Recommended Tank Parameters
- Temperature
- 20-26
- TDS
- Max 400
- GH
- 8-10 adaptable
- KH
- 3-5 adaptable
- Ammonia
- 0
- Nitrite
- 0
- Nitrate
- Max 30
- Substrate
- Inert
Bloody Mary OE Starter Colony
💧 Tap Water Compatible
🟢 Beginner Friendly
🇮🇪 Home-bred in Cork, Ireland
Bloody Mary Orange Eyes (Neocaridina davidi) is one of our favourite red lines, combining the deep translucent crimson body of the Bloody Mary lineage with the striking contrast of glowing orange eyes.
✨ Unlike many red Neocaridina, these shrimp develop much of their colour within the tissue itself, creating their famous "glowing from within" appearance.
🦐 Why start with 15 shrimp?
Our 15-count Breeder Colony is ideal for hobbyists who want to establish a thriving population from day one.
Starting with a larger group encourages natural behaviour, increases the chance of obtaining a balanced sex ratio and often leads to earlier breeding activity.
🏡 For many aquariums, 15 shrimp represent the ideal balance between affordability and long-term colony success.
🦐 Why start with 25 shrimp?
If your goal is to build a long-term, self-sustaining colony, this is our recommended starting point.
A larger population establishes itself faster, displays more natural behaviour and often enters stable breeding cycles sooner than smaller groups.
🧬 The increased numbers also provide a stronger foundation for maintaining colour consistency over future generations.
🌱 The 25-pack is particularly well suited for larger aquascapes and hobbyists who want to create a showcase colony from the very beginning.
📖 Curious about the genetics, origins and breeding behind this line? Explore the More Information section below.
Select Pack Size
More Information
🦐 BLOODY MARY ORANGE EYES – MORE INFORMATION PAGE
🧬 The Story Behind Bloody Mary Orange Eyes
A closer look at the history, genetics and husbandry behind one of our favourite red lines.
🌏 The Evolutionary Roots of Neocaridina
Neocaridina davidi originates from freshwater streams, ponds and slow-moving rivers throughout East Asia.
Over thousands of years, these shrimp adapted to moderately hard, mineral-rich waters and developed excellent resilience to environmental fluctuations.
💡 Why does this matter?
Their natural hardiness is one of the reasons why Neocaridina have become the world's most popular freshwater shrimp and why they adapt so well to tap water aquariums.
❤️ The Origin of Bloody Mary
The Bloody Mary is not simply a darker Red Cherry shrimp.
It is a separate selectively bred lineage that originated from Chocolate Sakura stock in Taiwan.
Unlike traditional red Neocaridina, Bloody Mary shrimp express much of their colour internally rather than relying on thick shell pigmentation.
✨ This creates their famous "glowing from within" appearance.
🟠 The Orange Eye Trait
Orange eyes are a relatively uncommon recessive mutation within Neocaridina.
The trait gained popularity in Europe after dedicated breeders stabilised it across several colour lines.
The bright orange eyes create a beautiful contrast against the deep crimson body colour and have become highly sought after by hobbyists.
🧪 Our Breeding Philosophy
At Just Keep Shrimping, we selectively breed for four priorities:
✅ Deep crimson body colour
✅ Strong orange eye expression
✅ Robust health
✅ Long-term genetic stability
We prioritise healthy, sustainable lines over extreme appearance.
Any individuals that lose colour intensity, develop unwanted traits or show weaker expression are removed from the breeding programme.
🏡 Aquarium Recommendations
Bloody Mary Orange Eyes thrive in:
🌱 Mature planted aquariums
🪨 Dark substrates
💧 Stable tap water parameters
🦠 Established biological filtration
💡 Stability is far more important than chasing exact numbers.
Regular maintenance, moderate feeding and patience will always outperform constant adjustments.
📊 Quick Summary
🧬 Scientific name: Neocaridina davidi
💧 Water type: Tap water compatible
🌡️ Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate
🇮🇪 Bred by: Just Keep Shrimping, Cork, Ireland
💎 Classification: Signature Line