Shrimp for the planted tank.

The perfect beginner shrimp. Stable parameters matter more than perfect numbers. Calcium for moulting (cuttlebone, GH+, mineral stones) is essential.

The classic 'algae crew' shrimp Takashi Amano used. Larger and more visible than Neos. Will outgrow risk of being eaten by small tetras.

Premium 'caridina' shrimp. Active soil (ADA Amazonia, UNS Controsoil) lowers pH and is effectively required. RO water + remineraliser is standard.

Cheap and disposable in big pet stores but a legitimate keeper species (formerly Palaemonetes paludosus, now Palaemon paludosus). Larger ghost shrimp can occasionally nip small fish or other shrimp.

A deep solid-blue Neocaridina line. Care is identical to Red Cherry. Keep separated from other Neocaridina colour morphs to prevent reversion to wild grey.

High-visibility colour, pops against dark substrate and green plants. Same easy care as Red Cherry.

The ancestor of CRS, Crystal Black, Taiwan Bees. Markings are less crisp than CRS but care is identical. Good gateway from Neocaridina to Caridina-keeping.

Huge, gentle, fascinating shrimp. Needs strong flow and suspended food to filter, starves in a clean tank. Sits on hardscape and waves its fans into the current.

Translucent white body with iconic white egg saddle. Same Neocaridina care profile as cherries; prefers slightly harder water than Caridina lines.

Taiwan Bee line with gradient blue/white head-to-tail. Pricier and more sensitive than CRS. Active soil + RO + remineraliser is the standard setup.

The deep emerald green colour morph of Neocaridina davidi — colour purity has been selectively bred up to a deep, almost matte jade. Same care as cherry shrimp, including the same robustness. Crossing with other Neocaridina morphs reverts the colony to wild brown over a few generations.

Black-and-clear striped Caridina with orange eyes. Sits between Neocaridina (hardy) and Crystal Red shrimp (delicate) on the difficulty curve. Tolerates slightly harder water than Crystal Reds but still wants soft, cool, stable conditions to breed.

An expert-only shrimp: deep red body, white legs, and white antennae like a tiny cardinal. Requires high pH, warm water, and high mineral content — the inverse of Crystal Red shrimp chemistry. Single-species biotope tanks only.

A large filter-feeding shrimp with blue-grey to deep-purple colouration and fan-like appendages it waves into the current to catch food. Reaches 15 cm. Needs strong flow and a powdered food supply — adults will starve in stagnant tanks. Long-lived (up to 10 years).

Deep velvet-black colour morph of Neocaridina davidi. The black is genetically the most stable of the dark Neocaridina morphs, with less reversion to wild brown over generations than chocolate or carbon variants. Reads stunningly against pale sand or aquasoil.

A hardy caridina that behaves like a neocaridina: it breeds in ordinary freshwater and tolerates a wide range, so it is a good first caridina. The catch is colour, individuals shift between green, brown, red and near-clear with mood, diet and background, so a colony can look mixed rather than uniform. Stable water and a calcium source for moulting are what matter.