Snowball Shrimp - Neocaridina

DESCRIPTION

I'm so excited to introduce one of my all-time favourite shrimp to the website: the beautiful Snowball Neocaridina shrimp.

With their soft, translucent white bodies and tiny black eyes, Snowballs have a subtle beauty that makes them especially stunning in planted aquariums. They blend naturally among aquatic plants and moss, adding a delicate charm to your underwater world.

Quick Care Guide

• Scientific name: Neocaridina davidi

• Adult size: Approximately 2.5–3 cm

• Temperature: 20–26°C

• pH: 6.5–8.0

• GH: 6–10 dGH

• KH: 2–6 dKH

• Diet: Biofilm, algae, cooked vegetabels and quality shrimp food

• Temperament: Peaceful

• Care level: Easy to moderate

• Ideal aquarium: Mature, planted freshwater tank

Care & Aquarium Requirements

Snowball shrimp thrive in established aquariums with gentle filtration, plenty of plants and moss, and natural surfaces where biofilm can develop. A sponge filter is an excellent choice, especially if you plan to breed them.

⭐ Stability is more important than perfect parameters!

Snowballs can adapt to a suitable range of water conditions, but sudden changes can cause unnecessary stress and moulting problems. When performing water changes, always aim to match the new water as closely as possible to your aquarium's existing temperature and water parameters. Avoid sudden changes in pH, GH and TDS. Consistent, gentle care is the key to keeping your shrimp healthy.

Keep ammonia and nitrite at 0 ppm, avoid overfeeding, and take care with medications and treatments containing copper.

Feeding

These little grazers spend much of their day picking at biofilm and algae on plants, wood and other aquarium surfaces. Supplement their natural diet with a good-quality shrimp food, offering only what they can consume without leaving excess food to decay.

Breeding & Tank Mates

Snowball shrimp are peaceful and can breed readily in suitable, stable conditions. Provide plenty of moss and fine-leaved plants for shrimplets to hide and graze.

For the best chance of raising healthy shrimplets, keep them with peaceful tank mates and tons of live plants (Moss and Subwassertang) and provide hiding places. Almost all fish will eat baby shrimp so a dedicated shrimp aquarium is ideal if you specifically want to breed them. 

Why Snowballs Are One of My Favourites 🤍

What I love most about Snowball shrimp is how naturally beautiful they are. Their delicate, translucent appearance makes them stand out in the most understated way. Sometimes, among all the greenery, all you notice are two tiny black eyes peeking out from the plants!

Another feature I absolutely adore is watching the females carry their eggs. When a female is berried, her little white eggs resemble tiny snowballs tucked beneath her abdomen — and that's where their lovely name comes from. It's fascinating to watch the eggs develop and experience the shrimp breeding life cycle up close.

As they mature, males and females also develop distinct differences in body shape and appearance, making them even more interesting to observe.

For me, Snowballs are a perfect reminder that the smallest details can bring the greatest joy to an aquarium. Delicate, peaceful and wonderfully suited to planted tanks, they are a truly special addition to any shrimp collection.