Chocolate Shrimp (Black Rose)

Common Name: Chocolate Shrimp, Black Cherry Shrimp, Black Rose
Scientific Name: Neocaridina davidi var. "Chocolate"
Genus: Neocaridina
Wild Origin: Asia (Selective Breed)
Adult Size: 1.2in

**Note:  All livestock orders will come carefully packaged with solid wall Styrofoam insulation and shipped via 1-day shipping only. No additional insulation is needed for your livestock.

The Chocolate Shrimp is a popular choice for freshwater shrimp hobbyists because of its intriguing dark color, as well as being relatively easy to care for and breed. Characterized by deep, rich hues ranging from burnt umber to a dark, near-black cocoa, these shrimp are the result of meticulous selective breeding of the Red Cherry line. Interestingly, the Chocolate Shrimp is a genetic powerhouse; it is the direct ancestor of many other popular varieties, including the Yellow Goldenback and Blue Dream. Whether they appear as a solid dark brown or feature subtle striping over a translucent base, they offer a unique, moody aesthetic that stands out brilliantly against light-colored sand or bright green moss.

As aquatic pets, Chocolate Shrimp are prized for their extreme hardiness and versatility. They are among the most resilient freshwater shrimp available, making them an ideal candidate for beginners or for community tanks where parameters might fluctuate slightly. They are peaceful, social, and function as a tireless "clean-up crew," grazing on biofilm and algae to keep your shrimp aquarium balanced and clean.

Key Features & Important Notes

• Tank-raised specimen
  
• Unique chocolate to near-black coloration provides a natural, sophisticated look.
• Shrimp are excellent scavengers and will happily feed on biofilm, decaying plant matter, and algae
• To increase survival rates, please allow 2-3 business days after placing an order to properly prepare live animal shipments

Recommended Water Parameters
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. We encourage you to do thorough research before committing to keeping any livestock.

• Temperature Range: 65–80°F
• pH: 7.0–7.6
• TDS: 200-300 ppm
• GH: 4-8 dGH
• KH: 3-15 dKH

Recommended Tank Size
5+ gallons, minimum. Tank size is relative, and various factors should be considered when determining tank size. A larger setup (10–20 gallons) is always recommended to ensure stable water chemistry and to allow a healthy colony of these social shrimp to thrive.

Diet
Omnivorous. Chocolate Shrimp are natural foragers. Their diet primarily consists of biofilm, diatoms, and decaying plant matter. For optimal health and shell density, supplement with plant-based pellets, spirulina powder, and blanched vegetables.

Breeding
The Chocolate shrimp variety doesn't occur naturally in the wild, so breeding lines are entirely captive-bred and maintained by skilled breeders. Sexing Chocolate Shrimp can be somewhat difficult until the shrimp begin to mature. Female Chocolate Shrimp have slightly larger tails and display a “saddle” formation on the upper body, behind the head, where eggs are stored before fertilization. When female shrimp are “berried”, or have eggs ready for fertilization, the saddle shape will appear more prominent. Once the shrimp are fully-grown the males will be smaller than the females.

Chocolate Shrimp are eager breeders given comfortable water parameters and a sufficient food source. Once the shrimp reach maturity, and if there are males and females present, they should breed naturally and frequently. It is recommended to purchase 8-10 shrimp to ensure that there are enough male-female pairs for successful breeding. When female shrimp have eggs available for fertilization, they will molt and release pheromones that the male shrimp respond to with frenzy.

Once the shrimp breed, the eggs will gestate for about 2 weeks. The shrimp fry will feed from the same food sources as their parents and will molt frequently during their early life stages. Leave molted shells in the tank, as the shrimp fry will consume them for extra minerals like calcium that will help their growth.

Keep in mind that if you are keeping shrimp with other species of fish, or possibly aggressive shrimp species, this may affect reproduction. If the shrimp feel threatened or don’t have places in your tank to hide, they may not breed.

Check out our blog article to learn how to breed freshwater shrimp.