Variety of Neocaridina shrimp

Rili shrimp

Neocaridina davidi

One of 11 varieties of Neocaridina davidi · See all varieties →

FreshwaterShrimp

Rili shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) — Casualhorse · CC BY 4.0

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: Taiwan

Overview

Keep them in a group. The more the better, since they feel secure in numbers and you get a stronger colony. They stay on the bottom and across plants, picking at algae, biofilm, and leftover food, with the odd blanched vegetable or shrimp pellet to round things out. They want pH from about 6.5 to 8 and temperatures from the mid teens up to around 29 C, though stable warmth in the low to mid 20s is easiest. They are peaceful and best kept alone or with very small, calm fish that will not eat the babies.

In the wild

Rili shrimp are a selectively bred line of Neocaridina davidi, the same species behind the common cherry shrimp. The wild stock comes from streams and ponds in Taiwan and nearby parts of Asia, sitting on the bottom among plants, leaf litter, and biofilm-covered surfaces. They handle a wide range of conditions, so a small planted tank of about 20 liters or more with moss, some hardscape, and a mature surface for grazing suits them well. Stable water matters more than chasing exact numbers.

Good to know

This is a freshwater dwarf shrimp in the family Atyidae. Adults reach roughly 3 to 4 cm, with females usually larger and rounder than males. They breed readily in freshwater with no larval stage, so females carry eggs under the tail until fully formed shrimplets hatch. Lifespan is typically one to two years.

Did you know

The "rili" pattern is the trait, not the species. Rili shrimp have a clear band across the middle of the body with solid color at the front and back, and that gap can shift or fade from one generation to the next, so colonies need culling to hold the look.

Color lines

Rili is a pattern, not a color: a solid head and tail with a clear midsection, bred from every Neocaridina color line. Shops name the lines by color, and every one wants the same water as the rest of the species.

Red: from the cherry line; the original rili
Orange: from the orange line
Carbon: black or charcoal head and tail; also sold as black rili
Blue: from the blue lines; often a paler clear middle
Green: from the green jade line; the rarest of the five

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Tank mates

Rili 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator