Are you just starting to learn about aquariums and looking for pets that will please the eye but don't require you to be an aquatic shaman? Then take a closer look at these amazing creatures. Bloody Mary shrimp are your perfect choice. They resemble living gemstones that glide slowly and gracefully among the plants.
Their main advantage is their stunning, rich red color. It does not fade or dull over time, turning even the most modest aquarium into a bright picture. They are interesting to watch: they are constantly exploring, sifting through the soil and leaves with their thin legs in search of food.
What is especially important for a beginner is that these shrimp are surprisingly unpretentious. They do not need a huge aquarium, complex equipment, or any special conditions. All they need is stable, clean water, normal lighting, and a couple of hiding places. They are peaceful, calm neighbors for small fish and excellent cleaners, eating up leftover food.
In essence, Blood Mary is living proof that beauty in an aquarium can be easy to care for. They will give you confidence and a lot of pleasure from your hobby, and you can safely start your journey into the world of aquarium shrimp with them.
Natural habitat and family tree
Wild Neocaradina Davidi inhabits southern Asia. It is found in lakes and slow-flowing rivers in China (including Taiwan), the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and other countries in the region.
Wild Neocaradina Davidi
Freshwater bodies in this part of the globe are characterized by an abundance of vegetation and shores overgrown with dense tropical forest with a wide variety of species. Leaves fall from the branches overhanging the water, covering the bottom and, along with algae, making up a significant part of the shrimp's diet. Fallen leaves are also a source of tannin and humic substances, which inhibit the development of pathogenic microflora.
Wild Neocaridina Davidi has a translucent body with gray or gray-green coloring. Some individuals had small red spots, and through crossbreeding and selection, the Cherry shrimp was bred, which is almost completely red in color. Further manipulation of the Cherry shrimp by breeders resulted in several different genetic lines, including the Red Sakura. It differs from its predecessor in its fuller and brighter red color.
By crossing suitable representatives of Sakura, a breed was developed with red pigment not in the shell, but in the internal organs. It was named Bloody Mary. This breed is characterized by its small size and shortened head.
Difference between male and female
While male Cherry shrimp are paler in color than females, both sexes of Blood Mary shrimp have the same color intensity. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to recognize a female.
The following signs indicate belonging to the weaker sex:
- Relatively large size (3 cm compared to 1.5 cm for males);
- Rounded abdomen instead of flat;
- There is a yellow or green triangular spot on the back of the head – the saddle (this is where the ovaries are located).
Female Blood Mary shrimp are pregnant almost all the time, i.e., you can see their eggs. The eggs are initially located on the saddle, then the shrimp moves them under its abdomen. The color of the eggs and the saddle is the same.
Housing conditions
Neocaridina Davidi is a social animal, so it is recommended to keep them in groups of 5 or more.
Otherwise, the shrimp will become secretive, completely negating the aesthetic effect of their presence. Although the minimum amount of water for one individual is 1 liter, it is recommended to use a larger aquarium (from 10 liters) due to the high fertility of these crustaceans.
Water
Nocaridids are not demanding in terms of water quality. However, the following conditions must be met:
The water is filtered, but at a limited speed so that the filter does not suck in newly hatched young.
Do not use medicines, conditioners, snail repellents, or other products based on this element. This does not apply to copper micronutrients for plants, as they contain negligible amounts of copper.
ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. Monitor this indicator using drip tests.
To reproduce the chemical composition of the tropical waters native to Neocaridina, place Indian almond leaves or bark in the aquarium. Oak bark is also suitable.
Vegetation
Dense thickets are an integral part of a shrimp aquarium.
Plants perform several functions:
- They serve as a refuge for shrimp after hatching or molting.
- They process animal waste products, contributing to the health of the environment.
- Used by shrimp as food.
The most suitable are Riccia fluida, hornwort, Cladophora globosa, and various types of ferns. Mosses such as Java moss, Christmas moss, etc. are also needed. Newly hatched shrimp that feed on biofilm hide in them.
— Alexandra Shabanova, St. Petersburg, more than 7 years of experience in aquarium keeping
Diet
Shrimp are omnivorous. They are fed fish food, bloodworms, vegetable porridge, zucchini, blanched spinach, etc. Specialized crustacean feed provides a balanced diet. In addition, shrimp eat thread algae and other algae in the aquarium. If there is no algae, add sinking tablets with spirulina to their diet.
Feed them every 1-2 days and only as much as they can eat in 2 hours. Overfeeding can mess up the water quality and make them sick.
Bloody Mary shrimp are the perfect choice for beginners in aquarium keeping: they are bright, with a rich red color that stands out against the background of plants, and at the same time are completely unpretentious. They don't need perfect care, expensive filters, or complex conditions — the main thing is not to fill the aquarium with chemicals and to make sure the water is clean. They are peaceful, active, excellent at cleaning the aquarium of plaque, and feed on food scraps. If you want a beautiful, lively corner of your home without the headache, start with Bloody Mary.
Breeding
At 3-4 months of age, shrimp reach sexual maturity. Under optimal conditions, they reproduce quite actively, with females becoming pregnant almost continuously. During one cycle, they carry 15 to 30 eggs. It takes 35-40 days between fertilization and hatching.
Blood Mary's color is more stable than Cherry's, but it is still necessary to cull weakly colored individuals.
This breed cannot be crossed with shrimp of other colors — the offspring will quickly return to their “wild” coloration.
Compatibility
The shell of neocaridina shrimp is not designed for protection; it serves only as an exoskeleton. Therefore, they are easy prey for predatory fish, even small ones. For example, apistogramma and other dwarf cichlids, not to mention loaches and the like.
If you want to keep shrimp with fish, give preference to the following species:
It is important to remember that even such harmless and calm fish pose a danger to young and adult individuals during molting. Therefore, there should be enough hiding places in the aquarium – plant thickets, driftwood, pieces of wood, decorations, etc.
More care tips:
Useful tips
To achieve success in breeding Bloody Mary shrimp, follow these recommendations:
Cover the aquarium with a lid, otherwise the crustaceans will crawl out of it.- Use substrate with a fraction of up to 3 mm without sharp edges. Neocaridina shrimp often crawl along the bottom in search of food and can injure themselves on sharp protrusions on pebbles. Dark substrate is preferable—it makes the crimson-red shrimp look especially impressive.
- In addition to lightly colored individuals, discard females with green saddles. Their presence indicates a weak genetic line and a high probability of a quick return to wild coloring.
- Do not heat the water to temperatures above +28°C. In such conditions, shrimp live shorter lives due to accelerated metabolism. However, they spawn more often, so the population size will remain unchanged.
Video review of Blood Mary Shrimp
So, it turns out that Bloody Mary shrimp are almost the perfect choice for your first encounter with the world of aquarium shrimp. Their fiery bright color is immediately pleasing to the eye and will be a real highlight of any aquarium.
Most importantly, this beauty does not hide a capricious nature. They are modest in their requirements for water and food, and forgive small mistakes that beginners sometimes make. You can gain experience with them without fear of ruining everything.
So if you've been wanting to get something unusual and alive for a long time, but were worried about the complexity of caring for it, take a closer look at these little creatures. Bloody Mary shrimp prove that amazing beauty in an aquarium can be completely unpretentious.
