Keeping cherry shrimp in New England water
Most tap and well water in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire is soft: it carries very few dissolved minerals. Neocaridina shrimp (cherry, blue dream, orange and the rest) are hardy, but they need minerals to moult. Soft water that hasn't been adjusted is a common reason a new colony fades out over a few months instead of breeding.
What to aim for
| Parameter | Target | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| GH (general hardness) | 6–8 °dGH | Calcium and magnesium for building each new shell |
| KH (carbonate hardness) | 2–6 °dKH | Buffers pH so it doesn't swing |
| pH | 6.8–7.6 | Stable matters more than exact |
| TDS | 150–250 ppm | A quick check that minerals are present |
| Temperature | 68–78 °F | Cooler water slows breeding; heat stresses them |
| Ammonia / nitrite | 0 | Only add shrimp to a fully cycled tank |
If you're on town water
Many New England water systems, including the MWRA system serving Greater Boston, disinfect with chloramine rather than chlorine. Chloramine doesn't gas off if you let a bucket stand overnight, so use a water conditioner that says it neutralises chloramine. Town water here is usually soft, so test GH. If it reads 0–3, add a GH remineraliser made for shrimp until you reach the target.
If you're on a private well
Wells on New England bedrock are often soft and slightly acidic. They can also carry iron or manganese, and acidic water running through copper plumbing can pick up copper, which is toxic to shrimp even at low levels. Before you add shrimp:
- Run the cold tap for a minute before filling, so you don't use water that has sat in the pipes.
- Test for copper. Inexpensive aquarium copper tests exist, and your well's lab report may already list it.
- If your well has a water softener, draw tank water from a tap before the softener. Softened water swaps calcium and magnesium for sodium, which is the opposite of what shrimp need.
Have your readings? Check them with our shrimp water checker.
Bringing shrimp home
Shrimp handle a slow change much better than a fast one. Float the bag to match temperature, then drip-acclimate: run tank water into a container with the shrimp at a few drops a second for 45–60 minutes, until the volume has roughly tripled. Then net them into the tank and leave the bag water behind. Expect them to hide for a day or two.
After a move, a moult in the first week is normal. Leave the empty shell in the tank; they'll eat it back for the minerals.
Common problems
- Shrimp die mid-moult (a white ring behind the head): GH is usually too low, or it changed too fast. Raise it slowly, about 1 °dGH per day.
- Sudden losses after a water change: check the conditioner handles chloramine, match temperature, and change smaller amounts more often.
- Healthy but not breeding: often water that's too cool, too little food or hiding cover, or just a young colony. Moss and leaf litter help.
Local stock
We raise small-batch shrimp and bristlenose in Groton, Massachusetts, raised in local water so the move into your tank is a gentle one. Reserve from our next batch and we'll email you when it's ready.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.