Even though the title of this article says “cherry shrimp,” please keep in mind that it applies to all neocaridina types (and most other shrimp), such as fire red, bloody mary, red rili, blue velvet, blue dream, blue rili, carbon rili, blue jelly, blue pearl, and red rili. Yeah, there are a lot of em.
The first question is pretty easy to answer. The second question depends on your goals as a shrimp keeper.
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Cherry shrimp, also known as red cherry shrimp, are a popular freshwater shrimp species kept by aquarists. Their bright red coloration makes them stand out in planted tanks. But there is some debate around whether these dwarf shrimp need a heater in their tank. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cherry shrimp and heaters.
The Optimal Temperature Range for Cherry Shrimp
Cherry shrimp are a type of Neocaridina shrimp. The optimal temperature range for Neocaridina species is 65-85°F (18-29°C). Within this range they will be active breed regularly, and have a healthy immune system.
Temperatures lower than 65°F can slow their metabolism, growth rate, and breeding. And temperatures above 85°F will cause heat stress Fluctuations between hot and cold extremes can also shock and stress the shrimp.
So in general, it’s best to keep cherry shrimp within 65-85°F for their health and happiness. This is where having a heater comes into play.
Do You Need a Heater for Cherry Shrimp?
Whether you need a heater depends on the temperature of the room where the cherry shrimp tank is located.
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If the room temperature consistently stays between 65-85°F year-round, you may not need a heater.
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If the room sometimes drops below 65°F in winter or gets hotter than 85°F in summer, you will likely need a heater to regulate the water temperature.
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If the room temperature fluctuates greatly between night and day, causing swings in the tank temperature, a heater can help stabilize things.
So in most cases, a heater is recommended as a safety net. It gives you more control over the water parameters and prevents temperature crashes. But it may not be an absolute necessity in some environments.
Benefits of Having a Heater
Here are some of the benefits of having a heater for your cherry shrimp:
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Maintains a stable temperature within the optimal range. This keeps the shrimp active and breeding.
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Allows you to raise the temperature a few degrees to boost breeding and speed up growth. Cherry shrimp reproduce faster in warmer temperatures of 75-80°F.
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Prevents temperature drops that could shock or harm the shrimp. Fluctuations above or below their preferred range can be very stressful.
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Extends the breeding season. Cooler room temperatures in winter can halt breeding. A heater allows you to keep them breeding year-round.
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Allows more flexibility in tank placement. You can put the tank in a cooler room without worrying about crashes.
Heater Recommendations for Cherry Shrimp
When choosing a heater, you generally want something with adjustable temperature control and a built-in thermostat. This allows you to set the heater to your desired temp within the optimal cherry shrimp range.
For smaller shrimp tanks up to 5 gallons, a 25-50 watt mini aquarium heater works well. And for 10+ gallon tanks, a 100-150 watt adjustable heater is recommended.
Some good shrimp-safe options include:
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Aqueon Mini Heater for tanks under 5 gallons. Adjustable with automatic shut off.
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Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Heater for tanks up to 10 gallons. Shrimp-safe and precise temperature control.
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Hygger Submersible Fish Tank Heater for tanks 10-25 gallons. Comes with a thermometer.
Always get a heater appropriately sized for your tank volume. Underpowered heaters can struggle to keep water warm. And oversized heaters can overheat the water.
Setting the Right Temperature for Cherry Shrimp
The optimal temperature setting for cherry shrimp is within 72-78°F generally. This keeps the water safely within their preferred 65-85°F range even with small fluctuations throughout the day.
When first adding shrimp, start with 72-74°F. Then after acclimating, you can bump it up to 75-78°F to encourage breeding. Just make changes gradually over several hours.
Avoid keeping the tank above 80°F long term. High temperatures accelerate their metabolism which shortens lifespan. And it can increase risk of bacterial infections.
Get an accurate thermometer to monitor the water temperature. This allows you to make sure the heater is calibrated right and keeping the tank at your desired setting.
Maintaining Stable Temperatures
To help maintain stable water temperatures:
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Keep the tank away from windows, drafts, vents, doors, and other sources of temperature fluctuations.
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Make sure the heater is fully submerged in the water at all times.
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Give the heater room to distribute heat evenly without obstructions like heavy plant growth.
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Keep the tank covered to reduce evaporation and heat loss.
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Monitor temperatures daily and adjust the heater as needed with seasonal weather changes.
