Orange Sakura Shrimp Care Guide - Setup, Feeding & Breeding

Orange Sakura Shrimp are a bright orange colour morph of the hardy dwarf shrimp Neocaridina davidi. Their translucent bodies are covered with varying amounts of orange pigment, with high-grade Sakura individuals showing dense, opaque colour across much of the shell. Females are generally larger and more intensely coloured than males.

Orange Sakura Shrimp are a selectively bred colour variety of Neocaridina davidi, a species native to freshwater streams, ponds and waterways in Taiwan and parts of mainland China in East Asia. The orange colour form does not occur as a distinct wild population.

A colony can be kept in an established aquarium of at least 20 litres, with a footprint around 30 × 20 cm or larger; a longer tank is preferable to a tall, narrow one. Use a mature, stable setup with gentle filtration, such as a sponge filter or a guarded intake, along with plants, moss, wood, rocks and other surfaces for grazing and shelter. Fine gravel or sand is suitable, and leaf litter can provide additional grazing material and cover. Avoid copper-based treatments and sudden changes in water chemistry.

Females reach up to about 3 cm (1.2 in), while males are usually smaller at around 2–2.5 cm (0.8–1 in).

These omnivorous scavengers graze naturally on algae, biofilm, microorganisms and decaying plant material. Offer a varied diet of quality shrimp pellets or wafers, blanched vegetables such as courgette and spinach, and occasional foods containing protein, including specialised shrimp or invertebrate foods. Feed sparingly, remove uneaten food and avoid excessive protein, which can contribute to poor water quality and moulting problems.

Orange Sakura Shrimp are peaceful and can be kept with small, gentle species such as ember tetras, chili rasboras, celestial pearl danios, pygmy corydoras, otocinclus and other peaceful nano fish. Adult shrimp usually coexist well with snails and other Neocaridina colour varieties, although mixed Neocaridina strains may interbreed and produce less predictable colours. Most fish will eat shrimplets, while large, boisterous or predatory species, including cichlids, larger barbs, gouramis and many loaches, are unsuitable.

Orange Sakura Shrimp breed readily in established freshwater aquariums when healthy adults are present. After mating, the female carries a clutch of eggs beneath her abdomen for around three to four weeks, fanning them regularly until they hatch as fully formed miniature shrimplets. The young need no special larval stage and can grow among fine algae, biofilm and powdered foods, although sponge-covered intakes help prevent them from being drawn into filtration. The offspring may show a range of orange shades, and selective breeding is needed to maintain a strong Sakura colour.

Females are larger, deeper-bodied and usually display a fuller, more solid orange colour. They have a broader, rounded abdomen for carrying eggs, whereas males are slimmer and often more translucent, with a straighter underside.