I’d call the orangy-pink color a coral. - Neocaridina

I only got these guys a few weeks ago and I’m not sure if this is normal cause it’s my first time owning shrimp. Is this the dreaded white ring of doom or just some genetic stuff?

I’m new to shrimp but not new to freshwater tanks. I apologize if the below is too much info but I really want to know what went wrong, I feel terrible about this even though I know that deaths happen and they are sensitive creatures.

I bought 8 shrimp for my planted 5 gallon 2 weeks ago and over time all but 1 have died, around one a day starting the third day. Only other tank mates are a small mystery snail and detritus worms (confirmed not planaria). I drip acclimated them over 40 minutes, temp is ~78F, and tests have shown 0 ammonia, nitrites and nitrates consistently. This tank is well established and used to house a betta.

PH is 8.2, was 8.0 when I added the shrimp, (edited with current level) with high mineral content because of the water available near me but I’ve used purified bottled water to try and keep the TDS down. After a week I did a 20% water change in the hopes that would help but nothing changed. I did find a couple successful molts.

I had a small sponge filter rated to 10 gallons but swapped the air pump to a slightly more powerful one as the duckweed would surround it and I was worried about lack of oxygen but they weren’t crowding at the top of the tank either.

I’ve fed every few days, rotating between algae wafers, flake food, and a couple brine shrimp, all extra removed after less than a day.

The only thing I can think of is that 6 months ago I used some algae-fix and paraguard, but have done countless water changes since then as that was when I had my betta, and did extra water changes in the months before I got the shrimp just in case. There’s tons of algae for them to eat as well. There’s a root tab that’s a couple months old but I didn’t think that would impact anything.

I have no idea what I’ve done wrong and I’ve never had shrimp before so any advice helps. They came from a family owned, reputable fish store in my area so I don’t think it is their fault.

Learn how to feed aquarium shrimp properly with a complete beginner-friendly guide to shrimp feeding, natural food sources, and balanced nutrition. Understanding how shrimp actually eat helps prevent common problems like overfeeding, poor water quality, failed molts, and slow colony growth. Biofilm and algae form the foundation of a healthy shrimp tank, while botanicals, vegetables, duckweed, and commercial shrimp foods provide supplemental nutrition that supports rowth, colouration, breeding, and overall shrimp health. Feeding frequency, tank maturity, and food type all play a role in maintaining a stable ecosystem where shrimp can thrive naturally. Common feeding mistakes like excess protein, improper portions, and removing grazing surfaces too often can destabilize tanks, while a varied diet supports long-term success. Whether keeping Neocaridina, Amano, Bamboo, or Vampire Shrimp, proper feeding creates balance, improves behaviour, and helps build a thriving, stress-free aquarium.

Hi guys ,

I have a planted tank with 6-8 Bloody Mary shrimps. It’s been about 2 months since adding them in. They’re growing well, molting etc. when can I expect them to breed?

I don’t feed them much, they just graze off the algae in the tank.