Hey there, fellow shrimp keeper! If you’re scratching your head about what to feed your Neocaridina shrimp, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been keeping these colorful little critters for years, and I’m gonna share everything I know about keeping them well-fed and thriving.
Quick Answer
Neocaridina shrimp are omnivorous scavengers that need a varied diet of both plant matter and protein Their main foods should include
- Commercial shrimp pellets
- Blanched vegetables
- Algae and biofilm
- Occasional protein-rich foods
- Supplemental foods like gel foods and grazing sticks
The Best Foods for Your Neocaridina Shrimp
1. Commercial Shrimp Pellets
These are your go-to staple foods, We recommend
-
Hikari Shrimp Cuisine
- Perfect size for both adults and babies
- Contains essential nutrients and minerals
- Has natural color enhancers
- Includes necessary trace copper for blood production
-
Feeding Amount: 1-2 pellets per shrimp, twice daily
2. Fresh Vegetables
My shrimp go crazy for these blanched veggies:
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Kale
- Carrots (great for enhancing red coloration!)
- Green beans
Pro tip: I always blanch my veggies first – it makes them sink and easier for the shrimp to munch on. Feed these 2-3 times a week and remove any uneaten portions after 24 hours.
3. Algae and Biofilm
These are natural food sources that your shrimp will constantly graze on:
- Natural tank algae
- Algae wafers
- Biofilm on surfaces
- Indian Almond Leaves (bonus: they promote biofilm growth!)
4. Protein-Rich Foods
For occasional treats (1-2 times weekly):
- Frozen brine shrimp
- Daphnia
- Bloodworms
- Cyclops
Warning: Don’t overdo protein foods! Too much can cause bacterial blooms.
5. Specialty Foods
Gel Foods
- Repashy Soilent Green
- Stays stable for 24 hours
- Great for baby shrimp
- High in plant matter
Grazing Sticks
- Shrimp King Grazing Sticks
- Long-lasting
- Prevents overfeeding
- Good for constant grazing
Feeding Schedule
Here’s my tried-and-true feeding schedule:
| Time | Food Type |
|---|---|
| Morning | 1-2 shrimp pellets |
| Evening | Varied food (pellets/vegetables/protein) |
| 2-3x Weekly | Blanched vegetables |
| 1-2x Weekly | Protein-rich foods |
| Constantly | Algae/biofilm grazing |
Foods to Avoid
Keep these away from your shrimp tank:
- Regular fish flakes
- Mammal meat (beef, chicken, etc.)
- Copper-rich marine foods
- Raw vegetables
- High-starch veggies (peas, corn)
Pro Tips from My Experience
-
For Baby Shrimp
- Crush pellets into powder
- Use gel foods
- Ensure biofilm is present
-
Feeding Method
- Use feeding dishes to contain mess
- Spread food around to prevent aggression
- Start with small amounts
-
Water Quality
- Remove uneaten food after 24 hours
- Fast your shrimp 1-2 days weekly
- Regular water changes (10-20% weekly)
Common Feeding Mistakes
-
Overfeeding
Don’t dump a bunch of food in just because you see your shrimp always eating! They’re constant grazers by nature. -
Lack of Variety
I made this mistake when I started – just feeding pellets. Your shrimp need different nutrients from various food sources. -
Ignoring Natural Foods
Don’t clean ALL the algae from your tank. Some natural growth is good for your shrimp!
Final Thoughts
Feeding Neocaridina shrimp isn’t rocket science, but it does require some attention to detail. The key is variety and moderation. Start with quality commercial foods, add some veggies, maintain good biofilm growth, and throw in occasional protein treats. Your shrimp will reward you with vibrant colors, active behavior, and successful breeding!
Remember, every tank is different, so observe your shrimp’s behavior and adjust accordingly. If you see them constantly picking at food and staying active, you’re probably doing something right!
Have any questions about feeding your Neocaridina shrimp? Drop them in the comments below – I’d love to help out fellow shrimp keepers!
Note: This guide is based on personal experience and research. Always monitor your shrimp’s behavior and adjust feeding accordingly.
Hikari Shrimp Cuisine
Hikari is a long-lived company known for its excellent, delicious fish foods in the aquarium hobby, and their Shrimp Cuisine is no different. These tiny sinking pellets are great for breeding crystal and cherry shrimp because they’re tiny enough to be eaten by both babies and adults. (If you prefer a larger pellet size, Hikari Crab Cuisine is a very similar food for shrimp, snails, crayfish, and crabs.)
Shrimp Cuisine is a comprehensive shrimp diet that contains vegetable matter like seaweed and spirulina algae, as well as natural color enhancers like krill. It also provides calcium and other vitamins to promote healthy molting and growth. Beginner shrimp keepers often fear that the copper in shrimp foods can harm their invertebrates, but many shrimp foods such as Shrimp Cuisine contain trace amounts of copper that are necessary for the shrimp to make blood or hemocyanin.
Repashy Gel Food
As tiny scavengers with tiny stomachs, shrimp prefer to constantly graze all throughout the day. That’s why Repashy gel food makes it onto our list. Simply mix the powder with hot water to form a nutritious gel food that stays water stable for up to 24 hours and yet is soft enough for shrimp to easily grab a bite. You can even feed the powder directly into the water column for the baby shrimp to eat, since newborns do not swim around a lot and can’t compete with adults during mealtime. Repashy Soilent Green is high in algae and plant matter, such as spirulina, pea protein, alfalfa leaves, and seaweed. Repashy Community Plus is a good omnivore blend made with krill, alfalfa, squid, and seaweed. Read this article to learn how easy it is to make gel food.
10 Essential Shrimp Foods That Will Help Them THRIVE!
FAQ
Do Neocaridina shrimp need KH?
Your KH level is higher than what is generally recommended for Neocaridina (3 to 8 dKH (54 to 143 ppm KH)), which may raise pH above recommended values. If your pH is still within healthy levels, then you do not need to change your KH but should keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t keep climbing.
What do Neocaridina shrimp eat in the wild?
Freshwater shrimp are omnivores, which means they’ll eat a wide variety of meat- and plant-based foods. In the wild, shrimp feed primarily on algae, decaying plant matter, and biofilm.