Variety of Neocaridina shrimp
Blue dream shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
One of 11 varieties of Neocaridina davidi · See all varieties →
Also known as Blue Dream Neocaridina, Blue Diamond shrimp
FreshwaterShrimp
Varieties · Neocaridina davidi
See all 11 →
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 59–84°F
- 15–29°C
- pH
- 6.5–8.0
- Adult size
- 1.6 in
- 4 cm
- Minimum tank
- 5 gal
- 20 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Atyidae
- Origin
- A captive bred color line of the dwarf shrimp Neocaridina davidi, whose wild form lives in freshwater streams and ponds across eastern China and Taiwan.
Overview
Keep a colony in 20 L or more of cycled, stable water at 18 to 28 C and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. A planted tank with moss gives them grazing surfaces and cover for shrimplets. Safe tankmates are small, peaceful fish or other dwarf shrimp. Feed biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and occasional prepared shrimp foods.
In the wild
Blue Dream is a solid, deep blue line of Neocaridina davidi, darker and more opaque than the paler blue velvet. It is a hardy dwarf shrimp that grazes constantly on biofilm and algae across plants and hardscape. Care is identical to any other Neocaridina color line. It shows best against a dark substrate in a planted tank.
Good to know
Blue Dream descends from the chocolate line of Neocaridina davidi, with the blue being a selected pigment effect fixed over many generations. All Neocaridina colors interbreed, and mixing lines tends to produce wild, brownish offspring, so keepers hold each color separately. Females carry a clutch of eggs under the tail, which keepers call being berried.
Did you know
Keeping Blue Dreams away from other Neocaridina colors matters, since crossbreeding quickly dilutes the blue back toward plain wild brown within a couple of generations.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Blue dream shrimp is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Mini bumblebee goby
Brachygobius xanthomelas
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Endler's livebearer
Poecilia wingei
FreshwaterBrackish1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)
Great ramshorn
Planorbarius corneus
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
Ninja shrimp
Caridina serratirostris
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Micro bumblebee goby
Brachygobius nunus
FreshwaterBrackish1 in (2.5 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Dwarf livebearer
Neoheterandria elegans
Freshwater1 in (2.5 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Common questions
Is a Blue dream shrimp a different species from the Neocaridina shrimp?
No. A Blue dream shrimp is a variety of the Neocaridina shrimp, Neocaridina davidi, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.
What size tank does a Blue dream shrimp need?
A Blue dream shrimp needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
How big does a Blue dream shrimp get?
An adult Blue dream shrimp reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).
Related species
1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)Okinawa cleaner shrimp
Neocaridina denticulata
1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Red skunk shrimp
Caridina gracilirostris
1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)7 gal (25 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)Tiger shrimp
Caridina mariae
1.6 in (4 cm) · 7 gal (25 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Short-nose algae shrimp
Caridina longirostris
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Sunkist shrimp
Caridina thambipillai
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
2 in (5 cm)8 gal (30 L)59–81°F (15–27°C)Amano shrimp
Caridina multidentata
2 in (5 cm) · 8 gal (30 L)