Variety of Neocaridina shrimp
Chocolate shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
One of 11 varieties of Neocaridina davidi · See all varieties →
Also known as Chocolate Neocaridina
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
- Rare
- 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 chocolate colony in 20 L or more of stable, cycled water at 18 to 28 C and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0, with plants and biofilm. House them with small peaceful fish or other dwarf shrimp only. They breed readily like all Neocaridina. Feed biofilm, algae, blanched vegetables and occasional shrimp pellets.
In the wild
The chocolate, sometimes sold as carbon rili, is a dark brown line of Neocaridina davidi ranging from warm cocoa to near black. Rili patterned individuals show a clearer band across the middle of the body. Care matches every other Neocaridina color, easy and hardy. The dark color stands out against a light substrate and green plants.
Good to know
Chocolate and carbon rili are the same dark brown Neocaridina davidi line, with rili simply describing the broken, banded color pattern. It shares its care and genetics with all other Neocaridina colors. Dark lines can throw lighter or wild colored young, so keepers cull to hold the color.
Did you know
Because brown is close to the wild Neocaridina color, chocolate lines are some of the easiest to accidentally recreate when mixed color colonies interbreed.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Chocolate 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.
Mahogany trumpet snail
Melanoides maculata
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Mini bumblebee goby
Brachygobius xanthomelas
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Yellow phantom tetra
Hyphessobrycon roseus
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 7 gal (25 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Bee shrimp
Caridina logemanni
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Pagoda snail
Brotia pagodula
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Micro bumblebee goby
Brachygobius nunus
FreshwaterBrackish1 in (2.5 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
Is a Chocolate shrimp a different species from the Neocaridina shrimp?
No. A Chocolate 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 Chocolate shrimp need?
A Chocolate shrimp needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
How big does a Chocolate shrimp get?
An adult Chocolate 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)