Snowball shrimp
Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis
easy careOverview
Snowball shrimp (Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis) are a milky-white colour form of dwarf shrimp, named for the bright white “snowball” eggs the females carry. Closely related to cherry shrimp, they’re hardy, cheap and useful cleanup crew, and they look spectacular against a dark substrate. For a low-effort white shrimp that breeds readily, they’re an excellent beginner choice. Their ghostly, near-clear bodies also make an interesting contrast alongside coloured strains like cherry or blue dream, adding variety to a mixed shrimp display without any change in care.
Tank & water
A 19 litre (5 gallon) nano houses a starter colony. Snowballs are among the more tolerant Neocaridina, accepting a slightly wider, harder pH range, but they still want stability:
- Stable, cycled water — cycle fully before adding shrimp; they dislike ammonia and nitrite.
- No copper — lethal to shrimp; check medication and fertiliser labels.
- A gentle or sponge filter — so shrimplets aren’t sucked in; see our filter picks.
- Dark substrate and plants — a dark shrimp substrate makes their white bodies pop.
Feeding
Snowballs are omnivores that graze biofilm and algae, so a planted tank feeds them much of the time. Supplement twice a week with a quality shrimp food, blanched vegetables or a biofilm booster — only a little, as excess food fouls the water. Snowballs graze constantly across every surface, so a well-planted, established tank does most of the feeding for you and keeps the colony busy and healthy between your occasional top-up meals.
Tankmates & breeding
Snowball shrimp are entirely peaceful but tiny, so most fish will eat shrimplets and some adults. For maximum breeding keep them species-only or with very small, non-predatory fish. In stable water a colony breeds continuously, the white eggs making gravid females easy to spot. That visibility makes them a great colony for beginners, since you can watch the whole breeding cycle play out clearly against their pale bodies.
See the best shrimp tank and compare with cherry shrimp and blue velvet shrimp.
Snowball shrimp — frequently asked questions
Why are they called snowball shrimp?
Because the females carry bright white eggs that look like tiny snowballs under the tail. The shrimp themselves are a translucent milky white. They're a white colour form of Neocaridina, closely related to cherry shrimp and just as hardy.
Are snowball shrimp easy to keep?
Yes — they're one of the hardier Neocaridina, tolerating a wide, slightly harder pH range and neutral tap water. A cycled, stable tank with no copper, a gentle filter and some plants is all they need to thrive and breed.
What substrate shows off snowball shrimp best?
A dark substrate. Their white bodies and snow-white eggs stand out dramatically against dark sand or gravel, while a pale substrate makes them almost disappear. A dark shrimp substrate also helps most Neocaridina colours look their best.
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