Cherry shrimp

Length

Up to 3 cm

Temperature

Tolerates15–29 °C

pH

Tolerates6.2–8

Neocaridina davidi, also known as the cherry shrimp, is a freshwater shrimp native to Taiwan, east of China, the Korean Peninsula, and Vietnam, that is sold globally in the aquatic pet trade. They are omnivores, and their natural habitat in these regions include inland water bodies such as lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. N. davidi is also able to tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions, and as a result of this is also becoming invasive in thermally polluted waterways of Japan, the United States, Poland, and Germany. It is thought that the release of captive shrimp has led to their presence in these environments. Their natural coloration, or wild type, is a mottled brown, but N. davidi has been selectively bred to produce a diverse array of color morphs including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, white, clear, and more. The popularity of the red morph has led to N. davidi also being known as "cherry shrimp". N. davidi do not have a distinct larval stage, reach maturity in 30 days, and may live 1–2 years. At maturity, the shrimp are approximately 3–4 cm in length.