Neocaridina shrimp like the orange sakura don’t have many requirements when it comes to their tank. This makes them a great choice for beginners just getting into shrimp keeping or anyone looking to set up a simple aquarium. A 5 gallon aquarium should be enough for a sizeable colony.

Add plenty of decoration in the form of plants, shrimp flats and anything else that provides some cover. Leaf litter like Indian almond leaves or alder cones are also a good addition. They help imitate the natural habitat, offer extra hiding places and release tannins and humins which are beneficial to the health of your shrimp.

If your tank is shrimp-only and heavily planted you might not even need a filter for your orange sakura shrimp. If this isn’t the case or you don’t feel experienced enough to experiment with this yet be sure to add at least some filtration. A small air-powered filter sponge should be enough to establish a stable cycle without sucking up and possibly damaging baby shrimp.

Orange sakura shrimp aren’t too fussy about water quality. Make sure the aquarium is always cycled and free of any ammonia and nitrites. Keep the nitrates low by doing weekly water changes and perform regular tests with a liquid test kit to ensure the water values are where they’re supposed to be.

A very important factor in keeping any dwarf shrimp species is stability: sudden fluctuations can be fatal, so always be careful. Match new water to the old when doing water changes, both in water values and temperature. If the room your aquarium is in is prone to temperature fluctuations be sure to use a heater to keep things stable.

pH: 6.2-7.8

Temperature: 65-85 °F

GH: 4-8

KH: 3-15

Total Dissolved Solids: 150-250

Because orange sakura shrimp are relatively sturdy and breed quickly there is some room for tankmates. Small peaceful and herbivorous fish should work well: think pygmy Corydoras, small tetras, kuhli loaches and anything else that isn’t able to fit an adult shrimp into its mouth.

Do keep in mind that almost all fish species will eat shrimp fry. If you want to keep things 100% shrimp friendly go for an invert-only or even shrimp-only setup. Thai micro crabs are a fun non-shrimp option that won’t hurt even the smallest tankmate. Avoid larger fish like cichlids and goldfish.

Orange sakura shrimp are omnivorous shrimp that naturally feed on the biofilm that forms on underwater surfaces (as well as anything else they can find). In the aquarium there is usually not enough biofilm and algae available to sustain a colony, which means it’s up to you to supplement their diet.

You can feed your orange sakura shrimp every day or so. Try using a high quality shrimp food as a staple and be sure to add plenty of variety. These shrimp will truly eat almost anything, from frozen foods to unusual greens like zucchini blossom and whatever you have lying around!