Caridina vs Neocaridina shrimp
Almost every dwarf shrimp in a shop tank belongs to one of two groups: Neocaridina or Caridina. The names sound technical, but the difference is practical. It decides what water you need, whether you can use tap water, what substrate goes in the tank and how forgiving the shrimp will be. This guide lays the two side by side so you can pick the right shrimp for the tank you have, or the tank for the shrimp you want.
Which shrimp are which?
| Group | Common shrimp |
|---|---|
| Neocaridina (mostly color forms of Neocaridina davidi) | Red cherry, sakura and fire red, blue dream and blue velvet, yellow (goldenback), orange (sunkist), green jade, chocolate, black rose |
| Bee-type Caridina | Crystal red and crystal black, Taiwan bee (blue bolt, king kong, panda, wine red), black and red bee shrimp |
| Tiger and other soft-water Caridina | Tiger shrimp (including tangerine and orange-eyed blue tigers), pinto shrimp |
| The hardy exception | Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata), a larger algae-eater from coastal streams |
| Specialist Caridina | Sulawesi shrimp from Indonesian lakes, which need warm, alkaline water and are for experienced keepers |
Shop names are hobby names, not species, and labels are not always right. If you are unsure what you are buying, ask the seller what water the shrimp were raised in. Our cherry shrimp colors and grades and blue dream and blue velvet guides cover the Neocaridina colors in more detail.
Side-by-side comparison
| Neocaridina (cherry and other colors) | Caridina (crystal, Taiwan bee, tiger) | |
|---|---|---|
| Usual source water | Dechlorinated tap water often works | Remineralized RO or RO/DI water |
| GH | About 6–8 dGH | About 4–6 dGH |
| KH | About 2–6 dKH | About 0–1 dKH |
| pH | About 6.5–8 | About 5.8–6.6, held there by active soil |
| TDS | About 150–250 ppm | About 100–160 ppm |
| Substrate | Anything inert (sand, gravel, plant substrate) | Active (buffering) soil |
| Temperature | Low to mid 70s °F; wide tolerance | Cooler end, roughly 68–74 °F |
| Tolerance for swings | Fairly forgiving | Low |
| Price | Low | Higher, rising steeply with grade |
| Breeding | Breeds readily in most tanks | Breeds well in a stable, mature tank |
| Interbreeding | All Neocaridina colors interbreed | Bee-type Caridina interbreed with each other, and some tigers with bees |
The ranges are the ones we use across Shrimp Tank Hub, drawn from hobby references; sources differ a little, and stable shrimp kept slightly outside them are common. Stability matters more than any single number. Our GH and KH and TDS guides explain what each reading means.
Why the water is different
Neocaridina come from waters that are roughly neutral and moderately hard, which is close to a lot of municipal tap water. That is why cherry shrimp do well in so many tanks with nothing more than a dechlorinator. Bee and tiger shrimp come from soft, slightly acidic streams, so hobbyists rebuild that water from scratch: RO or RO/DI water with a GH-only remineralizer, over an active soil that pulls KH to near zero and holds the pH down. Hard tap water fights the soil and wears out its buffering quickly. Our can shrimp live in tap water and remineralizing RO water guides cover both routes.
The exceptions: Amano and Sulawesi shrimp
Genus alone doesn't tell you the care. Amano shrimp are Caridina but are kept much like cherry shrimp, in ordinary neutral water, and they are hardy algae-eaters. They differ in breeding: their larvae need brackish or salt water to develop, so they don't multiply in a freshwater tank (see Amano shrimp care). Sulawesi shrimp are Caridina from Indonesian lakes with warm, alkaline water, a completely different setup from bee shrimp and generally considered a step up even for experienced keepers.
Can Caridina and Neocaridina live together?
They don't interbreed, so mixing them won't produce hybrids. The problem is water: a tank set up for cherry shrimp is too hard and alkaline for bee shrimp, and a soft, acidic bee shrimp tank sits at the bottom of the cherry range. Most keepers keep them in separate tanks. Amano shrimp are the easy pairing with Neocaridina, because both like the same ordinary water. See cherry shrimp tank mates for other companions.
Which should you start with?
- Start with Neocaridina if this is your first shrimp tank, you want to use tap water, or you want a colony that grows without much fuss. Cherry shrimp care walks through the setup.
- Go to Caridina when you have kept a tank stable for a few months and are ready for an RO unit or bought RO water, a GH-only remineralizer, an active soil, a TDS meter and a long cycle. Crystal red shrimp care covers the full setup.
Either way, test before you buy shrimp. Our shrimp water test kits guide covers GH, KH, pH and TDS testing, and how to drip acclimate shrimp covers the move, which matters more for Caridina.
Track it
Whichever group you keep, write down GH, KH, pH, TDS and temperature after every test and water change. The free Water Parameter Log printable keeps a month on one page, so drift shows up before the shrimp react.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Caridina and Neocaridina?
They are two groups of dwarf freshwater shrimp. Neocaridina, such as cherry shrimp, are hardy and do well in moderately hard water, often straight from a treated tap. Caridina such as crystal red, Taiwan bee and tiger shrimp need soft, slightly acidic water, usually remineralized RO water on an active soil, and tolerate changes less well.
Are cherry shrimp Caridina or Neocaridina?
Cherry shrimp are Neocaridina, a color form of Neocaridina davidi. Blue dream, blue velvet, yellow, orange and other common colors are the same species.
Can Caridina and Neocaridina live together?
They don't interbreed, but they prefer different water, so most keepers keep them in separate tanks. Amano shrimp, a hardy Caridina, are the exception that lives well with Neocaridina.
Can Caridina and Neocaridina interbreed?
No. Shrimp from the two groups don't interbreed. Neocaridina colors interbreed with each other, and bee-type Caridina interbreed with each other.
Which is easier for beginners, Caridina or Neocaridina?
Neocaridina. They tolerate a wider range of water, often do well in treated tap water and breed readily. Many keepers suggest starting with cherry shrimp before trying Caridina.
Is Amano shrimp Caridina or Neocaridina?
Amano shrimp are Caridina (Caridina multidentata), but unlike bee shrimp they are kept in ordinary neutral water and are hardy. Their larvae need brackish water, so they don't breed in a freshwater tank.
Sources: Zootaxa (2014), "To 'bee' or not to be — on some ornamental shrimp from Guangdong Province, Southern China and Hong Kong SAR, with descriptions of three new species" (bee shrimp taxonomy); Shrimp Tank Hub's cherry shrimp, crystal red shrimp, Amano shrimp, GH and KH and TDS guides and their references; hobby breeder references and recurring owner reports (r/shrimptank, 2024–2026).