Keep them in groups; they're peaceful and social, and colonies do well in a tank as small as 20 liters. They live on the bottom and over plants and hardscape, grazing on biofilm and algae all day. Feed a little blanched vegetable or a sinking shrimp food to supplement. Keep pH from 6.5 to 8 and avoid copper, which is toxic to shrimp. Their main weakness is sensitivity to sudden water changes, so go slow when adjusting parameters.
In the wild
Neocaridina davidi is a dwarf shrimp originally from Taiwan and nearby parts of East Asia, living in streams and ponds among plants, rocks, and leaf litter. The blue velvet is one of many color forms bred from this species. They're adaptable, but a planted tank with plenty of surfaces to graze suits them best. They handle a wide temperature range, from around 15 C up to the high 20s.
Good to know
This is a freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae, growing to about 3 to 4 cm, with females a little larger and more colorful than males. They breed readily, and unlike many shrimp they have no larval stage: females carry the eggs and release fully formed miniature shrimp. Lifespan is short, usually one to two years.
Did you know
Color strains like blue velvet, cherry red, and yellow 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.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
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.
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)