10 x Yellow Golden Back Shrimp – Neocaridina Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp – Ayr Aquatics

10 x Yellow Golden Back Shrimp – Bred in Ayr, Scotland

Yellow Golden Back shrimp (Neocaridina davidi var. yellow) are bright lemon-to-gold Neocaridina with a striking golden stripe running down the back, sometimes called a crossback or golden back. They are one of the most eye-catching shrimp for a planted tank and are home-bred by Ayr Aquatics in Ayr, South Ayrshire.

This listing is for a pack of 10 Yellow Golden Back shrimp, our most popular size. Ten shrimp is the sweet spot for starting a breeding colony. It almost always includes a healthy mix of males and females, and it gives you enough shrimp to see them out and about grazing in a 20–40 litre planted tank. Once they settle, most keepers see berried (egg-carrying) females within a few weeks.

Colour and grade

Our Yellow Golden Back line is bred for a strong, solid yellow body and a clear golden dorsal stripe. Females are bigger, with richer colour and the boldest stripe. Males are smaller and paler, and some show only a faint stripe. When females are carrying eggs, the yellow-green eggs under the tail are easy to see.

Why choose Yellow Golden Back shrimp?

Yellow shrimp really glow on a black substrate or against dark wood and moss, which makes them a favourite for aquascapes. They are just as hardy and easy to breed as cherry shrimp, so they suit both beginners and keepers who want a colour that stands out.

Keeping the line pure: Keep Yellow Golden Backs with other yellow Neocaridina only. If you mix them with red, blue, orange or black rose Neocaridina they will crossbreed, and the stripe and colour will be lost over a few generations.

Water parameters

• Species: Neocaridina davidi
• Temperature: 18–26°C (no heater needed in most UK homes)
• pH: 6.5–8.0
• GH: 6–10 · KH: 2–8
• TDS: 150–300 ppm
• Adult size: approx 2–3cm
• Lifespan: 1–2 years

Caring for your Yellow Golden Back shrimp

Add them to a fully cycled tank only, with zero ammonia and nitrite. Shrimp are sensitive to copper, so check any plant fertilisers or medications before using them. Use dechlorinated tap water and do small, regular water changes of 10–20% a week rather than large ones. Moss, plants, cholla wood and Indian almond leaves give them biofilm to graze on and hiding places when moulting. Feed a quality shrimp food every day or two, in amounts they finish within a couple of hours, plus the occasional blanched vegetable.

Acclimatisation

Float the bag for 20–30 minutes to match temperature, then drip-acclimatise slowly over 1–2 hours before netting the shrimp into the tank. Do not pour the bag water into your aquarium. Keep the lights low for the first day and do not worry if they hide at first. That is normal.

Yellow golden back shrimp FAQs

Why does my yellow shrimp look green?
Females carrying eggs, or with a 'saddle' of developing eggs behind the head, can look greenish. That is a good sign they are breeding.

Are Yellow Golden Back shrimp hardy?
Yes. They are the same species as Red Cherry shrimp and just as forgiving.

How many should I buy to start a colony?
Ten gives a safe mix of males and females. Twenty gets a colony established faster.

Delivery

Sent Royal Mail Tracked 24, Monday to Wednesday only so nothing sits in a depot over the weekend. Insulated packaging with heat or cool packs depending on the weather, marked LIVE ANIMALS. Buy more than one pack and you only pay postage once. Collection from Ayr is also available.

DOA guarantee

Live animals cannot be returned. Dead on arrival guarantee: if any shrimp arrive dead, send us a photo of the unopened bag within 2 hours of delivery and we will refund or replace them.

You will receive 10 healthy, mixed-sex juvenile to young adult Yellow Golden Back shrimp, approx 1–2cm. Also available in packs of 5, 10 and 20 from Ayr Aquatics on UK Shrimp.