Blue Rili Shrimp Neocaridina Heteropoda
Blue Rili Shrimp
These popular, hardy blue rili shrimp are great for people wanting to start out keeping and breeding shrimp. They are colourful and active so look great in a planted aquarium. They love to live in grass or moss so we recommend having a planted tropical aquarium. Blue Rili Shrimp, Neocaridina heteropoda (var) have many common names including sky blue shrimp, blue sakura shrimp, and simply blue shrimps. Colouration varies from a light and mid-blue, to a striped translucent blue/dark blue/white.
Neocaridina varieties of shrimp have a distinctive head with a pointy rostrum (nose) and four antennae (one pair longer than the other). These shrimp have eyes that protrude on stalks on either side of the rostrum, and three pairs of short legs beneath the mouth that help the shrimp scavenge for food.
The blue rili sakura shrimp’s abdomen has six overlapping shell segments and five pairs of legs for swimming. Blue Shrimp thrive in well-planted aquariums, with dried leaves, mosses and grass being the plants of choice.
Do freshwater shrimp shed their skin?
Blue Rili Shrimp will moult and shed their carapace, often appearing to have grown larger once shed. The carapace is often clear and will be eaten and foraged by other shrimp, which is perfectly natural behaviour and a good source of calcium for them. A shed carapace can often be mistaken for a casualty in the aquarium.
Will freshwater shrimp clean my tank?
Blue Rili Sakura shrimp, and many other aquatic freshwater shrimp, will feed and forage about the aquarium floor, breaking down and consuming uneaten bits of food, plant and leaf matter, and waste. They should not be relied upon as a cleaner however, and must be given a ready source of food and algae to scavenge. Tropica shrimp will often be seen clinging to internal filters or filter sponges to feed.
Features
Approx. supplied size: 0.5" / 1-2cm (small)
Maximum size: 2" / 5cm
Origin: Taiwan/Vietnam
Temperament: Peaceful
Lighting requirement: Low
Ideal number kept together: 6+
Water conditions
Our conditions: pH 7.5, temp 24°C
Ideal pH: 6.5 - 8.0
Water flow: low to moderate
Ideal temperature: 22-26°C
Ease of care
Easy. Do not use any copper treatments, such as treatments for snails, with shrimp in the aquarium - they will prove fatal. Always check the label before using any disease treatments in shrimp tanks. Ensure they have plenty of shelter, such as driftwood or caves, to avoid predators and encourage breeding.
Compatibility
Peaceful. Do not house shrimp with fish that are likely to see them as a source of food, such as cichlids or bettas. House with smaller fish that cannot fit them in their mouths, such as neon and ember tetra.
Diet
Omnivore. Will happily gather small sinking granules and graze on a ready supply of algae. Feed shrimp-specific food or broken-up algae wafer.
Breeding
Shrimps are prolific breeders and will readily spawn a clutch of fry each week or two. If mixing colours, be aware that the offspring mixed shrimp are likely to produce will be brown or clear, rather than the parent colour. Males are smaller than females and grow to about 1 inch in length. Start with 6 or more to encourage reproduction.
Life Span
Blue Rili freshwater Shrimp can live 1-2 years in perfect conditions.
*NOTE ON SHIPPING: IF BUYING SHRIMP OR SNAILS ONLY, WE WILL REFUND HALF THE POSTAGE FEE PAID. SHRIMP AND SNAIL-ONLY ORDERS WILL NOW BE PROCESSED VIA ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY IN APPROPRIATE SECURELY PACKED POLYBOXES. COMBINED ORDERS WITH FISH ARE SUBJECT TO STANDARD FEES.
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Photo credit(s): Canva Pro Licence, Shutterstock
