Cherry Shrimp — 10-Pack Colony Starter
Ten fire-reds — enough genetic depth to build a self-sustaining colony from day one.
A mixed-sex group of ten tank-raised fire red Neocaridina, hand-selected for color saturation and vigor. Ten is the threshold where a shrimp tank stops being a display and starts being a colony: berried females within weeks, staggered broods, and enough genetic spread to hold color for years without outside stock. Shipped with breather bag oxygenation and a live arrival guarantee.
What it needs to thrive
- Lighting
- Any — low to high. Shrimp color reads best against dark substrate under warm, moderate lighting.
- Flow
- Gentle to moderate. Sponge-filtered or pre-filtered intakes only so juveniles are never drawn in.
- Feeding
- Biofilm and algae grazers. Supplement 2–3× weekly with a quality shrimp pellet, blanched spinach, or botanicals; remove uneaten food within two hours.
- Temperament
- Peaceful and non-destructive. Keep with nano fish only — no cichlids, loaches, or large barbs.
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Ideal Tank Size
- 5 gallons and up, fully cycled and mature with moss or botanicals.
- Water Parameters
- 68–78°F · pH 6.8–7.6 · GH 6–8 · KH 2–5 · TDS 150–250 · 0 ammonia / 0 nitrite / <20 nitrate · copper-free
Seed into a cycled, mature tank with established biofilm. Moss walls, botanicals, and a sponge filter dramatically raise juvenile survival in the first month.
Peaceful and shrimp-safe with each other. Skip fish entirely for the first two generations if maximum population growth is the goal.
Quarantine, dip, and acclimation
Quarantine
Hold all new fish in a bare-bottom 10–20 gallon QT for a minimum of 4 weeks. Observe for flashing, clamped fins, white spots, or breathing changes. Treat preventatively with copper (1.75–2.5 ppm chelated) or tank-transfer method for ich, plus a praziquantel course for flukes. Invertebrates and corals skip QT but go through dip and observation instead.
Recommended coral dip
For every new coral: a 5–10 minute bath in your reef-safe dip of choice (Bayer Complete, CoralRx, or Reef Primer) following label dosage, followed by two clean saltwater rinses. Inspect plugs and bases for flatworms, pyramid snails, and eggs — remove or refrag onto clean plugs before placing in display.
Acclimation
Float sealed bags in your QT or display for 15 minutes to match temperature. Then drip acclimate at 2–4 drops per second for 45–60 minutes until volume has tripled. Net livestock into the tank — never pour shipping water in. Dim the lights for the first 24 hours to reduce stress.
