Snowball Shrimp
Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis
The Snowball Shrimp (Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis) is a peaceful shrimp that's easy to keep. Give it a tank of at least 30 litres (8 US gallons), water held at 64-82°F, and a pH of 6.5-8. Always keep a group of at least 6 - 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
Southeast Asia
- East & Southeast Asia
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Snowball Shrimp Tank Setup
A tank of 30 litres (8 US gallons) or more with rock-steady water suits them best - keep it at 64-82°F with a pH around 6.5-8. Stable conditions matter most, as shrimp struggle to moult and breed when parameters bounce around. Always keep a group of at least 6 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour.
What Do Snowball Shrimp Eat?
They're grazers, so base their diet on algae, blanched vegetables, and spirulina-based foods rather than high-protein flake. A spotless tank with nothing to graze on leaves them thin and underfed.
Snowball Shrimp Tank Mates
White Neocaridina variant. Hardy community shrimp. Avoid copper-based medications. The Snowball 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 6 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 Snowball 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.
Snowball Shrimp - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Snowball Shrimp need?
Snowball Shrimp need a tank of at least 30 litres (8 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Snowball Shrimp should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 6. Snowball Shrimp are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Snowball Shrimp need?
Keep them at 64-82°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 Snowball Shrimp eat?
Snowball Shrimp are grazers. Base their diet on algae, blanched vegetables, and spirulina-based foods rather than high-protein flake. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Snowball Shrimp good for beginners?
Yes - Snowball 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 Snowball Shrimp
- Buying fewer than 6 - Snowball 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.
Fish to avoid mixing with Snowball 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
- AxolotlPredator - Axolotl will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Betta (Male)Predator - Betta (Male) will eat or injure smaller tank mates
