Blue jelly shrimp (Neocaridina davidi 'Blue Jelly') | Care & info

Spectacular coloration and ease of care came together to create Neocaridina davidi 'Blue Jelly': the blue jelly shrimp. One of the many varieties of Neocaridina davidi created through selective breeding, it makes the perfect choice for beginning shrimp keepers or just anyone looking for an undemanding dwarf shrimp to brighten up their aquarium.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about blue jelly shrimp care!

Scientific name	Neocaridina davidi 'Blue Jelly'*
Common name	Blue jelly shrimp
Difficulty level	Easy
Origin	China

Blue jelly shrimp appearance

The blue jelly shrimp is the result of selective breeding with blue rili shrimp. This line is appreciated for its subtle light blue coloration, although it can also appear very slightly greenish, especially if you've recently fed green veggies.

This dwarf shrimp grows to a maximum size of around 1"; the males stay smaller than the females.

Setting up a blue jelly shrimp aquarium

Requirements

You don't need to be an experienced aquarist or have a large aquarium if you'd like to keep blue jelly shrimp. We recommend a minimum of 5 gallons if you've had aquariums before, or 10 gallons if you're just getting started - the larger the tank, the easier it is to keep stable.

Your blue jellies will need a filter, which allows the aquarium to cycle. They don't need a heater unless the ambient temperature tends to be unstable.

We prefer to keep our shrimp on a dark substrate because it really makes their colors pop. To help the shrimp feel safe, add plenty of décor to the tank. Live plants are always a great addition, as are shrimp tubes and leaf litter.

Water parameters

One thing aquarists love so much about Neocaridina davidi varieties like the blue jelly shrimp is that they don't tend to be overly fussy about water values. You'll still have to keep the aquarium cycled (0 ammonia, 0 nitrites) and clean (nitrates preferably <10), but they're a bit more forgiving when it comes to beginner mistakes than most Caridina species tend to be.

You'll have to perform weekly aquarium maintenance to keep things in order. A 10-20% water change with conditioned water should be performed. Also be sure to regularly test the water using your liquid water test kit and remove any uneaten foods within a few hours to prevent toxic ammonia spikes.

pH: 6.2-8.0

Temperature: 65-85 °F

Hardness: 4-12

Total Dissolved Solids: 150-250

Tankmates

For some shrimp, we recommend against keeping them with any tankmates because they're so fragile and valuable. Not blue jelly shrimp! These dwarf shrimp breed so quickly that you can usually stand to lose a few fry here and there, meaning they can be kept with certain peaceful microfish (as long as your aquarium is large enough to sustain them).

For the smaller tanks, or if you just prefer to keep things invertebrate-only, there are also plenty of options. Why not consider keeping your blue jellies with dwarf crayfish, Thai micro crabs, red racer snails or other shrimp species like the popular crystal red?

Blue jelly shrimp diet

Like most other shrimp species, blue jellies are omnivores that will eat pretty much anything they come across, including detritus and algae. In large aquariums you may never have to feed your dwarf shrimp at all, but in smaller set-ups they do need supplemental feedings.

Try offering a variety of food, including but not limited to: high-quality shrimp food, blanched vegetable pieces, leaf litter, (thawed) frozen fish food,

Breeding blue jelly shrimp

If you're looking for a fun aquarium breeding project that isn't too challenging, it really doesn't get much better than Neocaridina shrimp. They do all the work, all you have to do is sit and watch! At 2-3 months of age, females will first become berried. They carry the eggs for around 30 days, after which teeny tiny shrimp hatch and strike out on their own. These babies don't need any special food or care: they're able to fend for themselves from the start.

One thing you do need to keep in mind is that different Neocaridina davidi varieties interbreed. Some combinations yield interesting results, but you should only attempt this if you have some knowledge of Neo lineage and crossing. Otherwise, you're likely to end up with brownish, wild-type shrimp after a few generations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between blue jelly shrimp vs. blue velvet shrimp vs. blue dream shrimp vs blue diamond shrimp?

The differences between these different Neocaridina davidi varieties are pretty subtle. In fact, they're often mislabeled and the names may refer to different shrimp in different areas of the world. However, the origins for these blue Neos are actually distinct. It can get a little confusing, but it has to do with lineage. To our understanding it all went a little like this:

• Wild type Neocaridina davidi (brown)→ red rili → blue red rili → blue jelly shrimp.
• Wild type Neocaridina davivi (black-ish) → blue carbon rili → blue velvet shrimp.
• Wild type Neocaridina davidi (brown) → chocolate Neo → blue diamond → blue dream shrimp.

Not all sources agree on all details. Still, this explains why such similar shrimp carry different names. Notably, blue jellies can occasionally throw fry that have a slight red tinge, especially around the extremities, owing to their red rili forefathers.

Tip: You can find all the blue shrimp species and varieties in our list of 9 blue aquarium shrimp.

Buying blue jelly shrimp

Blue jelly shrimp are not among the most popular Neocaridina species, but you may come across them in some aquarium stores. Do make sure the shrimp are not mislabeled! As mentioned above, the difference is very small, but it can matter if you're looking for shrimp for a breeding project.