Bloody Mary Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi var. 'Bloody Mary'
Min Tank Size
20L
Adult Size
2.5 cm
Lifespan
2 years
School Size
6+
About
Bloody Mary Shrimp are a cultivated color variant of Neocaridina davidi that have developed a devoted following for one simple reason: the red is different. Where Painted Fire Red and standard cherry shrimp carry their color in shell pigmentation, Bloody Marys get their color from internal tissue. The result is a translucent, almost glowing red that can look lit from within under the right lighting. Top-grade specimens are deeply saturated with no opaque patches, and the effect in a planted tank is genuinely stunning.
They're a true beginner-friendly invertebrate in terms of basic care. Stable water matters far more than chasing perfect parameters. A pH between 6.5 and 7.8, moderate hardness (GH 4 to 8, KH 2 to 6), and temperatures anywhere from 18 to 28 Celsius will keep them happy. They prefer cooler temps for breeding, and consistently warm water shortens their already brief two-year lifespan. A sponge filter is ideal since it protects shrimplets and grows the biofilm they graze on constantly.
Feed them a varied diet of quality shrimp-specific pellets, blanched vegetables like zucchini or spinach, and let them graze on algae and biofilm between feedings. They'll pick at almost everything. Overfeeding is a common mistake and will foul the water fast in a small tank.
A colony of 10 to 20 in a densely planted 20-liter setup with plenty of moss and hiding spots shows them at their best. They breed readily once established, and watching a berried female fan her eggs is one of those simple joys that keeps people in the hobby. Browse community builds featuring Bloody Mary Shrimp and you'll see just how dramatic a red shrimp colony can look against green plants.
Water Parameters
Temperature
°CpH
GH
dGHKH
dKHSwimming Level
Flow Preference
Keeping multiple Bloody Mary Shrimp together
Bloody Mary Shrimp are shoaling fish and need company of their own kind. Keep a group of at least 6. Smaller groups leave them stressed, washed-out in color, and prone to hiding.
Compatibility
The biggest threat to Bloody Marys isn't aggression from them, it's getting eaten by their tankmates. Any fish with a mouth large enough to swallow a 2.5 cm shrimp is a potential predator, and even fish labeled as peaceful will pick off shrimplets without hesitation. Safe choices are small, genuinely non-predatory fish like Otocinclus, small rasboras such as Chili Rasboras or Exclamation Point Rasboras, and Pygmy Corydoras. Endlers can work in larger, heavily planted tanks. Avoid bettas, guppies with large fins that nip, and any cichlid. They coexist fine with snails. Never house with other Neocaridina varieties unless you're comfortable with color line crossbreeding.
Commonly kept with
Species this one is most often paired withCommonly tried but avoid
Often paired, but shouldn't beCare Notes
New keepers most often lose shrimp from two causes: bad acclimation and copper exposure. Shrimp are far more sensitive to water chemistry shifts than fish, so drip acclimation over 45 to 60 minutes is non-negotiable when introducing them. Copper is an absolute killer at even trace levels, meaning most common fish medications will wipe out a colony. Always read labels before treating any tank that houses shrimp. Cycling the tank fully before adding shrimp is critical, and ammonia spikes from overfeeding in small setups kill colonies faster than most people expect. A mature, established tank is the real foundation here.
Behavior & Aggression
Bloody Mary Shrimp have no meaningful aggression to speak of. They're completely non-territorial and will pile onto the same food source without conflict. The closest thing to aggression you'll see is a dominant shrimp occasionally bumping a smaller one off a choice piece of food, which is more competition than genuine hostility. Males will chase females persistently during molting and breeding periods, which can look stressful but is entirely normal behavior. No intervention needed unless females are showing physical damage, which essentially never happens in this species.
Things to Know
- Copper in any form is lethal, check all medications before dosing
- Cross-breeds with other Neocaridina varieties, keep separately
- Acclimate very slowly to new water, drip acclimatization is essential
- Color fades under stress or in poor water, often the first sign of a problem
- Very sensitive to copper based medications.
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