Blue velvet shrimp are an adaptable blue form of Neocaridina davidi for a planted freshwater tank. They are a good first shrimp.
Did you know
Blue velvet shrimp, cherry reds and yellows are all the same species, selectively bred from a plain brownish wild shrimp. Mix different colors in one tank, and within a few generations the offspring tend to revert toward that dull wild coloration.
Caring for the blue velvet shrimp
Blue velvet shrimp are peaceful and social, so keep them in groups. A colony does well in a tank as small as 5 gal (19 L). A planted tank with plenty of surfaces to graze suits them best.
They handle a wide temperature range, 59 to 84°F (15 to 29°C), and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Avoid copper, which is toxic to shrimp. Their main weakness is sensitivity to sudden water changes, so go slow when adjusting parameters.
They live on the bottom and over plants and hardscape, grazing on biofilm and algae all day. Supplement with a little blanched vegetable or a sinking shrimp food. Keep them with small, peaceful fish or other dwarf shrimp.
Females are a little larger and more colorful than males. They breed readily, with no larval stage. A female carries 20 to 40 eggs under the tail for three to four weeks, then releases fully formed miniature shrimp.
Good to know
Blue velvet shrimp belong to Neocaridina davidi, a freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae, and they are also sold as blue Neocaridina. Their lifespan is short, usually one to two years.
In the wild
Neocaridina davidi comes from Taiwan and nearby parts of East Asia, where it lives in streams and ponds among plants, rocks and leaf litter. Blue velvet shrimp are one of many color forms bred from it.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The blue velvet 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.
Is a blue velvet shrimp a different species from the Neocaridina shrimp?
No. A blue velvet 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 velvet shrimp need?
A blue velvet shrimp needs at least 5 gal (19 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What does a blue velvet shrimp eat?
Blue velvet shrimp graze on biofilm and algae over plants and hardscape. Supplement with a little blanched vegetable or a sinking shrimp food.
How big does a blue velvet shrimp get?
An adult blue velvet shrimp reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).
How can you tell a male blue velvet shrimp from a female?
Blue velvet shrimp females are a little larger and more colorful than males.
How does a blue velvet shrimp breed?
Blue velvet shrimp breed readily, with no larval stage. A female carries 20 to 40 eggs under the tail for three to four weeks, then releases fully formed miniature shrimp.
1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
1.6 in (4 cm)7 gal (25 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
2 in (5 cm)8 gal (30 L)59–81°F (15–27°C)