• Tank size: 5–10 gallons ( about 40 liters)
• Temperature: 72° to 82° F (22 – 28°C)
• pH: 6.4 to 8.0 (ideally from 6.8 to 7.5)
• KH: 0-8 (ideally from 2 to 4)
• GH: 4-14 (ideally from 6 to 8)
• TDS: 100-400 (ideally from 150 to 200)
• Nitrate: less than 20 ppm
• Living zone: Bottom-dwellers
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Diet: Algae eater/omnivore

Red Cherry Shrimp reach about 4 cm (1.6 inches). They prefer clean water with a ph of 6.5-8.0, and a rough temperature of 14-30 degrees C (57-86), most comfortable at a moderate room temperature of about 72 degrees. They are omnivores and typically live 1-2 years under ideal conditions. Be sure to keep all foods, supplements, or chemicals that have copper out of your shrimp tank.

Fortunately, Red Cherry shrimp adapt to a wide variety of conditions in the hobby aquarium. They can be kept in a desktop aquarium with as little as 2 gallons, but 8-12 gallons will allow for a more active colony, more breeding, and a livelier population. Shrimp love plants and hiding spaces, so it is important to include frill plants that allow them to sit on, groom, and feel safe. This is especially critical after molting, one of the most vulnerable times for the shrimp. They are also ravenous about eating the film of algae and micro-organisms that form on plant leaves, spending hours grooming their favorites. Shrimp also love to groom and hide in mosses, whether in a clump or tied onto a rock or wood.

Red Cherry Shrimp are non-aggressive and active during both the day and night. Often one can see them grazing on algae, on the hunt for detritus in the gravel, mating, and swimming from plant to plant during the day. Periodically, the shrimp will shed its exoskeleton, leaving a husk of itself drifting around the plant. It is important not to remove this, because the shrimp will consume it and replenish needed minerals. Female Red Cherry Shrimp tend to hide in the dark when it is close to spawning time and, if startled, may abandon their eggs. The more hiding places and the safer the shrimp feels, the more likely they will lay a full clutch of eggs. One can tell the gender of a Red Cherry Shrimp by looking at their size and color. In this case, males are smaller and less colorful. Females often have a yellowish saddle on their back, which are actually eggs developing in the ovaries. Juvenile Red Cherry Shrimp are almost impossible to sex until they are larger and can show color.

Feeding your Red Cherry Shrimp is easy. Like many omnivores, they love variety. They will eat most any aquarium food but love shrimp pellets, algae wafers, blanched vegetables (zucchini, carrots, etc.), or one of the more exotic foods on the market. It is also a good idea to use some Zoo Med Plankton Banquet blocks in the tank. This helps keep the shrimp active and supplies spirulina and other essential minerals, particularly calcium.