Which water is best for shrimp?

The best water for shrimp is water that is clean, free of chlorine and stays the same week after week. It does not have to be complicated.

Many Neocaridina live very well in ordinary tap water. Other shrimp need more work. The difference lies in which group you keep, not in expensive water always being better.

Start with the tap

In much of Sweden, tap water is serviceable and fairly stable. For Red Sakura, Bloody Mary, Yellow and Orange Sakura it is often the simplest and best start.

Tap water already contains minerals. That means the shrimp get GH and KH without you having to mix salt every week.

Test the water first

Measure pH, GH, KH and TDS on the tap water once. Write the numbers down. Then you know what the shrimp will actually live in, instead of guessing from a map.

If the values sit inside the wide range for Neocaridina, you rarely need to change source. You only need to remove chlorine and keep the changes even.

Chlorine and chloramine

Municipal water is treated so that it is safe to drink. For shrimp, chlorine or chloramine still has to be removed before the water goes into the aquarium.

A shrimp-safe dechlorinator is enough. Letting water stand can help if you only have chlorine, but do not count on it to remove chloramine.

When RO water is needed

RO water is water filtered until almost all dissolved matter is gone. It is empty. Without minerals it is unsuitable for shrimp.

Crystal Red, Crystal Black and Blue Bolt are usually kept in RO water that has been remineralised, together with active soil. That is a deliberate system, not a beginner step.

Minerals and salts

If you use RO water you must add minerals. For Neocaridina a salt that provides both GH and a little KH is often used. For many Caridina, GH+ without KH is used.

The goal is the same TDS and the same hardness every time you mix. A Blue Navy in evenly mixed water does better than a shrimp in random bottled water.

Distilled water is not a shortcut

Distilled water and deionised water are as empty as RO. Do not pour them in straight. Shrimp need minerals for the shell.

Bottled water and rainwater

Some bottled waters work temporarily, but the contents vary between brands. It is hard to get the same values every week.

Rainwater can be soft, but it can also carry pollution from roofs and air. It is rarely the safest choice indoors.

Which water suits which shrimp?

• Neocaridina: often tap water after dechlorination
• Amano: the same, preferably with some hardness
• Crystal Red and Crystal Black: usually RO plus minerals and soil
• Blue Bolt: the same kind of soft, controlled water

Do not mix sources at random

Using tap water one week and RO the next creates jumps in GH and TDS. Choose one source and stay with it.

If the tap water is very hard and you still want Neocaridina, you can dilute with a fixed share of RO. The dilution must then be the same every time.

A simple start for beginners

Test the tap water. Dechlorinate it. Use it for Bloody Mary, Red Sakura or Blue Diamond. Change small amounts. Do not adjust more than that until the colony is stable.

Once you know which water you have, temperature and water changes become details in the same routine, not a new problem every Sunday.