A Guide to Caring & Breeding Red Cherry Shrimp (RCS)
Neocaridina denticulata sinensis, sometimes known as RCS, is a species of shrimp. Red Cherry Shrimp come in a variety of hues in the wild, but their name suggests that red is by far the most common color variety in aquariums. Years of selective breeding have produced the vivid red color. Particularly when contrasted with the aquarium's darker bottom and greener vegetation, the red cherry shrimp really jumps out.
When compared to other varieties of shrimp, cherry shrimp are incredibly resilient and condition tolerant. They are therefore perfect shrimp for beginners. They are simple to care and breed, and they naturally run from predators. A reliable breeder is where you should buy Red Cherry Shrimp, in my opinion.
Temperature
Red Cherry Shrimp prefer an aquarium temperature of about 77–81°F (25–27°C). The growth and reproduction rates will be accelerated by higher temperatures. However, increasing temperatures cause dissolved oxygen to decrease, necessitating a reduction in stocking. RCS can withstand temperatures up to 86°F (30°C), however at that point the water must be aerated and the tank cannot be overstocked. RCS can endure temperatures as low as 77°F, although they are less likely to reproduce and are more susceptible to disease.
pH
For Red Cherry shrimp, the pH should range from 6.2 to 7.3, which is slightly acidic. This range will increase egg hatching rates, health, and color. Use of a commercial substrate comparable to ADA Amazonia is advised if your tap water has a higher pH than 7.5 (7.5+). This will reduce pH and give the RCS a supple, black substrate. The pH can also be lowered by adding a small bag of peat to the filter, however doing so may cause the water to turn discolored.
Nitrite
Nitrite should be zero before introducing any living organisms to the tank. The nitrite levels on a test kit should never be recorded after cycling. Overstocking or decomposing fish or plant materials are two potential heightened reasons. Nitrite is quite sensitive to shrimp, so make sure your cycle is finished and the nitrite level is solidly zero.
Ammonia
Ammonia should always be zero after cycling, just like nitrite. As ammonia is also very sensitive to RCS, make sure it is at 0 ppm.
Nitrate
Nitrate levels should be under 20 ppm. Nitrate values of 0 ppm are strongly recommended but not necessary. Two effective methods for lowering nitrate levels include adding plants to the aquarium and doing frequent water changes. RCS levels over 20 ppm are prone to illness and infertility.
Weekly 30% Water Changes
Every week, the aquarium water should ideally be changed by at least 30%. Since Red Cherry shrimp are sensitive to heavy metals and chlorine, a dechlorinating solution is essential. It is wise to get the water ready a few days ahead of time and let it 'age' with the de-chloriantor. This is to make sure that any harmful substances, like chlorine, can degrade and be eliminated. The RCS will experience less shock during the water change if a spare glass heater is used to warm the freshly changed water to the aquarium's temperature.
Adding the Red Cherry Shrimp
It's critical to keep in mind that, although being tough shrimp, CRS are nonetheless sensitive to changes in water chemistry. The long-term and immediate goals are both water stability.
Verify that the aquarium has undergone chemical testing and that the conditions are as described above. Red Cherry shrimp are resilient and tolerable, but they are also vulnerable to sudden changes. Before adding the RCS to the aquarium, place them in a sizable dish with the associated water after removing them from the bag.
Create a siphon from the aquarium using air-line tubing and a rubber band. Kink the tubing by wrapping the rubber band around a bent part of the tube. A gentle drip of 1 drop of water per second should be allowed to exit the tube by adjusting the kink. For the next 20 to 30 minutes, let this seep into the bowl while keeping a constant eye on it.
After 20 to 30 minutes, carefully move the shrimp into the tank using a soft mesh net. When removing the RCS from the bowl, make careful to cover the net with one hand to prevent shrimp from jumping out and escaping the net.
If the water quality is poor, cherry shrimp will become stressed, just like many fish. They are often quite active, and if they remain still or swim to the surface before floating, these are early warning signs. By performing regular water tests, applying the proper dechlorinates, and making sure the tank has finished cycling, you can avoid this scenario.
If a problem does occur, check the water right away, replace the water, and try to figure out what went wrong. Moving the RCS to a suitable temporary home, even if the conditions are not ideal, is frequently preferable to leaving them in a toxic tank if you have more than one aquarium.
Feeding Red Cherry Shrimp
As with any aquarium pet, your RCS will require continuous feeding. Being omnivore, they will only consume a small amount of aquarium algae. They also need daily supplementation and a balanced diet. Feeding is crucial for reproduction, avoiding sterile births, and raising healthy young.
