Product Details

Golden Crossback Shrimp – Neocaridina davidi

The Golden Crossback Shrimp is a bright freshwater dwarf shrimp with a vivid yellow to golden body and a distinctive lighter dorsal stripe running along the back. Also sold as the Golden Back Yellow Shrimp, Yellow Golden Back Shrimp, Neon Yellow Shrimp, Yellow Fire Golden Back Shrimp or Goldenback Neocaridina, this attractive colour strain is a peaceful algae-grazing and scavenging shrimp ideal for mature planted aquariums. It is hardy for a dwarf shrimp, but stable water quality and safe tank mates are essential for long-term success.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Golden Crossback Shrimp
Other Names: Golden Back Yellow Shrimp, Yellow Golden Back Shrimp, Neon Yellow Shrimp, Yellow Fire Golden Back Shrimp, Goldenback Neocaridina
Scientific Name: Neocaridina davidi
Older / Trade Name: Neocaridina spp.
Strain / Form: Golden Crossback / Golden Back Yellow colour strain
Fish Type: Freshwater Dwarf Shrimp
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

Neocaridina davidi is originally associated with freshwater habitats in East Asia, including streams, ponds, ditches and slow-moving vegetated waters. The Golden Crossback form is a selectively bred aquarium strain rather than a wild colour form.

In the aquarium, this shrimp does best in mature planted setups with moss, fine-leaved plants, biofilm, leaf litter, driftwood, rockwork and gentle filtration. These surfaces provide grazing areas and shelter, especially for young shrimp and freshly moulted adults.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Golden Crossback Shrimp have a bright yellow to golden body, often with a stronger, lighter or more metallic-looking dorsal stripe along the back. Females are usually larger, deeper-bodied and more intensely coloured than males, while males may appear slimmer and slightly paler.

Adults usually reach around 2–3 cm. Colour strength, dorsal stripe thickness, body transparency and overall grade can vary between individuals. Juveniles may show weaker colour when young and develop stronger colour as they mature.

Aquarium Suitability:

This is a suitable shrimp for mature planted community aquariums, nano shrimp tanks and peaceful aquascapes. It is one of the easier dwarf shrimp types when kept in stable conditions, but it should not be added to brand-new or unstable aquariums.

Golden Crossback Shrimp are best kept in species-only shrimp tanks or with very peaceful nano fish. Even small fish may eat baby shrimp, so dense planting and moss are recommended if breeding success is desired.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 20 litres for a small colony, with larger aquariums preferred for greater stability.

Keep in groups of 10 or more where possible. A group gives more natural behaviour, better breeding potential and a more visible display. Avoid mixing different Neocaridina davidi colour strains if you want to preserve strong golden crossback colour, as they can interbreed and produce mixed or wild-type offspring.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 18–26°C
pH: 6.5–8.0
Hardness: Moderate to hard water preferred
Additional Notes: Stability is more important than chasing exact numbers. Avoid sudden changes in temperature, pH, GH, KH or TDS. Use gentle filtration with a sponge guard to protect shrimplets. Copper-based medications, poor water quality and rapid acclimation can be dangerous to freshwater shrimp.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Golden Crossback Shrimp are completely peaceful and safe with plants, snails and other dwarf shrimp. They spend much of their time grazing biofilm, algae and fine food particles from surfaces.

Suitable tank mates include small peaceful rasboras, micro rasboras, ember tetras, otocinclus, small peaceful corydoras with caution, peaceful snails and other non-predatory nano species. For best breeding results, keep them in a shrimp-only aquarium. Avoid bettas, gourami, cichlids, larger tetras, barbs, loaches, puffers, angelfish and any fish large enough to eat adult or baby shrimp.

Feeding:

Golden Crossback Shrimp are omnivorous grazers and scavengers. They feed on biofilm, soft algae, detritus and leftover fine foods, but they should still receive a proper shrimp diet.

Offer quality shrimp pellets, algae wafers, spirulina foods, blanched courgette, spinach, nettle, mineral foods and occasional protein-rich shrimp foods. Feed lightly and remove uneaten food to avoid water quality problems. In mature planted aquariums, they will graze throughout the day.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

This is an active but peaceful shrimp that grazes constantly across plants, moss, wood, stones, glass and substrate. In a settled colony, they are often visible throughout the day and may gather quickly when food is added.

Females may carry eggs under the abdomen, known as being berried. The young hatch as miniature shrimp rather than free-swimming larvae, making them suitable for freshwater breeding in stable aquariums.

Care Notes:

Acclimate slowly, ideally using a drip acclimation method, especially if the water parameters are different from the shop or breeder water. Avoid large sudden water changes, unstable new tanks and any medication containing copper.

Provide moss, fine plants and hiding places for young shrimp. Use a sponge filter or intake guard so shrimplets are not pulled into the filter. Do not mix with other Neocaridina davidi colour strains if colour purity matters, as crossbreeding can reduce the quality of future generations.

Recommended For:

Beginner to intermediate freshwater shrimp keepers

Availability:

Common to occasional / Captive-bred aquarium strain

Image Disclaimer:

All images are a visual representation of the shrimp you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, yellow colour intensity, golden body tone, dorsal stripe thickness, body transparency and markings can occur between individual shrimp.