Red rili shrimp care
Red rili shrimp are a Neocaridina davidi line selectively bred from red cherry shrimp. They have a red head and tail with a clear band across the middle. Shrimp Science says a rili is really more like a grade of cherry shrimp than a separate type, and The Shrimp Farm says they are as easy to keep as their cherry ancestors.
What is a red rili shrimp?
| Red rili shrimp | |
|---|---|
| Species | Neocaridina davidi 'Red Rili', bred from red cherry shrimp (The Shrimp Farm) |
| Look | Red head and tail with a clear middle (Flip Aquatics) |
| History | Flip Aquatics says the red rili was stabilized around 2010 |
| Adult size | About 3 cm (1.2 in) (Shrimp Science) |
| Lifespan | About 1–2 years (Shrimp Science) |
| Difficulty | Easy; beginner-friendly (The Shrimp Farm, Flip Aquatics) |
Other rili lines include orange rili, which Flip Aquatics says was developed from orange pumpkin shrimp, and carbon rili, with a black body and clear middle. See cherry shrimp colors and grades for the other color lines.
Tank setup
- Size: at least 5 gallons (The Shrimp Farm, Shrimp Science); Shrimp Science prefers 10 gallons because the water is easier to keep stable. See how many shrimp per gallon.
- Cycle first: The Shrimp Farm says to wait until the tank is completely cycled, since any ammonia or nitrite can kill a colony. See how to cycle a shrimp tank.
- Filter: a sponge filter (The Shrimp Farm). Flip Aquatics uses a matten filter in its rili tanks. See shrimp-safe filters.
- Cover: The Shrimp Farm says rilis turn shy without enough hiding places and suggests live plants, shrimp tubes, rocks and driftwood. Flip Aquatics calls moss, leaf litter and driftwood the most important parts of a shrimp tank, especially moss for shrimplets. See Java moss for shrimp.
- Substrate: Flip Aquatics uses an inert substrate such as pool filter sand or gravel. See best substrate for shrimp.
- Heater: Shrimp Science says most homes don't need one if the room stays within 59–86 °F (15–30 °C). See nano shrimp tank heaters.
Water parameters
The three references give slightly different targets, which is normal for Neocaridina. What they agree on is that stability matters more than any one number. Flip Aquatics adds that selective breeding has made red rilis a little more sensitive to swings than plain cherry shrimp.
| Parameter | The Shrimp Farm | Shrimp Science | Flip Aquatics (its own tanks) | More detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 65–85 °F | 59–86 °F | 72–78 °F | temperature |
| pH | 6.2–8.0 | - | 6.5–7.5 | pH |
| GH | 4–8 | 4–10 | 8–12 | GH and KH |
| KH | 3–15 | 1–8 | 4–6 | GH and KH |
| TDS | 150–200 | - | 200–300 | TDS |
The Shrimp Farm says conditioned tap water usually works unless your local water is very poor, and recommends a liquid test kit, especially while a tank is new. Flip Aquatics uses remineralized RO water at a 2:1 GH to KH ratio. See can shrimp live in tap water, remineralizing RO water and shrimp water test kits.
Feeding
Rilis graze biofilm and algae on every surface. The Shrimp Farm says an aquarium rarely grows enough to feed a colony and suggests extra food daily: shrimp foods, blanched vegetables, frozen foods, algae pellets and leaf litter, ideally in a feeding dish with leftovers removed after a few hours. Shrimp Science adds algae wafers and bee pollen, and says a well-planted, established tank may supply much of what they need. Flip Aquatics feeds a ground mix of several foods so shrimp of all sizes can eat. See best shrimp food and what shrimp eat.
Breeding
Red rilis breed like cherry shrimp. The Shrimp Farm suggests starting with about 10 shrimp to get both sexes, keeping water quality high with regular water changes, and feeding well. It says healthy females are carrying eggs almost all the time, the eggs hatch after about 30 days, and the babies don't need a separate tank. See how to breed cherry shrimp, berried shrimp care and baby shrimp care.
Expect some variety in the babies. Shrimp Science says the clear band is likely to be passed on but isn't guaranteed, and Flip Aquatics notes that its carbon rili line can produce solid-black or clear babies alongside true rilis.
Grading the pattern
| Higher grade | Lower grade | |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Deep, almost opaque red on the head and tail, legs solid red | Weak or spotty red |
| Clear band | Centered in the middle of the body, and the only see-through part | Too small, or too large (for example only the tail tip red) |
| Edges | Clean lines where red meets clear | Fuzzy, blended transitions |
This table follows Shrimp Science's grading description. It also notes that females usually show the strongest color and are larger, so when you pull out lower grades, make sure you aren't keeping only females.
