Blue Dream Shrimp Care Guide

Blue Dream Shrimp are a selectively bred color line of the Neocaridina davidi species – the same species as cherry shrimp, rili, and yellow shrimp. The “Blue Dream” name describes the deep, solid royal blue coloration that the best specimens show across the entire body, with no patches of clear or brown. They are an excellent choice for nano tanks, planted tanks, and as a peaceful cleanup crew that won’t harm any other livestock.

Quick Stats

• Scientific name: Neocaridina davidi (Blue Dream color form)
• Adult size: About 1 to 1.5 inches
• Minimum tank: 5 gallons; 10+ for a thriving colony
• Temperature: 65-78°F, ideally 70-75°F
• pH: 6.8-7.8
• Hardness: 6-15 dGH
• Diet: Omnivorous detritivore
• Temperament: Completely peaceful
• Lifespan: 1.5-2 years

Tank and water

Blue Dream Shrimp are far less demanding than fancy Caridina (crystal red, taiwan bee), which makes them a great first invertebrate. They do well in standard tap water in most parts of the country, as long as it is dechlorinated and reasonably stable. We keep ours in moderately hard, slightly alkaline water here in Key West, and they breed readily. Avoid extremes – very soft water without minerals will affect molting, and very high TDS or nitrate stresses them out.

A heavily planted tank with mosses (Java moss, Christmas moss), driftwood, and some leaf litter is ideal. Shrimp graze on biofilm, which colonizes plants, wood, and rocks. The more surface area, the more food. A sponge filter is the safest filtration choice; HOB and canister intakes need a fine sponge cover so juveniles do not get sucked in.

Tankmates

The honest answer: a species tank is best for breeding. If you want a colony with lots of babies, keep them alone. In a community tank, most adults survive but juveniles get eaten. Compatible community fish include otocinclus, small rasboras (chili, lambchop), pygmy Corydoras, and endlers – peaceful, micro-predator-free species. Avoid bettas, gouramis, angelfish, most tetras, and any cichlid. Assassin snails will not bother adults but will hunt juveniles.

Diet and breeding

Blue Dreams are detritivores that graze constantly. Supplement two or three times a week with a quality shrimp food (Bacter AE, Hikari Shrimp Cuisine, Shrimp King), blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach, kale), or Indian almond leaves. Do not overfeed – uneaten food crashes water quality faster than anything else in a small shrimp tank.

Breeding is automatic if water is stable and a male and female are present. Females carry eggs under their tails for 25-30 days, then release tiny fully-formed shrimplets that immediately begin foraging. No special fry care is needed. A starter colony of 10 can become 50+ within a few months in a planted species tank.

Ordering from us

Shrimp ship well in cool to moderate weather but are highly sensitive to temperature extremes. We follow our standard Shipping & Acclimation procedure, but with extra care – we hold orders aggressively if temperatures along the route look bad. Drip acclimate over a full 90 minutes; shrimp are more sensitive to TDS and parameter swings than most fish. See our Water Chemistry guide for setup, and email help@jojoaquatics.com with any setup questions before ordering.

— The JoJo Aquatics team, Key West, Florida