Blue Diamond Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi (var. Blue Diamond)
The Blue Diamond Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi (var. Blue Diamond)) is a peaceful shrimp that's easy to keep. Give it a tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons), water held at 68-79°F, and a pH of 6.5-7.5. Always keep a group of at least 8 - they feel safest in numbers.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Taiwan (selectively bred colour form)
- East & Southeast Asia
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Blue Diamond Shrimp Tank Setup
A tank of 20 litres (5 US gallons) or more with rock-steady water suits them best - keep it at 68-79°F with a pH around 6.5-7.5. Stable conditions matter most, as shrimp struggle to moult and breed when parameters bounce around. Always keep a group of at least 8 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour.
What Do Blue Diamond Shrimp Eat?
They're bottom feeders, so give them sinking wafers, tablets, or frozen treats like bloodworm once the lights go down. Flakes that never reach the bottom leave them hungry even when the tank looks well-fed.
Blue Diamond Shrimp Tank Mates
Solid opaque blue colour form of the common Neocaridina shrimp - same easy care as Cherry Shrimp. Sensitive to copper and any medication containing it; remove before dosing. Will breed readily in a mature, stable tank without any special intervention. The Blue Diamond Shrimp is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's a shoaling fish, so settle a group of 8 or more of its own kind before adding anything else - a stressed, lonely fish is far more likely to nip or hide. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Blue Diamond Shrimp Good for Beginners?
Often recommended to beginners, but only after the tank is cycled and you can keep a proper school - not three fish in a new setup.
Blue Diamond Shrimp - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Blue Diamond Shrimp need?
Blue Diamond Shrimp need a tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Blue Diamond Shrimp should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 8. Blue Diamond Shrimp are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Blue Diamond Shrimp need?
Keep them at 68-79°F with a pH of 6.5-7.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Blue Diamond Shrimp eat?
Blue Diamond Shrimp are bottom feeders. Give them sinking wafers, tablets, and frozen foods that settle on the substrate, ideally after the lights go off. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Blue Diamond Shrimp good for beginners?
Yes - Blue Diamond Shrimp are a good beginner choice once the tank is fully cycled and you can keep a proper group. They are hardy but still need stable water and a school to feel secure.
Common mistakes with Blue Diamond Shrimp
- Buying fewer than 8 - Blue Diamond Shrimps need a proper school to feel secure; isolated individuals hide, fail to colour up, or become stressed.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Check Blue Diamond Shrimp against any other fish → Compares water parameters, predation risk, fin nipping and tank size, and draws both at life size.
Fish to avoid mixing with Blue Diamond Shrimp
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Pea PufferPredator - Pea Puffer will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Clown LoachFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
