Neocaridina Heteropoda

Neocaridina Heteropoda

Neocaridina heteropoda "wild"

Overview

The Neocaridina Heteropoda species is the wild-type invertebrate of the common Red Cherry Shrimp and Yellow Shrimp. Both of the species were selectively bred from this wild-type in order to obtain their solid red and solid yellow coloration. This is the original Red Cherry Shrimp and Yellow Shrimp quite simply.

Background

The Neocaridina Heteropoda is found in Asia, its exact location is unknown. This wild species has been used by hobbyists to selectively breed color morphs, such as the Red Cherry Shrimp and Yellow Shrimp. If you look closely at each of the photos you can see some coloration of either yellow or red. Selective breeding is done by taking the characteristics, in this case coloration, and breed the wild shrimp that exhibit that color over many times. Eventually a solid color is developed after several generations. This must be a very difficult task. The exact amount of generations that it took for the Red Cherry Shrimp and Yellow Shrimp to become fully colored is unknown.

Water Parameters

The Neocaridina Heteropoda Shrimp can be housed in many different water parameters. Just like the Red Cherry Shrimp, this species can be kept in a pH range from 6.0 to 8.0, soft and hard water, temperatures from 72F to 84F and in many different soils like ADA Aquasoil and normal gravel. When following water parameters for this species it may be best just to refer back to the parameters of the Red Cherry Shrimp species if you have successfully kept it.

Breeding

The Neocaridina Heteropoda Shrimp is extremely prolific, just like its red colored cousing, and will breed readily and virtually around the clock. Clean water and proper water parameters will ensure that this species breeds constantly. Females will have green colored eggs when pregnant. The saddle will also be green and the appearance of a saddle while there are eggs is a good sign that hatching is days away.

It is typically 30-45 days from pregnancy to hatching. Another way to tell is by the emergence of a new saddle when the female still has eggs. The emergence of the saddle is the indication that the female is prepared to have a new set of eggs and that the current eggs are close to hatching. For more information on the reproduction cycle of freshwater aquarium shrimp please read the article Shrimp Reproduction.

Male attempting to mate with a female

Feeding

The Neocaridina Heteropoda will eat anything from blanched spinach, zucchini, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, fish flakes, bloodworms, and more. Feeding is best done once a day. Only feed an amount of food that the shrimp can finish within 2-3 hours maximum. It is not good to feed in excess and have food sitting for too long. Overfeeding is a known cause of death and can also cause water quality issues. Remember that shrimp are scavengers in the wild. They will eat whatever they find and are not used to a constant food source 24/7. Not feeding for one or two days is fine and will not harm this species at all. Sometimes I will not feed for a couple of days in order to let the shrimp cleanse their systems and keep the water clean at the same time.

Sexing

Sexing the Neocaridina Heteropoda is not difficult at all. Females are easy to identify as they are larger than the males, have a much darker coloration, and also have a curved underbelly. Females will also have a saddle or even have eggs. In the photo below you can see how the female Neocaridina Heteropoda has a green saddle and also has the tell tale curved underbelly.

Female Neocaridina Heteropoda

In the photo below you can see how the male is smaller, has very little coloration and the "under belly" is a straight line with no curved shape.

Male Neocaridina Heteropoda

Coloration

This wild-type variety has a camoflauged coloration to it to obviously help it hide in the wild. If you look at the first photo below you will see how well the two females are able to blend in with the rock. Such a scattered coloration must make it extremely difficult to selectively breed out and fill a new variety with solid coloration. However, some breeders of this species have noted that some of the offspring will show a somewhat red coloration and perhaps this is where the Red Cherry Shrimp idea began. Please see a photo below of two females on a rock.

Two Female Neocaridina Heteropoda