The Red Cherry Shrimp originated from Northern Asia and provide a high value of appreciation to freshwater aqua-scaping for its beautiful bright red color. In the wild, the red variation of this species can never be found; rather, it is either reddish brown or brown. The red mutation is the result of breeding under several factors such as mood, water conditions and food. Hence, the shrimp can be extremely pale when it first arrives in a new environment after shipping. The color will return in time when it eventually settles in.The Cherry Red is a tough, resilient and amazing creature, adaptive to wide range of water parameter – soft and slightly acidic to very hard alkaline. However, it is most productive in soft to medium water with a pH in the alkaline range. The female is easily distinguishable as it is larger and most of the time, carries a deeper shade of red. A sexually mature female will also display a yellow "saddle", whereby its eggs are developing in her ovaries, which disappear when it is carrying eggs. When she is ready to breed, she will molt, and mate during this period. Once the female has mated with the male she will drop her eggs under her tail and carry them for 2 weeks up to a month. Water temperature greatly determines the amount of time a female will carry the eggs before they hatch.
Once the eggs hatch, the young shrimp is a miniature version of it parents. Young shrimp does not go through any larval stages but live and eat just as adult cherry red shrimp do. It is highly recommended that any tank with new born should not have any other tank mates (except the parents) as they are rather small and easy target as food.
The Cherry Red is omnivore, although it will do just fine with a primarily flake diet. To help it grow larger, pellet foods provide essential iron and iodine beneficial for molting whereas plant matter such as spinach, zucchini or other algae type food enhance its color and vigor.
