Neocaridina Colony
Neocaridina davidi (colony)
The Neocaridina Colony (Neocaridina davidi (colony)) is a peaceful fish that's easy to keep. Give it a tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons), water held at 59-84°F, and a pH of 6.5-8.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Various
We don't shade a region on this simplified map - your text may be Europe-only, worldwide, listed as "Various," captive-only, or outside the five areas used in the stocking calculator. That tool still scores whether your fish come from similar parts of the world.
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Neocaridina Colony Tank Setup
A tank of 20 litres (5 US gallons) or more with rock-steady water suits them best - keep it at 59-84°F with a pH around 6.5-8. Stable conditions matter most, as shrimp struggle to moult and breed when parameters bounce around.
What Do Neocaridina Colonies 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.
Neocaridina Colony Tank Mates
Represents an established self-sustaining colony (~50-100 shrimp); the population self-regulates with food supply. Sensitive to copper and some medications. The Neocaridina Colony is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. Good matches come down to the whole stocking list working together - temperature, tank size, and temperament - not any single label. 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 Neocaridina Colonies Good for Beginners?
Reasonable early choice after cycling. Buy after the tank has stable ammonia and nitrite readings, not the same weekend you fill it.
Neocaridina Colony - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Neocaridina Colonies need?
Neocaridina Colonies 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.
What water parameters do Neocaridina Colonies need?
Keep them at 59-84°F with a pH of 6.5-8, 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 Neocaridina Colonies eat?
Neocaridina Colonies 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 Neocaridina Colonies good for beginners?
Yes - Neocaridina Colonies are a reasonable beginner fish once the tank is cycled and parameters are stable. Add them after ammonia and nitrite read 0 ppm, not the same day you fill the tank.
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 Neocaridina Colony 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 Neocaridina Colonies
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
- AxolotlPredator - Axolotl will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Clown LoachFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
