Red Onyx Shrimp Care Guide - Setup, Feeding & Breeding

Red Onyx Shrimp are a striking freshwater colour morph of Neocaridina davidi, valued for their rich red to deep ruby colouring. Depending on the line and lighting, individuals may show darker maroon tones, translucent areas or a contrasting pale underside. The strongest colour is usually seen in well-conditioned females and mature specimens.

Red Onyx Shrimp are a selectively bred colour variety of Neocaridina davidi, a species native to freshwater habitats in Taiwan and parts of mainland China in East Asia. The Red Onyx colour form is aquarium-bred rather than a naturally occurring wild population.

A group of Red Onyx Shrimp can be kept in an aquarium of at least 20 litres, with a footprint around 30 × 20 cm or larger; a bigger tank provides more stable water conditions. Use a gentle sponge filter or protect the intake of a suitable filter so young shrimp are not drawn in. Fine inert gravel or sand is suitable, while driftwood, rocks, mosses, dense plants and leaf litter provide grazing surfaces and hiding places. Avoid copper-based medications and sudden changes in water chemistry.

Females grow to about 3 cm (1.2 inches), while males usually reach around 2.5 cm (1 inch).

Red Onyx Shrimp graze continuously on algae, biofilm and microorganisms growing on aquarium surfaces. Supplement this natural grazing with a quality shrimp food, occasional algae wafers or blanched vegetables such as spinach, courgette and cucumber. Small amounts of leaf litter, such as Indian almond leaves, can provide both food and shelter, while uneaten food should be removed promptly.

Red Onyx Shrimp are peaceful and can live with small, non-predatory community fish such as ember tetras, celestial pearl danios, small rasboras, otocinclus and pygmy corydoras. They also suit snails and other peaceful Neocaridina colour varieties, although different Neocaridina colours may interbreed and produce less predictable offspring. Avoid large fish, fin-nippers, loaches, cichlids and other species likely to eat adult shrimp or shrimplets.

Red Onyx Shrimp breed readily in mature freshwater aquariums when water quality is stable and food is plentiful. Females carry a clutch of eggs beneath the abdomen, where the eggs are fertilised and aerated until they hatch after roughly three to four weeks. The young emerge as fully formed miniature shrimp and need fine biofilm, algae and powdered foods to grow. No brackish or saltwater stage is required.

Females are generally larger and deeper-bodied than males, with a broader abdomen adapted for carrying eggs. They often display stronger, more solid colour and may show a pale saddle behind the head when developing eggs, whereas males are usually slimmer and somewhat more translucent.