Neocaridina palmata var.
Translucent white body with iconic white egg saddle. Same Neocaridina care profile as cherries; prefers slightly harder water than Caridina lines.
Snowball Shrimp (Neocaridina palmata var.) reaches 2.5–3 cm and needs a minimum tank of 20 L with a colony of 10+. Native to Selectively bred (China). Aim for 18–28 °C, pH 7.0–8.0, 6–15 dGH, and 180–280 ppm TDS. Lifespan: 1.5 years. Breeding: very easy, eggs are white like snowballs. Diet: omnivore / detritivore, Biofilm, algae, blanched veg, sinking pellets. Plant-safe: Yes. Tank-mates: Nano fish only.
Care at a glance
Translucent white body with iconic white egg saddle. Same Neocaridina care profile as cherries; prefers slightly harder water than Caridina lines.
Updated 1 min read
Part of our complete freshwater shrimp guide.
Something looking off? Spot and treat it in our fish and shrimp health guide.
The parameters that decide whether snowball shrimp fits in your tank.
10+
Omnivore / detritivore
Biofilm, algae, blanched veg, sinking pellets.
Very easy, eggs are white like snowballs
1.5 yrs
Bred from Neocaridina, wild kin in Eastern Chinese streams
Selectively bred (China)
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Same as Cherry.
Other Neocaridina morphs (colour reversion).
Weighing it against something similar? Compare Snowball Shrimp head to head:
Hard-won lessons from the tank.
Stunning against dark substrate and dark plant backdrop. Their egg-carrying displays are arguably the most photogenic of any shrimp. Will eat algae and biofilm enthusiastically.
What can go wrong and how to spot it.
Failure modes, in order of how dramatic the fix is.
Same as Cherry shrimp.
Mixing with red Neocaridina, leading to muddy half-breeds within generations.
The practical routine, read top to bottom.
Identical to Cherry, but slightly preferring harder water (dGH 8–15). pH neutral to slightly alkaline.
Where it comes from, how it behaves, and the variants you'll see at retail.
Where it lived before it came home.
See where the Snowball Shrimp and every other species comes from on the species world map.
Selectively bred Neocaridina palmata (some sources still classify as N. zhangjiajiensis).
How they pair, reproduce, and grow.
Same as all Neocaridina.
Same as Cherry.
Direct freshwater development. White-coloured eggs are the visual signature.
The named cultivars and the lookalikes worth flagging.
Translucent white body with opaque white spots (eggs visible as white 'snowballs' under tail — hence the name).
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
Minimum tank: 20 L with a colony of 10+. Snowball Shrimp (Neocaridina palmata var.) reach 2.5–3 cm as adults.
Target 18–28 °C, pH 7.0–8.0, 6–15 dGH, and 180–280 ppm TDS. Mature, cycled, low-nitrate water is non-negotiable.
Tank-mate notes: Nano fish only. Plant safety: Yes.
Breeding: Very easy, eggs are white like snowballs. In a stable colony of 10+ adults you will see berried females naturally once parameters and food are right.
Diet: omnivore / detritivore, Biofilm, algae, blanched veg, sinking pellets. Algae-eating rating: 4/5.
Typical lifespan: 1.5 years.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this shrimp with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
