Product Details

Orange Shrimp – Neocaridina spp.

The Orange Shrimp is a bright captive-bred freshwater shrimp selected for warm orange, tangerine or orange-sakura colouration. Usually associated with Neocaridina davidi colour lines, this shrimp is peaceful, active and well suited to mature planted aquariums. It is an excellent algae and biofilm grazer, but it should be treated as a living aquarium inhabitant with its own feeding and water-quality needs rather than a simple clean-up animal.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Orange Shrimp
Other Names: Orange Sakura Shrimp, Orange Cherry Shrimp, Orange Neocaridina, Tangerine Shrimp, Orange Fire Shrimp
Scientific Name: Neocaridina spp.
Likely Trade Species: Neocaridina davidi colour strain
Invertebrate Type: Freshwater Dwarf Shrimp
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

Wild Neocaridina shrimp are small freshwater shrimp from East Asia, where they live among plants, leaf litter, stones, roots and biofilm-covered surfaces. Orange Shrimp are captive-bred colour strains, so their bright orange colour does not represent a wild locality form.

In the aquarium, they do best in mature planted setups with moss, fine-leaved plants, wood, leaf litter, gentle filtration and plenty of grazing surfaces. A well-established aquarium with natural biofilm is strongly recommended, especially for young shrimp and newly introduced groups.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Orange Shrimp usually show orange, tangerine, pumpkin or orange-red body colour, with intensity varying by grade, sex, age and line. Females are often larger, deeper-bodied and more strongly coloured than males. Males are usually smaller, slimmer and may appear paler or more translucent.

Adults usually reach around 2–3 cm. Colour can fade temporarily after transport, moulting or stress, then improve once the shrimp are settled in a stable aquarium.

Aquarium Suitability:

Orange Shrimp are well suited to planted nano aquariums, shrimp colonies, peaceful community tanks and aquascapes with gentle filtration. They are good grazers and will browse algae films, biofilm, leftover fine foods and natural microorganisms across plants and décor.

They are not suitable for new aquariums, aggressive fish tanks, predator communities, copper-treated aquariums, unstable setups or tanks with fish that will pick at or eat shrimp.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 20–30 litres for a shrimp-only colony, with larger aquariums offering more stable water conditions. For mixed community aquariums, 45–60 litres or more is preferred.

Keep in groups, ideally 6–10 or more to start a visible colony. Larger groups behave more naturally, graze more confidently and are more likely to breed once settled.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 18–26°C
pH: 6.5–8.0
Hardness: Moderately soft to hard; stable GH and KH are important
Additional Notes: Stability is more important than chasing exact numbers. Orange Shrimp do best in fully cycled aquariums with ammonia and nitrite at zero and low nitrate. Avoid sudden changes in temperature, pH, hardness or TDS. Use dechlorinated water and avoid copper-based medications, copper-contaminated water and unsafe fertiliser overdoses.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Invertebrate

Orange Shrimp are peaceful and can be kept with other peaceful dwarf shrimp, small snails and carefully chosen nano fish. Suitable fish tank mates include very small rasboras, small peaceful tetras, Otocinclus, pygmy Cory-type catfish and other calm species that are unlikely to harass adult shrimp.

Avoid loaches, puffers, larger cichlids, angelfish, gouramis, large tetras, most barbs and any fish large enough to eat them. Even peaceful fish may eat baby shrimp, so a shrimp-only aquarium is best for maximum breeding success.

If you want to preserve the orange colour line, avoid mixing with other Neocaridina colour strains, as crossbreeding can produce wild-type brown or clear offspring over time.

Feeding:

Orange Shrimp graze constantly on biofilm, soft algae and tiny food particles, but they still benefit from targeted feeding. Offer quality shrimp pellets, algae wafers, biofilm foods, blanched courgette, spinach, nettle or other shrimp-safe vegetables. Occasional protein-rich foods can be offered sparingly.

Feed very small amounts and remove uneaten food. Overfeeding can quickly cause water-quality issues, planaria, hydra or pest snail blooms in shrimp aquariums.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

Orange Shrimp spend much of their time grazing over plants, moss, wood, leaves, stones and substrate. They are peaceful, social and often more visible when kept in a group. After moulting, shrimp may hide briefly while their new shell hardens.

Females may carry eggs under the abdomen, known as being berried. The young hatch as miniature shrimp rather than a free-swimming larval stage, so they can grow in freshwater if the aquarium is mature, safe and not overstocked with fish.

Care Notes:

Add Orange Shrimp only to a mature, fully cycled aquarium. Use a sponge filter or cover filter intakes with a fine guard to protect adults and shrimplets. Provide moss, plants, wood and leaf litter for grazing and shelter. Acclimate slowly, as shrimp are sensitive to sudden changes.

Avoid copper medications, untreated tap water, rapid parameter swings, aggressive fish and heavy-handed cleaning that removes all biofilm. A little natural algae and biofilm is beneficial in a shrimp aquarium.

Recommended For:

Beginner to intermediate

Availability:

Common / Captive-bred colour 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, orange colour, colour coverage, shell clarity, sex and markings can occur between individual shrimp.