Blue Dream Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi var. 'Blue Dream'
Min Tank Size
10L
Adult Size
2.5 cm
Lifespan
2 years
School Size
6+
About
Blue Dream Shrimp are a selectively bred color morph of Neocaridina davidi, developed to express a deep, consistent blue across the entire body. Unlike some color variants that look washed out in person, high-grade Blue Dreams deliver genuinely striking cobalt or teal tones, especially under good lighting. Lower-grade specimens may show patchy or translucent coloring, so sourcing from reputable breeders makes a real difference in what you end up with. They're native to Taiwan in terms of selective breeding origin, though the base species, Neocaridina davidi, comes from Taiwan and southern China.
In the aquarium they occupy the bottom and midwater zones, picking constantly at surfaces, biofilm, and plant leaves. It's busy, entertaining movement.
Water parameters sit in the classic Neocaridina sweet spot: pH 6.5 to 7.5, GH 6 to 12, KH 2 to 8, and temperatures anywhere from 18 to 28 degrees Celsius. They're forgiving compared to Caridina, but that tolerance doesn't mean you can ignore water quality. Ammonia and nitrite at any detectable level will wipe out a colony faster than you'd expect. Regular small water changes matter more than hitting perfect numbers.
Diet is easy. They'll graze on biofilm, blanched vegetables, algae wafers, and quality shrimp-specific foods. A heavily planted tank gives them constant foraging opportunities and hiding spots, which reduces stress and encourages breeding. Breeding happens readily once a colony is established, with females carrying eggs for roughly three to four weeks before releasing miniature, fully formed juveniles.
For anyone curious about how Blue Dream colonies actually look in a mature planted tank, browsing community build threads is genuinely worth your time.
Water Parameters
Temperature
°CpH
GH
dGHKH
dKHSwimming Level
Flow Preference
Keeping multiple Blue Dream Shrimp together
Blue Dream 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
These shrimp work best with small, genuinely peaceful fish. Ember tetras, smaller rasboras like chili or exclamation point rasboras, pygmy corydoras, and otocinclus are popular and reliable choices. Avoid anything large enough to eat a shrimp whole, which covers most fish above 4 to 5 centimeters. Even fish considered peaceful, like some gourami species, will pick off shrimp opportunistically. Snails coexist without issue. Do not house with other Neocaridina color variants unless you're willing to lose the blue coloration over successive generations through crossbreeding.
Commonly kept with
Species this one is most often paired withCommonly tried but avoid
Often paired, but shouldn't beCare Notes
The biggest mistake beginners make is treating Neocaridina as indestructible and skipping proper cycling or acclimation. A mature, cycled tank with stable parameters is genuinely non-negotiable. Copper is the other silent killer, showing up in some plant fertilizers and most medications. Check every bottle before it goes near shrimp. Sudden large water changes can trigger fatal molting problems, so keep changes frequent but small, around 10 to 15 percent weekly. A sponge filter over a hang-on filter reduces juvenile losses significantly.
Behavior & Aggression
Blue Dream Shrimp show essentially no aggression. There's occasional jostling around food, especially when a tablet drops and fifteen shrimp pile onto it at once, but nothing that results in actual injury. Males will chase females during molting periods, which can look frantic, but this is reproductive behavior rather than aggression. They pose zero threat to tankmates. The only direction aggression is a concern is toward them, not from them.
Things to Know
- Will crossbreed with other Neocaridina color variants, keep separately
- Copper in medications and fertilizers is lethal, check all additives
- Colonies can crash silently from poor water quality, acclimate slowly
- Females carry eggs for 3-4 weeks, don't stress berried shrimp
- Very sensitive to copper, found in some fish medications.
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