At a glance the quick version
Species figure for adult Neocaridina davidi.
Looks how to spot one
Exoskeleton (dwarf freshwater shrimp)
A small, smooth-shelled shrimp coloured a solid, bright orange from head to tail. Like all Neocaridina it grows a new shell at each moult.12
Personality what they are like
A peaceful, harmless shrimp that spends its day picking over plants, stones and wood for food. It gets along with other small, gentle tank mates.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Constantly active grazer; no special exercise needs beyond a tank with plenty of surfaces to forage on.1
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Keep water stable and clean. In soft water a mineral supplement helps with moulting; aim for GH of at least 6 and KH of at least 2. Colour quality is subjective, so many keepers choose shrimp in person.2
Home where they are happiest
A mature planted aquarium; around 10 US gallons (about 38 L) or more suits a breeding colony. Aquarium Co-Op gives pH 6.5-8.5, GH 6+ and KH 2+. Moss and hiding places help young shrimp.2
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Omnivore that grazes biofilm, algae and detritus. Top up with shrimp food and blanched vegetables such as zucchini; leaf litter like catappa leaves encourages biofilm.12
Company who they like around
Best kept as a group; Aquarium Co-Op suggests starting with at least 10 so both sexes are present.2
The story where it all began
Neocaridina davidi comes from freshwater streams in East Asia, where it is a dull, mottled shrimp. Aquarists have selectively bred it into a rainbow of solid colours, and the orange sakura is one of these lines.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Females carry about 20-30 eggs under the tail, which hatch in roughly 2-3 weeks.1
- 2
Babies hatch as tiny copies of the adults, skipping a free-swimming larval stage.1
- 3
Young shrimp can be ready to breed at around two months old.1
- 4
The same species is also bred in red, yellow, green, blue, violet, white, clear and chocolate.1
Recognised by the official bits
- Taxonomy
- Colour strain of Neocaridina davidi (Atyidae); older names include Caridina davidi, Neocaridina denticulata sinensis and Neocaridina heteropoda.1
- Aquarium hobby
- Listed among the established colour morphs of Neocaridina (cherry) shrimp; 'sakura' is also used as a colour-quality term in the hobby.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Orange Sakura Shrimp. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amountsevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeSmall, gentle water changesevery week
- Water testevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Neocaridina davidi - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for range, taxonomy, size, lifespan, diet, breeding, colour morphs
- Cherry Shrimp Care - Aquarium Co-Op aquariumcoop.comused for orange sakura morph, grading terms, water parameters, tank size, group size, diet
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.