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Species profile

Sunburst Neocaridina Shrimp

Neocaridina davidi

Common names: Sunburst Neocaridina Shrimp, Sunburst Shrimp, Koi Sunburst Neocaridina

Breeding lineNeocaridina Shrimp

Adult size

Up to 3 cm

Typical adult length 2–3 cm.

Up to 3 cm

Countries of origin

  • See all stock from China
  • See all stock from South Korea
  • See all stock from Taiwan
  • See all stock from Vietnam

Good fit for your tank?

Good fit for

  • Mature planted aquarium setups
  • Beginner shrimp keepers
  • Peaceful nano aquariums
  • Breeding colonies

Think carefully if

  • The aquarium contains shrimp-eating fish
  • The tank is newly cycled
  • You want to preserve another Neocaridina colour line
  • Water conditions change frequently

A modern orange Neocaridina davidi breeding line sold under the Sunburst trade name.

Appearance and Identification

Orange to reddish-orange colour with a brighter dorsal area or variable contrasting patches, depending on the breeder line sold under the Sunburst name.

Sunburst is not a standardized formal variety. Some breeder lines are solid orange while others are Koi-style patterned stock, so provenance and seller photographs are important.

Adult females are usually larger and deeper-bodied than males. Colour intensity alone is not a reliable sex indicator.

Tank Requirements

Suggested filter
About 80–100 litres an hour
Suggested heater
About 25–50 W for this tank
Minimum tank volume
20 litres
Minimum tank length
30 cm
Minimum group size
6
Recommended group size
10
Activity level
Moderate
Flow preference
Moderate
Planting preference
Moderately planted
Hiding places
Yes
Jumping risk
Low

Use a mature, cycled aquarium with protected filter intakes, biofilm-rich surfaces, plants or mosses, and stable water chemistry.

Behaviour and Tankmates

Peaceful dwarf shrimp that spends much of its time grazing biofilm, algae, detritus, plants, and hardscape.

Best kept in a colony with other compatible Neocaridina sharing similar water requirements.

Not territorial.

Peaceful fish may still consume shrimplets. Different Neocaridina colour lines can interbreed, which may reduce colour consistency in later generations.

Check tankmates for this species

Water Parameters

Temperature
19–26 °C
pH
6.5–8
GH
6–12
KH
2–8
TDS
150–250
Stability importance
Important

Maintain stable, mineralized freshwater with sufficient calcium and magnesium. Mature biofilm and gradual acclimation improve survival.

Parameter caveat
Avoid rapid corrections to pH, hardness, temperature, or total dissolved solids.

Feeding

Diet types
Aufwuchs Grazer, Detritivore, Omnivore
Feeding frequency
Daily
Preferred foods
  • Mature biofilmCore natural grazing resource.
  • Complete dwarf-shrimp foodFeed in small portions and remove excess.
  • Leaf litterAdds grazing surface and slowly decomposing natural food.

Omnivorous biofilm grazer. Provide mature natural grazing surfaces plus small portions of complete shrimp food, algae-based foods, leaf litter, and occasional protein-rich food.

Avoid overfeeding. A mature aquarium with continuous grazing surfaces is more important than heavy feeding.

Breeding

Breeding type
Direct Developer
Breeding difficulty
Very easy
Breeding temperature
23 °C
Breeding pH
7.2
Brood or egg count
Approximately 20–40 eggs, varying with female size
Incubation
28 days
Parental care
Maternal care
Baby foods
  • Mature biofilm and fine powdered shrimp foodShrimplets need constant access to microscopic foods on established surfaces.

Direct-developing freshwater shrimp. Females carry eggs beneath the abdomen and release miniature shrimplets. Selective breeding is needed to maintain strong colour or pattern.

Habitat and Origin

Geographic origin
Captive Bred, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam
Natural habitat
Freshwater Stream, Pond, Slow River
Aquarium contexts
Freshwater Community, Nano Aquarium, Planted Tank, Shrimp Tank
Audience level
Beginner

Classification

Profile type
Breeding line
Genus
Neocaridina
Family
Atyidae
Species group
Neocaridina Shrimp
Previous scientific names
Neocaridina heteropoda, Historical name still encountered in older aquarium literature., Neocaridina denticulata sinensis, Historical name used in older taxonomic and aquarium references.

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