(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Neocaridina davidi var. "Yellow"
Common Name: Yellow Shrimp, Neon Yellow Shrimp, Yellow Cherry Shrimp
Adult Size: 2 - 3 inches
Life Expectancy: 1 - 2 years
Habitat: Eastern China and Northern Taiwan
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 68 - 77°F
- pH Range: 6.5 - 7.5
- Water Hardness: 3 - 10
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet & Nutrition: Yellow shrimp are omnivores that thrive on a varied diet. They will enjoy picking algae and aufwuchs off any surface they can find, but unless the tank is very algae-ridden, they do need regular supplemental feedings. Use a high quality shrimp food as a staple and add variety with algae tablets, frozen foods (mosquito larvae, bloodworms), fresh blanched veggies and sinking fish foods.
Breeding & Spawning: Yellow Shrimp are easy to breed. You don't have to do anything but provide the shrimp with good conditions, cover the filter intake with a pre-filter (such as a sponge), and keep them in a tank without any fish (with the exception of Otocinclus catfish - they are fine to keep with breeding shrimp). Females will carry between 30 and 50 eggs at a time in a cluster beneath their tails, and the newborn shrimp hatch as miniature versions of the adults that are immediately able to fend for themselves. However, there must be adequate algae and/or biofilm in the tank for them to feed on. In tanks lacking algae or biofilm (usually newer tanks), shrimp can be fed by crushing algae flakes before dropping them in. Within 3 months, the newborn shrimp will be sexually mature and able to breed. When properly kept, 10 shrimp can turn into 1,000 within 6-8 months.
Gender: Females are larger and more intensely colored. The males are more translucent and also stay significantly smaller.