Cherry shrimp thrive best in water temperatures between 65-85°F. While not always mandatory, using an adjustable aquarium heater gives you more control over their environment and can boost breeding. Aim for a setting around 75°F and stability is key! With a good heater and thermometer setup, your cherry shrimp will do great.
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#2 – Should You Have a Heater In Your Shrimp Tank?
The first reason to have a heater in your tank is to ensure a stable temperature. The room might not get below 65°F (18°C) normally, but what if the room heater breaks down? Or what if it gets unusually cold? Having a heater in your tank protects your shrimp from things that could hurt them.
The other reason is that temperature has an impact on a shrimp’s growth rate and breeding. According to a paper by Tropea et. al., neocaridina eggs take approximately 21 days to hatch at 24°C, whereas they take only 15 days at 28°C and 12 days at 32°C. After that, juveniles grow faster at higher temperatures—at least for the first 30 days—and are more likely to become pregnant after reaching sexual maturity. From this data, we can conclude that higher temperatures lead to higher (think explosive) population growth. More heat and shrimp do lead to some problems though, which we’ll discuss in the next section.
Densely packed colonies, combined with higher temperatures, often lead to problems with bacterial infections like rust disease. This is because a dense population often leads to worse water quality, which in turn causes bacterial infections. Also, bacteria grow faster in warmer water, and when infections do happen, there are more shrimp to spread them. Because of this, it is important to check the water quality and change the water more often once your tank reaches its carrying capacity (about 8-10 shrimp per gallon) to avoid disease. Some shrimp keepers say they can keep up to 40 shrimp per gallon, but it’s hard to get an accurate count of shrimp when they are crowded together and plants are in the water (which is needed to keep the water clean at high densities), so there aren’t many claims that can be trusted about higher densities.
In addition to affecting growth rate, there are some articles that cite a study stating that temperature affects the female:male offspring ratio—a phenomenon known as temperature-dependent sex determination that is seen in some turtles and fish. Based on the results of the study, more females are born when the berried (pregnant) female is kept at a lower temperature. This would imply that turning your tank temperature down—slowly of course—would produce more females, which could then be grown quickly by increasing the temperature. Or perhaps have a secondary tank that you transfer berried females into while keeping the rest of the population in a higher temperature tank.
Well, it’s a cool idea… But it may not be true. At the end of this article, I go into more detail about the questionable methods used in this paper, since this may not be interesting to everyone. Click here to go straight to the part where you can find out more. If not, just keep reading.
To summarize, you need a heater in your shrimp tank if the tank frequently gets below 65°F (18°C). for long periods of time or if the temperature fluctuates widely throughout the day. But if the tank stays stable and within the acceptable range, you can have a healthy colony that doesn’t need a heater.
However, the paper suggests that getting a heater and setting it to 78–82°F may be best if you want your shrimp to breed quickly so you can see lots of cute little shrimplets or if you want to breed them to sell. Keep in mind that a colony that grows bigger and faster has a faster metabolism, which means it makes more waste and needs to be cleaned up more often. If you are ready and willing to do the right things to keep your tank in good shape, here is the heater we recommend for shrimp tanks:
Do Red Cherry Shrimp Need A Heater?
Do cherry shrimp need a heater?
Water temperature – A heater is not necessarily needed for shrimp water. It simply needs to be between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit – often room temperature. If the water is kept on the higher end of this range, it can accelerate reproduction and growth rates of the Cherry shrimp. pH levels – The pH in the tank should be between 6.5 to 8.
Do cherry shrimp like cooler water?
Cooler temperatures make for a longer gestation time and warmer temperatures speed things up. It’s worth bearing in mind though that Cherry Shrimp don’t like their tank too warm. They naturally prefer cooler water (see section 6 above for more detail about tank temperature).
What temperature should a cherry shrimp tank be heated to?
Your Climate – If your home heating is off for most of the day due to work and other daily commitments, and you live in a cold climate, you may have to heat your Cherry Shrimp tank to at least 16 Degrees Celsius (60.8 Degrees Fahrenheit).
Do cherry shrimp need a lot of water?
Higher-grade Cherry shrimp need more stable/clean water conditions to thrive, while lower-grade shrimp can tolerate poorer water quality without becoming as stressed. Cherry shrimp care is simple and easy. These animals are very low maintenance and will thrive as long as you take care of their basics needs.