TankBud

Variety of Neocaridina shrimp

Snowball shrimp

Neocaridina davidi

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

Also known as White Pearl shrimp, Snowflake shrimp

FreshwaterShrimp

Snowball shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
Imperial Tropicals · Used with permission

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
19 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Egg carrier · 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

The snowball shrimp is a small, peaceful grazer for a planted freshwater tank. It has the same easy care as the cherry shrimp.

Did you know

A berried snowball female is unmistakable. Her clutch of bright white eggs stands out far more than the pale eggs of most other shrimp.

Caring for the snowball shrimp

Keep snowball shrimp as a colony of ten or more in a stable, mature planted tank of 5 gal (19 L) or larger. The water should be cycled, with plants and biofilm to graze. Their white color shows best against a dark substrate and plants.

They handle 59 to 84°F (15 to 29°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Feed algae, biofilm, blanched vegetables and a little shrimp food. Snowball shrimp molt as they grow and stay soft for a few hours afterward, and they eat the cast shells for their minerals.

Keep them with small, peaceful fish or other shrimp. Females grow larger than males and carry 20 to 40 eggs under the tail for three to four weeks. The young hatch as fully formed shrimp with no larval stage, so they breed easily in fresh water. Keep one color per tank, since crossed colors drift back toward the wild brown.

Good to know

The snowball shrimp is a milky white line of Neocaridina davidi, a dwarf shrimp in the family Atyidae. It is named for its opaque white eggs, which look like tiny snowballs. Other lines carry yellow or green eggs. It is also sold as the white pearl or snowflake shrimp, and some older sources listed it as Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis.

In the wild

The snowball shrimp is a captive bred color line. Its wild form, Neocaridina davidi, lives in freshwater streams and ponds across eastern China and Taiwan.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The snowball 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

Common questions

Is a snowball shrimp a different species from the Neocaridina shrimp?

No. A snowball 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 snowball shrimp need?

A snowball shrimp needs at least 5 gal (19 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What does a snowball shrimp eat?

A snowball shrimp grazes algae and biofilm. Add blanched vegetables and a little shrimp food.

How big does a snowball shrimp get?

An adult snowball shrimp reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

How can you tell a male snowball shrimp from a female?

Female snowball shrimp grow larger than males. A female with eggs carries them under her tail.

How does a snowball shrimp breed?

A female snowball shrimp carries 20 to 40 eggs under her tail for three to four weeks. The young hatch as fully formed shrimp, so a colony breeds easily in fresh water.

Related species