The Yellow Shrimp is a
fairly recent color variation of the wild Neocaridina
heteropoda. This color variation was
originally bred in Germany and started to appear in
American Dwarf Shrimp hobby in the early 2000's.
The care of the Yellow
Shrimp is exactly the same as the Red
Cherry Shrimp. They are undemanding when it
comes to water parameters, as long as extremes are
avoided and the parameters are stably maintained.
The Yellow Shrimp is an
Omnivore. While the Yellow Shrimp is a decent
algae eater, when kept in larger groups supplemental
feeding is often required. Foods intended for
bottom feeding fish and aquatic invertebrates make great
foods. Vegetables that have been thoroughly
cleaned and boiled until they are soft are also great
foods.
Breeding Yellow Shrimp in
the
home aquarium is rather easy. As long as there is
a mature male and a female in a well established, well
maintained aquarium they will breed. The male
Yellow Shrimp are smaller and a little less colorful
while the females are larger and display deeper more
vivid colors. Mature adult female Yellow Shrimp
will often display a saddle on their upper back (seen in
insert). This saddle is the females eggs
developing in her ovaries.
Yellow Shrimp are a very
non-aggressive species of Dwarf Shrimp. The Yellow
Shrimp is very active and will be often seen grazing for
algae on plants, decorations and the substrate.
They only become shy and hide after molting (when a
shrimp sheds its exoskeleton in order to grow or breed).
As with all aquatic
invertebrates it is important to make sure copper does
not get into the aquarium. Copper is toxic to all
Dwarf Shrimp. Many medications contain elevated
levels of copper, so it is recommended not to medicate
an aquarium with Dwarf Shrimp in it.