Blue dream and blue velvet shrimp care
Blue dream and blue velvet shrimp are some of the most popular dwarf shrimp after the classic red cherry. The good news is that they are not a different animal: both are blue color lines of Neocaridina davidi, the same species as cherry shrimp, so they need the same water and the same simple care. What is different is the color, and a few things affect how blue they stay and how true their babies breed. This guide covers what the names mean, setup and water, keeping the color strong, breeding, and tank mates.
Blue dream vs blue velvet: what the names mean
Shrimp color names are not standardized, and they vary by seller and region. In general use:
- Blue dream is the name most often used for a deep, solid, fairly opaque blue Neocaridina.
- Blue velvet is used by many sellers for blue Neocaridina too, sometimes for a slightly lighter or more variable blue and sometimes as another name for the same shrimp.
- Blue jelly is a translucent, pale blue line, and blue Rili is a patterned line with blue at the head and tail and a clear section in between.
Because the names overlap, judge a shrimp by how it looks, not just its label: how deep and even the blue is, and how much of the body it covers. Our cherry shrimp colors and grades guide explains how grades work across colors. Blue Caridina, such as blue bolt shrimp, are a different group that needs much softer water, so don't mix them up.
Tank setup and water
| Topic | Commonly cited guideline | More detail |
|---|---|---|
| Tank | 5–10 gallons or more is easier to keep stable | Stocking |
| Temperature | Low to mid 70s °F (about 22–25 °C); steady is best | Heaters |
| GH / KH | About 6–8 dGH; about 2–6 dKH | GH and KH |
| pH / TDS | pH roughly 6.5–8; TDS roughly 150–250 ppm | TDS |
| Ammonia / nitrite | Zero; nitrate kept low | Cycling |
| Water changes | About 10–20% every 1–2 weeks, matched and dechlorinated | Water changes |
These are the same ranges we use for cherry shrimp. As with any dwarf shrimp, stable water matters more than hitting an exact number; sudden swings cause more trouble than steady water slightly outside a range.
Keeping the blue color strong
- Dark substrate and background. Many keepers report that blue Neocaridina look deeper and more solid over dark gravel or soil and in front of a dark background, and paler over white sand. This is a change in how the shrimp displays its color, not a change in its genes.
- Low stress. Shrimp commonly look pale or washed out after shipping, a move or a water problem, and usually color back up once they settle. See why shrimp lose color.
- Good food. A varied diet with a quality shrimp food, plus biofilm and algae to graze, supports healthy color and molting. See best shrimp food.
- Molting. A shrimp often looks paler right after it molts while the new shell hardens.
Breeding blue shrimp and keeping them blue
Blue dream and blue velvet shrimp breed just like cherry shrimp: a female molts, males find her (the burst of activity in why are my shrimp swimming frantically), and she carries the eggs under her tail for a few weeks before tiny shrimplets hatch. See how to breed cherry shrimp.
- Don't mix colors. All Neocaridina davidi color lines interbreed freely. When lines are mixed, the babies often come out brown, clear or blotchy, a look keepers call wild-type, and over a few generations a mixed tank drifts toward that. Keep blues in their own tank.
- Expect some off-color babies. Even in a blue-only tank, keepers commonly report a share of babies that are paler, clear or a different shade. Breeders who want to hold the line move the best-colored adults into their own group and move the off-colored ones elsewhere.
- Start with a good group. Buying 10 or more from one source gives you both sexes and a consistent line.
Tank mates
Like cherry shrimp, blues are small and peaceful and easily eaten. Snails are safe companions (see nerite and mystery snails with shrimp), and Caridina such as crystal shrimp don't interbreed with Neocaridina but prefer softer water. Avoid most fish if you want a breeding colony. Our cherry shrimp tank mates guide has the full list.
Track it
If you are trying to improve your blues, write down which adults you keep and how the babies turn out alongside your water tests. The Water Parameter Log printable keeps tests and changes in one place, and the Feeding & Molting Tracker records feeds and shells.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between blue dream and blue velvet shrimp?
Both are blue color lines of Neocaridina davidi, the same species as cherry shrimp. Names are not standardized: blue dream usually means a deep, solid blue, and blue velvet is used for similar or slightly lighter blues depending on the seller.
Are blue dream shrimp easy to keep?
Yes. They need the same care as cherry shrimp: a fully cycled tank, stable water at about 6–8 dGH, 2–6 dKH and pH 6.5–8, small matched water changes and light feeding.
Can blue dream shrimp breed with cherry shrimp?
Yes. They are the same species, so they interbreed. The babies often come out brown, clear or blotchy, so keep blues in their own tank if you want blue offspring.
Why are my blue shrimp losing color?
Shrimp often look pale after shipping, stress, a water problem or a molt, and usually color back up once settled. A dark substrate and background often make blues look deeper.
Why are some of my blue shrimp babies clear or brown?
Selectively bred colors do not always breed true, so some babies come out paler or a different shade. Keep the best-colored adults together and move the off-colored ones if you want to improve the line.
Do blue velvet shrimp need different water from cherry shrimp?
No. Blue Neocaridina use the same ranges as cherry shrimp. Blue Caridina such as blue bolts are different and need much softer water.
Sources: Shrimp Tank Hub's cherry shrimp care and colors and grades guides and their references; recurring owner and breeder reports on r/shrimptank and hobby forums (2024–2026).