Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis

White Pearl Shrimp are a stunning, easy-to-care-for freshwater dwarf shrimp, perfect for beginners looking to add activity and beauty to a small aquarium. Also known as Snowball Shrimp, this hardy creature gets its name from the brilliant white eggs the females carry, which look like a cluster of tiny snowballs. Their care is very straightforward, as they are not demanding about their water conditions, making them a forgiving choice for those new to keeping invertebrates. A small, established aquarium with gentle filtration is all they need to feel at home.

As natural-born cleaners, they are a fantastic addition to a community tank's cleanup crew. They spend their days grazing on algae, leftover fish food, and the invisible biofilm that grows on plants and decorations. You only need to give them a specialized shrimp food or a small piece of blanched vegetable every couple of days to keep them healthy. Due to their tiny size and peaceful nature, they should only be housed with other small, gentle creatures like snails or micro-fish that won't mistake them for a meal. If you keep a small group of them together in a happy, stable environment, you will soon be rewarded with a thriving colony, as they breed readily without any special effort.

The White Pearl Shrimp, scientifically identified as Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis, is a distinct and highly sought-after species in the aquarium hobby, not to be confused with a color morph of the common Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi). Its defining characteristic, which gives rise to its 'Snowball' and 'White Pearl' common names, is its opaque, pearly-white eggs carried by brooding females.

For optimal housing, a well-established aquarium of at least 10 gallons (approximately 40 liters) is recommended. While they can survive in smaller tanks, a larger volume of water provides greater stability in water parameters, which is crucial for their health. These shrimp are not strong swimmers and are adapted to environments with minimal water movement. Therefore, a gentle sponge filter or a standard filter with a baffled outflow is essential to prevent them from being stressed and exhausted by strong currents. The aquascape should include plenty of live plants, such as Java moss or Anubias, as well as driftwood and leaf litter. These elements provide crucial cover and extensive surface area for the cultivation of biofilm and algae, their primary food sources.

While their listed water parameters are broad, the key to success is stability, not chasing specific numbers. Sudden fluctuations in pH, hardness, or temperature can cause fatal molting issues. They are particularly sensitive to ammonia, nitrites, and copper, so a fully cycled and mature tank is non-negotiable. Their omnivorous diet consists primarily of biofilm and detritus. In a well-maintained tank, a colony requires minimal supplementary feeding. A feeding schedule of high-quality shrimp pellets or wafers every other day is sufficient. Overfeeding is a common mistake and can quickly foul the water, so it's vital to only provide what they can consume in an hour or two. Supplementing with blanched vegetables like spinach or zucchini provides variety and essential nutrients.

Socially, White Pearl Shrimp are peaceful and gregarious. They exhibit shoaling behavior and should be kept in groups of six or more to promote security and natural foraging activity. A larger group also increases the probability of successful breeding. Their life cycle is straightforward; females first develop a yellow-green 'saddle' of unfertilized eggs, and after molting and mating, carry the fertilized white eggs under their abdomen. These eggs hatch in approximately 3-4 weeks into miniature, self-sufficient versions of the adults, requiring no specialized care. This ease of breeding allows aquarists to quickly grow a small group into a bustling colony.

Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis, commercially known as the White Pearl or Snowball Shrimp, is a species of freshwater Atyid shrimp native to Asia, with its specific epithet suggesting an origin near Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province, China. Taxonomically, it belongs to the Decapoda order and is distinct from other popular hobbyist species such as Neocaridina davidi. This distinction is significant as it implies reproductive isolation from the N. davidi complex, preventing hybridization with its many color variants like the Red Cherry Shrimp.

The species' IUCN Red List status as 'Vulnerable' (VU) highlights conservation concerns for its wild populations, which are likely threatened by habitat degradation and pollution. Consequently, the global aquarium trade relies exclusively on captive-bred specimens. This practice alleviates pressure on wild stocks and demonstrates a form of ex-situ species preservation, though it lacks the formal structure of a Species Survival Plan (SSP).

Physiologically, N. zhangjiajiensis is characterized by a low metabolic rate, very low oxygen consumption, and minimal waste production, quantified by a low bioload factor. These traits are adaptive for a benthic detritivore inhabiting low-flow, densely vegetated aquatic environments where food resources are distributed as biofilm and organic detritus. The provided optimal temperature range (20-25°C) and water hardness (70-150 ppm) reflect conditions that support stable metabolic function and, critically, successful ecdysis (molting). The species exhibits direct development, a reproductive strategy that contributes to its 'easy' breeding designation. Unlike many crustaceans, it bypasses a pelagic larval stage. The female broods a clutch of eggs on her pleopods, which hatch into fully-formed post-larvae (shrimplets). A key phenotypic marker for this species is the unique non-transparent, white coloration of its eggs, a stark contrast to the typically yellow or green eggs of other Neocaridina species. This trait is foundational to its common names and is a reliable identifier for the species within the hobby.