How big do cherry shrimp get?
Adults reach about 2.5–3 cm (1 inch). Females are noticeably larger and rounder than males, especially when carrying eggs; a deep, uniform color means a healthy, well-fed shrimp, while pale or patchy color usually points at water quality or diet.
How long do cherry shrimp live?
Typically 1–1.5 years, occasionally up to 2 in very stable water. Because they breed continuously, a thriving colony replaces itself — individual shrimp are short-lived, but the population is not.
Cherry shrimp tank size and water parameters
A 5-gallon (20 L) tank is the practical minimum for a small colony; bigger is always more stable. Keep them at 18–26 °C (breeding is best around 22–24 °C) and pH 6.5–8.0. The non-negotiables: the tank must be fully cycled (zero ammonia, zero nitrite) and copper-free — shrimp are lethally sensitive to copper in medications, fertilizers and even some plumbing.
What do cherry shrimp eat?
They graze biofilm and algae and take shrimp-specific pellets, blanched zucchini, spinach or pea. Feed small amounts once a day or every other day and remove leftovers — uneaten food is an ammonia factory, and ammonia is the number one cherry shrimp killer.
Cherry shrimp tank mates — what can live with them?
Safe: small peaceful fish such as neon tetras, guppies and pygmy corydoras, plus other shrimp and snails. Avoid: bettas (many hunt shrimp), loaches, cichlids and anything with a mouth big enough to swallow an adult.
Why are my cherry shrimp dying or losing color?
In order of likelihood: an ammonia or nitrite spike (an uncycled or overfed tank), copper exposure (ich medication, plant fertilizer, some water sources), a large temperature swing, or mineral-poor water causing failed molts. White "ghosts" drifting in the tank are shed exoskeletons, not dead shrimp — look for the body inside before panicking.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
- Buying berried (egg-carrying) shrimp and dropping them straight into an uncycled tank — the eggs and adults die within days.
- Treating ich or snails with copper-based medication in a shrimp tank.
- Overfeeding "to be safe" — leftover food spikes ammonia faster than underfeeding ever could.
- Ignoring failed molts: shrimp that die mid-molt usually lack calcium/minerals or stable pH.