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The very distinctive eggs, resembling snowballs, give this shrimp its common name.

The white eggs in the ovaries shine through the carapace. This is what people commonly refer to as the "saddle."

Common Name:	Snowball Shrimp
Scientific Name:	Neocaridina sp.
Size:	2.5-3.5cm
Temperature:	wide range, but best kept at 70°F-80°F
Water Parameters:	Can live under conditions that are soft and slightly acidic (ph 6.6-7.0) to very hard and alkaline (ph 7.0-8.4 and above). Very adaptable shrimp. Is most productive and does best in soft to medium hard water with a ph in the alkaline range. Might not reproduce at all in water that is too acidic.
Food:	Algae, fish food (flake, pellets etc)
Origin:	Wild form from Southern China (this white variety does not occur naturally anywhere, originally bred in Germany)
Larval Development Type:	Completely Suppressed: Larvae assume a benthic lifestyle after hatching, i.e. they are miniature versions of the adults. There is no planktonic larval stage.

The Snowball Shrimp is a brand new shrimp species in the US invertebrate hobby. Developed from the wild form of Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis by a German breeder, it has conquered Germany by storm and has become one of the most popular shrimp species there. The reason for that is that it is just as easy to breed as the Red Cherry Shrimp, eats just as many types of algae and has a very distinctive look. The white body and even whiter eggs look especially distinctive against a green (such as plants) or dark background. Even when not carrying eggs, the females have snow-white "saddles" (eggs developing in their ovaries) on their necks, which is also very attractive looking. Add to that the faint yellowish stripe down the back and you have an almost perfect shrimp! This shrimp is bound to conquer the hearts of the US hobbyists just as it conquered the German hobbyists' hearts.

Like the Red Cherry Shrimp, these animals display a wide range of temperature tolerance. My shrimp were kept at temperatures between 50°F and 86°F and were eating even at the 50°F mark.

Due to the fact that it is a Neocaridina species, it will readily hybridize with the Red Cherry shrimp and other Neocaridina species. Hence, Neocaridina species should be kept apart to prevent hybridization.