Snow Ball Shrimp

Common Name: Snow Ball Shrimp, Snowball Shrimp, White Pearl Shrimp
Scientific Name: Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis "White"
Genus: Neocaridina
Wild Origin: Asia (Selective Breed)
Adult Size: 1.25 inches

**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 Snowball Shrimp is a clean, minimalist favorite in the shrimp hobby. Known for their striking, translucent-to-pure-white bodies, they offer a bright pop of contrast that shows when kept against dark volcanic substrates or deep green mosses. Unlike many other freshwater shrimp varieties, Snowball Shrimp do not have a complex grading scale because they have been bred to produce a consistent, opaque white color across the entire colony. They are named after the female's bright white eggs, which resemble tiny snowballs when she is berried.

Snowball Shrimp are energetic scavengers that work around the clock as a natural clean-up crew, grazing on biofilm and nuisance algae. While they belong to a different species than the standard Red Cherry (N. davidi), their care requirements are identical, making them an excellent beginner shrimp. They are peaceful, social, and a fantastic way to add a bright, "frozen" aesthetic to your shrimp aquarium.

Key Features & Important Notes

• Tank raised specimen
• Unsexed juveniles
• Pure white coloration that remains consistent throughout the lineage.
• To increase survival rates, please allow 2-3 business days after an order is placed to properly prepare live animal shipments. 
  

Recommended Water Parameters:

• Temperature Range: 68–76°F
• pH: 6.6-7.6
• TDS: 100-300 ppm
• GH: 4-8 dGH
• KH: 0-4 dKH

Recommended Tank Size
5+ gallons, minimum. Because they are social and prolific breeders, a 10-gallon tank is ideal for maintaining the stable water conditions needed for a flourishing colony.

Diet
Omnivorous. Snowball Shrimp are natural foragers. Their diet primarily consists of biofilm, algae, and decaying organic matter.

Breeding
Snowball Shrimp are exceptionally eager breeders. One of the most charming aspects of this variety is that the females carry bright white eggs, making it very easy to tell when the colony is growing. Sexing is straightforward at maturity; females are larger and possess a broader underbelly. To ensure a successful and self-sustaining colony, we recommend starting with 8–10 specimens.

The breeding cycle begins when a fertile female molts and releases pheromones, triggering the males into an active "mating dance." Once "berried," she carries the eggs for approximately 2–3 weeks. The fry hatch as fully formed, miniature versions of the parents. Always leave molted shells in the tank; the colony will consume them to recycle essential minerals like calcium for their next growth stage.

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