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Species profile

Gold Nebula Shrimp

Caridina villadolidi

Common names: Gold Nebula Shrimp

Recognized speciesCaridina Shrimp
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Adult size

Up to 3.5 cm

Typical adult length 2–3.5 cm.

Up to 3.5 cm

Origin

Good fit for your tank?

Good fit for

  • A mature medium-sized community or planted aquarium where you want a larger, active, naturally mottled shrimp rather than a tiny colour-bred colony.
  • A keeper who likes variable gold, brown, and camouflage tones and does not expect every animal to look identical.
  • An aquarium with neutral substrate, steady water quality, grazing surfaces, and a secure lid for an active roaming shrimp.

Think carefully if

  • You want easy freshwater breeding. Gold Nebula shrimp release larvae that require a brackish or marine phase to complete development.
  • You expect a permanent bright-gold colour. Their mottling and body tone can vary with age, background, diet, and individual genetics.
  • The aquarium is a tiny open-top cube. Their larger size and wandering behaviour are better managed with more room and covered openings.

A small dwarf shrimp sold under the trade name Gold Nebula. Little has been published about it, so rely on the seller’s photographs and advice.

Appearance and Identification

A small dwarf shrimp sold under the trade name Gold Nebula. Little has been published about it, so rely on the seller’s photographs and advice.

The link between the name Gold Nebula and Caridina villadolidi is not firmly settled, so ask the seller where the shrimp came from.

Females are usually slightly larger, with a fuller underside, particularly when carrying eggs. Males are slimmer, although the differences can be subtle.

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
Low to moderate
Planting preference
Heavily planted
Hiding places
Yes
Jumping risk
Low

Use a mature aquarium of 20 litres or more with plants, wood, and plenty of biofilm. Keep filter intakes guarded, and avoid sudden changes.

Behaviour and Tankmates

Peaceful and active, spending most of the day grazing on biofilm.

Maintain with conspecifics or peaceful shrimp-safe tankmates where ecological requirements overlap.

Not normally territorial.

Suits calm, small fish and other peaceful shrimp with similar water needs. Large fish may eat adults, and most fish will eat young shrimp.

Check tankmates for this species

Water Parameters

Temperature
20–26 °C
pH
6–7.5
GH
4–10
KH
0–5
TDS
80–220
Stability importance
Very important

Little has been published on this shrimp. Treat this range as a starting point, keep it stable, and ask the seller what water the shrimp are kept in.

Parameter caveat
Stable, mature conditions are essential; do not chase exact numbers through abrupt corrections.

Feeding

Diet types
Aufwuchs Grazer, Detritivore, Omnivore
Feeding frequency
Daily
Preferred foods
  • Mature biofilmCore natural grazing resource.
  • Fine complete shrimp foodFeed sparingly and remove excess.

Omnivorous grazer and detritivore. Maintain mature biofilm and provide varied small foods without allowing waste to accumulate.

Monitor body condition and avoid overfeeding or unstable organic waste accumulation.

Breeding

Breeding type
Direct Developer
Breeding difficulty
Moderate
Breeding temperature
23 °C
Breeding pH
6.75
Brood or egg count
Not well documented
Incubation
28 days
Parental care
Maternal care
Baby foods
  • Microscopic natural food and mature biofilmExact juvenile or larval requirements depend on the species.

Detailed aquarium breeding records are limited, so ask the seller what has worked for them.

Habitat and Origin

Geographic origin
Asia
Natural habitat
Freshwater Stream
Aquarium contexts
Shrimp Tank, Species-Only Aquarium
Audience level
Advanced, Intermediate

Classification

Profile type
Recognized species
Genus
Caridina
Family
Atyidae
Species group
Caridina Shrimp

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Green Babaulti Shrimp

Caridina babaulti

Care level
Intermediate
Adult size
2–3.5 cm
Minimum tank
20 litres
Temperature
24–30 °C

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