5 x Blue Diamond Shrimp – Neocaridina Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp – Ayr Aquatics

5 x Blue Diamond Shrimp – Bred in Ayr, Scotland

Blue Diamond shrimp (Neocaridina davidi var. blue) are one of the deepest, most solid blues you can get in a Neocaridina. They have a glossy, almost metallic blue shell that looks fantastic against green plants and black substrate. Like all our shrimp they are bred and kept in Ayr, South Ayrshire by Ayr Aquatics.

This listing is for a pack of 5 Blue Diamond shrimp. A 5-pack is ideal if you want to try the variety, add colour or new bloodlines to an existing blue colony, or stock a small nano tank of 10–20 litres. With five shrimp you will usually get both males and females, but if breeding is your main goal we recommend the 10- or 20-pack for a guaranteed mix.

Colour and grade

Blue Diamond is a high-colour blue line, similar to the Blue Dream line, bred for a solid, opaque blue across the whole body and not the translucent look of Blue Velvet or Blue Jelly. Females usually show the darkest blue. Males can be a shade lighter. Colour is at its best on a dark substrate with good food and a stable tank.

Why choose Blue Diamond shrimp?

If you want a showpiece Neocaridina that is still easy to keep, Blue Diamond is hard to beat. They have all the hardiness of a cherry shrimp but a colour that makes people stop at the tank. They are an excellent choice for nano tanks, aquascapes and anyone moving up from red cherries.

Keeping the line pure: Keep Blue Diamonds with other blue Neocaridina only to keep the line pure. If you mix them with red, yellow, orange or black rose Neocaridina they will crossbreed, and the young usually come out brown or patchy.

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 Blue Diamond 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.

Blue diamond shrimp FAQs

What is the difference between Blue Diamond and Blue Velvet shrimp?
Blue Diamond is a darker, more solid, glossy blue. Blue Velvet is lighter and more translucent. Care is the same for both.

Will Blue Diamonds breed true?
Mostly yes. Expect most babies to be blue, with the odd lighter or brown one. Remove off-colour shrimp to keep the line strong.

What tank size do I need?
A cycled 20-litre tank or larger is ideal, but small groups do well in well-planted nano tanks too.

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 5 healthy, mixed-sex juvenile to young adult Blue Diamond shrimp, approx 1–2cm. Also available in packs of 5, 10 and 20 from Ayr Aquatics on UK Shrimp.