: Atyidae
Max Size: about 1.6 inches (4 cm)
Why We Love Cherry Shrimp
After successfully keeping fish, we recently decided to venture into caring for shrimp. The Cherry Shrimp is very common and a prolific breeder in the right water conditions. I hope you’re ready to go from 10 to 100 shrimp in a matter of months! These are great beginner shrimp and will tolerate a wide range of temperatures. However, if you are looking to breed them it’s recommended to keep their temps between 72-79 degrees Fahrenheit.
A unique feature among Cherry Shrimp is they can come in different color grades ranging from high grade to low grade. The higher the grade the more brilliant their color.This means they can range from a transparent red to solid bold red coloring.
A common term used with shrimp is ‘berried’. This means a female Cherry Shrimp is carrying eggs which is a sight to see. We’ve had 2 females carry eggs which is looks like fanning and jumbling of the eggs so they get enough oxygen. The eggs will start off clear and then slowly get more opaque until you see little eyes peeking through.
Female Cherry Shrimp 
Berried Female Cherry Shrimp 
2 Male Cherry Shrimp with a Shrimplet
Male vs. Female
The determine if your Cherry Shrimp is a male or female, you’ll have to look for a few key features. Males tend to be smaller and less colorful. You can see how different the color consistency is between the males and females in the pictures above. Males will also have a narrower tail because they don’t have to carry eggs underneath. Females have what’s called a ‘saddle’ when they are ready to mate which are the ovaries shaping down the sides into a saddle like look.
Should You Buy Shrimp?
Short answer, yes. They are so different from fish that it’s an interesting site to see when they are swimming around their tank like little birds flying around. We would only warn you that you may get more than you bargained for with Cherry Shrimp, so be prepared for upgrading your tank or succumbing to Multiple Tank Syndrome.
