Chocolate Shrimp – 8 pack

Common Name: Chocolate Shrimp Shrimp, Black Cherry Shrimp, Black Rose

Neocaridina Davidi

Care: Easy

Temperature Range:65 – 84 F

pH: 7.0 – 8.0

TDS: 200-300 ppm

GH: 4-8 dGH

KH: 3-15 dKH

Life Span: 1.5 -2.5 years

Size: 0.75 – 1.25”

Diet: Omnivore

Habitat: Freshwater, Fully Aquatic

Breeding: Easy

Gestation Period: 30 Days

 

Our Water Parameters:

Temperature Range: 65 – 80 F

pH: 7.2-7.6

TDS: 250-300

GH: 8

KH: 8

Size: .75 – 1.0″

Tank Raised

To ensure live arrival, free shipping does not apply to shrimp orders which will be sent via Fedex Overnight. We guarantee live arrival and will provide coverage in the unfortunate event of DOA.  In order to receive a refund on DOA, please send us a photo of the dead shrimp in their original bag clearly showing the dead shrimp within two hours of package delivery.

*To increase survival rates, please allow us 2-3 business days to prepare your shrimp shipment.

The Chocolate Shrimp is a popular choice for freshwater shrimp hobbyists because of its intriguing dark color as well as being relatively easy to care for and breed. They stand out beautifully against a light-colored substrate. Chocolate Shrimp make a striking and dynamic addition to a freshwater aquarium. These shrimp are very active as they scavenge the tank, cleaning up waste. They love to feed off of naturally occurring biofilm and algae, especially in a planted tank. For this reason, they can be quite low maintenance; in fact, they can even help keep your tank clean! Chocolate Shrimp can withstand a pretty wide range of water parameters and are not an aggressive species. This combined with their versatility makes them a good option as tank companions. Chocolate Shrimp breed easily, making them a good choice for beginners in the freshwater shrimp hobby.

The Chocolate Shrimp is a product of the selective breeding of the Red Cherry Shrimp for dark coloration, resulting in stunning hues from deep red to dark brown hues. They are also sometimes called Black Cherry Shrimp. Some of these shrimp have dark brown spotting and striping over translucent yellow. Sexing Chocolate Shrimp can be somewhat difficult until the shrimp begin to mature. Female Chocolate Shrimp have slightly larger tails and display a “saddle” formation on the upper body, behind the head, where eggs are stored before fertilization. When female shrimp are “berried”, or have eggs ready for fertilization, the saddle shape will appear more prominent. Once the shrimp are fully grown the males will be smaller than the females.

Chocolate Shrimp are tolerant to a fairly wide range of water parameters, making them excellent for pairing with other species. As long as the shrimp are acclimated properly to your chosen parameters and are not subjected to extreme changes in temperature or acidity, they are adaptable. They will tolerate soft or hard water. The ideal water parameters are 70°-85° F with 7 to 7.5 pH. However, as mentioned, you may keep them outside of these parameters as long as the shrimp are protected from extreme or frequent fluctuations.

Chocolate Shrimp will accept a wide variety of foods, and planted tanks may be able to survive off of scavenged biofilm and algae. If there are too many shrimp in your tank for the available algae and biofilm, or not enough plants to produce it, you can supplement their diet with algae tablets, blanched vegetables, or other shrimp food. However, it is very important not to overfeed your shrimp, as this can be harmful to their health and even result in death. Increased waste from overfeeding your shrimp can impact your nitrogen cycle and increase tank maintenance, as well as harm your tank’s inhabitants. Feeding shrimp once per day is usually enough, especially if biofilm and algae are available. If shrimp is not responding to food, or leave food uneaten for more than a day, remove the food and decrease feeding. Especially in mature planted tanks, your shrimp may not need supplemental feeding very often.

Chocolate Shrimp are eager breeders given comfortable water parameters and a sufficient food source. Once the shrimp reach maturity, and if there are males and females present, they should breed naturally and frequently. It is recommended to purchase 8-10 shrimp to ensure that there are enough male-female pairs for successful breeding. When female shrimp have eggs available for fertilization, they will molt and release pheromones that the male shrimp respond to with frenzy. Once the shrimp breed, the eggs will gestate for about 2 weeks. The shrimp fry will feed on the same food sources like their parents and will molt frequently during their early life stages. Leave molted shells in the tank, as the shrimp fry will consume them for extra minerals like calcium that will help their growth. Keep in mind that if you are keeping shrimp with other species of fish, or possibly aggressive shrimp species, this may affect reproduction. If the shrimp feel threatened or don’t have places in your tank to hide they may not breed.

Chocolate Shrimp is a great addition to any shrimp hobbyist’s aquarium, whether it is long-established or just beginning. These shrimp are easy to care for and make a great match with many other species of fish and shrimp. If you want to enjoy a beautiful shrimp that will proliferate readily and help with your tank maintenance, the Chocolate Shrimp is a great choice.