For RCS, a balanced diet of processed foods and fresh vegetables is advised. The health of Red Cherry shrimp will benefit greatly from the consumption of vegetables such cooked zucchini and spinach. To prevent them from floating on the surface out of reach, be sure to boil these for a number of minutes.
Store-bought processed feeds like flakes, pellets, and specialty shrimp foods are crucial to giving the RCS a balanced diet and their vibrant red color. When feeding time comes, remove any extra food from the tank and replace it with smaller portions. This will assist in maintaining ammonia and nitrite levels at zero.
The Planted Aquarium & RCS
Shrimp and planted tanks are a perfect compliment for each other in some ways and a disastrous combination in others. When it comes to disasters and keeping shrimp, CO2 injection is probably the biggest killer. This is especially true for DIY CO2 setups.
When CO2 is added to aquarium water it dissolves and is absorbed by the plants for photosynthesis. When there is no light source (at night for instance) CO2 is not utilized by the plants and instead forms carbonic acid in the water. This can plummet and swing the pH sometimes dramatically from day to night. Red Cherry shrimp, although tolerant can often not handle the swing in PH nor the lack of oxygen.
Using CO2 injection and caring for RCS needs to be done carefully. This may not be as simple as using a solenoid valve to only inject CO2 during light hours. Horror stories have arisen where hobbyists have forgetting to reset there light timers. In the morning when the lights do not turn on but the CO2 starts bubbling there is danger for a giant PH swing and a high risk of stressing your RCS.
Fertilizer additives need to be carefully checked before adding them to a Red Cherry shrimp aquarium. Certainly all copper and heavy metal additives should be avoided.
Aside from this the moss and plants will provide RCS with an underwater playground to breed and flourish. Planted tanks are also great for RCS offspring. Even with small fish in the tank RCS are known to breed fast enough to increase population in a densely planted aquarium.
Tank Mates Compatibility
Red Cherry shrimp are best kept in a species only aquarium. They breed quickly, are fairly hardy and interact well with their own species. They lack proper defenses to be housed with larger fish and are not much more than live fish food.
Keeping away from any predatory fish such as Discus, Oscars, Cichlids, Arowanas, Angel Fish and other large species is a must. Red Cherry shrimp are comparatively cheap but extremely expensive as accidental fish food.
RCS breed readily and raising young is an exciting and interesting prospect. With other tank mates this is more difficult as even the smallest tetras will be able to consume shrimp offspring.
Housing RCS with other shrimp is possible however they prefer to interact with their own species. A species tank is advisable to prevent dominance disputes and raising fry.
When stocking these shrimp it is important to remember they have almost no bio-load. Up to 1000 in a standard sized 55 gallon aquarium would have little strain on the filter bacteria. Having many shrimp can post the problem of overfeeding, it is very important to remove uneaten portions of food to keep ammonia under control. Even though technically you could stock an unlimited number of shrimp, it is wise to have 2-5 per gallon of water. Thats a lot of shrimp!
Breeding Red Cherry shrimp
RCS are among the most simple of freshwater shrimp species to breed in the aquarium. By slowly moving the water temperature a little higher to around 81-82°F (27°C) it simulates summer environments to RCS and naturally prompts the beginning of breeding.
It is important to fill your tank with patches of thick plant cover. This will give the Red Cherry shrimp piece of mind and safety needed for breeding. In tandem with raising the water temperature, raising the relative hardness of the water can spur breeding. Harder water signals higher levels of calcium and minerals necessary for maturation of eggs. This can be obtained by adding a small bag of limestone chips to the filter.
Within weeks there should be obvious signs of berried females with visible rows of hundreds of eggs beneath their tails. They will constantly fan the eggs to ensure they remain oxygenated and healthy. At this point it is extremely important to use an aerator instead of a filter. Alternatively thick layers of filter wool can be used to block and slow any large intake siphons.
If you find your shrimp are becoming pregnant but you never see any young, make sure the temperature is remaining around and be sure to check filter intakes are covered by a stocking or foam or something to prevent the babies being sucked inside.
If you find your shrimp are becoming pregnant but you never see any young, make sure the temperature is still around 81-82°F. Also be sure to check filter intakes are covered by a thick stocking or wool as mentioned earlier.
The baby Red Cherry shrimp will be born straight into miniature versions of the adults. There is no median phase for the shrimp. Only when they grow into adults will you be able to identify their sex. Males have lighter texture and less red coloration to the females. Females can generally be larger and become a deep crimson red during pregnancy.
Purchase at least 10 shrimp when starting out. RCS are readily available from LFS's and other hobbyists. They are very reasonable in price and very easy to keep. 10 is a staple recommended amount to provide good ratios of both sexes with healthy fertility.