Keeping the line clean
- Cull gently: Shrimp Science suggests moving lower-grade rilis to a separate tank over time; it takes patience and results aren't guaranteed. See colors and grades.
- One color per tank: rilis cross with every other Neocaridina color. Shrimp Science says the result is usually a lower-grade shrimp or a mostly clear "wild type" with brown spots and stripes. See Caridina vs Neocaridina.
Tank mates
- Safest: snails such as ramshorn or nerite (Shrimp Science), Thai micro crabs, fan shrimp, and dwarf shrimp that can't cross with Neocaridina, such as crystal reds (The Shrimp Farm). Amano shrimp are another common choice and can't interbreed (Shrimp Science). See Amano shrimp care and snails with shrimp.
- Fish: only the most peaceful and smallest. The Shrimp Farm suggests calm bottom dwellers too small to eat adults, such as kuhli loaches. Shrimp Science says small fish are possible with lots of hiding places, but no fish is best if you want the colony to grow. See chili rasboras with shrimp and shrimp tank mates.
Common mistakes
- Adding rilis before the tank has finished cycling.
- Mixing them with cherry, blue or yellow shrimp, then wondering why the pattern disappears.
- Culling hard for pattern and accidentally keeping only females.
- Large, unmatched water changes; see shrimp dying after molting.
Track it
Log temperature, pH, GH and TDS on the free Water Parameter Log printable so you can catch drift before it costs you shrimp.
Frequently asked questions
Are red rili shrimp easy to keep?
Yes. The Shrimp Farm and Flip Aquatics both call them beginner-friendly. Care is the same as for cherry shrimp: a cycled tank, stable water and light feeding.
What is the difference between red rili and red cherry shrimp?
They are the same species. Rilis have a clear band across the middle of the body, and Shrimp Science says a rili is really more like a grade of cherry shrimp.
What water parameters do red rili shrimp need?
The Shrimp Farm lists pH 6.2 to 8.0, 65 to 85 °F, GH 4 to 8, KH 3 to 15 and TDS 150 to 200. Keeping the water stable matters more than hitting exact numbers.
Do red rili babies look like their parents?
Not always. The clear band is likely to be passed on but isn't guaranteed, so some babies come out more solid red or mostly clear.
Can red rili shrimp live with cherry shrimp?
They can share a tank, but they will interbreed, and the pattern and color fade in the offspring. Keep one Neocaridina color per tank.
How do you grade red rili shrimp?
Shrimp Science looks for deep, opaque red on the head, tail and legs, a clear band centered in the middle, and clean edges where red meets clear.
Do red rili shrimp need a heater?
Usually not. Shrimp Science says room temperatures between 59 and 86 °F are fine.
Sources: The Shrimp Farm, Red rili shrimp tank set-up and care (Neocaridina davidi 'Red Rili', selectively bred from red cherry shrimp with translucent patches; easy; at least 5 gallons, sponge filter, decor, live plants, shrimp tubes, rocks and driftwood; wait for a full cycle; ammonia and nitrite can kill a colony, nitrate removed by water changes; conditioned tap water usually fine; liquid test kit; pH 6.2–8.0, 65–85 °F, GH 4–8, KH 3–15, TDS 150–200; peaceful bottom dwellers such as kuhli loaches; Thai micro crabs, fan shrimp, snails and Caridina such as crystal red; daily supplemental food, shrimp foods, blanched vegetables, frozen food, algae pellets, leaf litter, feeding dish, remove leftovers after a few hours; start with about 10; females berried almost constantly; eggs hatch after about 30 days; no need to separate babies); Shrimp Science, Red Rili shrimp care guide (rili more a grade of cherry than a separate morph; Neocaridina; about 3 cm; grading by deep opaque red head, tail and legs, centered clear band with clean edges, lower grades spotty, weak red, band too small or too large; females most colorful and larger; 1–2 years; KH 1–8, GH 4–10; 5 gallons minimum, 10 preferred; no heater needed at 15–30 °C; biofilm, algae wafers, bee pollen, pellets, blanched vegetables; snails, Amano shrimp, small fish with hiding places, no fish to grow a colony; mixed colors give lower grades or wild type; cull lower grades to a separate tank; band likely but not certain to pass on); Flip Aquatics, Rili Neocaridina shrimp species spotlight (rili pattern of colored head and tail with a translucent middle; red rili stabilized around 2010, slightly more sensitive to parameter swings but beginner-friendly; orange rili from orange pumpkin; carbon rili black with clear middle and offspring that can be solid or clear; varied ground food mix; RO remineralized at 2:1 GH:KH, pH 6.5–7.5, 72–78 °F, GH 8–12, KH 4–6, TDS 200–300; moss, leaf litter and driftwood; inert substrate; matten filter).