I perform a weekly 10-percent water change, being careful to not siphon up any shrimp in the process.Īs far as filtration goes, almost any kind of filter will work. In fact, they will begin to die off if either of these spike-hence the need for regular maintenance, including testing and water changes. While they may adapt well to a wide range of certain water parameters, they will not tolerate ammonia or nitrite in their water. They have been successfully maintained in a pH from 6.5 to 8.0, although I have found they do better in a neutral to slightly higher pH. Regarding pH, the range is even bigger than temperature. I have personally gotten the best results maintaining them in the mid 70s. For temperature, keep your RCS between 70° and 80☏. They can adapt to a wide range in both temperature and pH. In my experience with RCS, if good water conditions are met they will prove to be remarkably adaptable concerning water parameters. A cycled tank is necessary to get your shrimp off to a good start.
![make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank](https://i.redd.it/675sp3k1g8y21.jpg)
While easy to care for, as with most shrimp they can be sensitive. A standard 10-gallon tank or one of the very popular nano tanks will work well, although larger is always better in order to maintain a more stable environment. Their life expectancy is approximately two years.
![make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank](https://i.redd.it/mduk1n9mhs051.jpg)
So, as they get mature it is very easy to distinguish between the sexes. The males, in addition to being slightly smaller with a slimmer mid section, are a more clear color with red striping.
![make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank](https://i.redd.it/tvplwh95f1oz.jpg)
Female RCS are also much brighter red than their male counterparts, especially when sexually mature. Adults grow to approximately 1 to 1¼ inches long, with the females being larger than the males. These dwarf shrimp are just that-a small shrimp species. The beautiful red variety of this shrimp was developed and bred in Taiwan and does not occur naturally in the wild. The wild form of this shrimp originates in Taiwan, parts of China, and Vietnam. RCS are actually a red color variation or mutation of the dwarf shrimp Neocaridina denticulata sinensis. Let’s start with a little background on the RCS. If you are willing to meet a few basic requirements, you too can enjoy their antics. To relate a brief funny story, one of my co-workers who is fascinated by the shrimp was prohibited from having a tank at her desk it was felt she would waste too much time watching the shrimp instead of working. Many of my co-workers regularly stop by to see the shrimp’s latest antics and gather around the tank. I refer to the shrimp tank as the new office water cooler. In fact, at my place of work I have a 12-gallon heavily planted tank that features about 20 RCS as its main inhabitants along with six cardinal tetras. RCS can also be very entertaining to watch. In fact, some reports suggest they eat more forms of algae (even the dreaded hair algae) than other shrimp, including the popular Amano shrimp Caridina japonica.
![make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank make a shrimp hide out in your planted tank](https://i.redd.it/1svycwrfut1z.jpg)
What more could you look for in a freshwater invertebrate? They are colorful, sociable, peaceful, easy to keep, breed easily, and they eat algae and lots of it-all without harming your plants. Since their introduction into the aquarium trade back in 2003, red cherry shrimp (RCS) have become increasingly popular. Red cherry shrimp colorful, peaceful, and easy to keep, but perhaps best of all, they will enthusiastically eat algae without harming your aquarium plants!