Black Rili Shrimp are a selectively bred Neocaridina morph in which deep opaque black pigmentation is expressed at the head and tail, separated by a fully transparent midsection that breaks the body cleanly in two. The Rili pattern -- derived from the word for "stripe" -- is a genetic trait that breeds true and is distinct from faded or poorly coloured shrimp; the transparent section is a deliberate expression, not a deficiency. In the Black Rili this contrast is at its most dramatic: the black sections are dense and near-matte in the best specimens, and the clear midsection reveals the internal structure of the shrimp in a way that no solid-colour morph can. The result reads as graphic and bold at tank-viewing distance -- unlike the soft gradients of most Neocaridina colour morphs, the Black Rili has a hard-edged two-part silhouette that is immediately distinctive in any mixed display. Combines particularly well with Red Rili and Blue Rili for a full Rili trio, or with Snowball for maximum contrast pairing.
6.8–7.8pH
6–14GH (dGH)
2–8KH (dKH)
65–78°FTemperature
Colour & Pattern
The Rili Pattern
Deep opaque black head and tail -- the darkest expression in the Rili line -- the black sections in a well-bred Black Rili are dense and near-matte, with full-body pigmentation coverage including the legs and carapace edges. The depth of the black in the head and tail sections is the primary quality indicator: the best specimens show no translucency in the pigmented zones, with the black reading as solid and uniform at all angles. Against a dark substrate the transparent midsection reads most clearly; against pale substrate the full black-and-clear contrast is most vivid.
Transparent midsection -- a genetic pattern, not a colour defect -- the clear section through the middle of the body is the defining feature of all Rili morphs and is genetically determined. It does not indicate stress, illness, or poor grade. The transparency is consistent and stable across generations when the line is maintained correctly. The midsection reveals the internal organs and musculature of the shrimp directly, which combined with the opaque black ends creates the hard two-part graphic contrast the morph is known for.
Rarer and more striking than Red or Blue Rili -- black pigmentation is harder to fix than warm colours -- deep, stable black pigmentation in Neocaridina requires more selective breeding pressure than red or blue, making high-grade Black Rili less common in the hobby than other Rili variants. The difficulty of maintaining dense, non-fading black in the pigmented sections makes clean specimens more sought after and more visually impactful than lower-grade stock where the black reads as dark grey or brownish.
Breeds true -- Rili pattern is genetically stable -- Black Rili breed reliably to pattern when kept in a single-morph colony. As with all Neocaridina, housing with other colour morphs will produce offspring reverting toward wild colouration over successive generations. Keep as a dedicated colony or with other Rili variants only if pattern stability is a priority.
Tank Setup
Getting the Most from Black Rili
Dark substrate maximises the contrast of the transparent midsection -- on a dark substrate the clear midsection reads as a bright transparent window against the surrounding dark, making the two-part pattern most legible. Pale substrate reduces the visual impact of the clear section. Dark fine-grain substrate -- black sand or dark gravel -- produces the clearest and most dramatic expression of the Black Rili pattern.
Standard Neocaridina parameters -- wide tolerance, forgiving of variation -- pH 6.8–7.8, GH 6–14, KH 2–8, temperature 65–78°F. Tap water dechlorinated with a quality conditioner is suitable in most regions. No RO water, active substrate, or specialised mineralisation required. The same setup that maintains any other Neocaridina morph will maintain Black Rili without adjustment.
Dense planting and biofilm surfaces encourage active foraging and visible behaviour -- Java Moss, Subwassertang, and Cholla Wood provide foraging surfaces and shrimplet cover. Active, visible shrimp on a well-planted dark-substrate tank show the Black Rili pattern at its best -- the graphic two-part silhouette reads most clearly when the shrimp are moving freely across open surfaces.
Display TipA trio of Rili morphs -- Black, Red, and Blue -- in a single planted tank creates one of the most visually cohesive mixed Neocaridina displays possible. All three share identical care requirements, breed true in isolation, and the shared Rili pattern structure unifies the display while the three-way colour contrast keeps it dynamic. Add a group of Snowball as a fourth element and the transparent midsections of all three Rili morphs read most clearly against the opaque white backdrop they create.
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