Spirulina Sinking Pellets are a spirulina-based food formulated for dwarf shrimp -- a sinking pellet sized and balanced for the feeding habits and nutritional needs of Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp in planted tank setups. Spirulina (Arthrospira sp.) is a nutrient-dense blue-green microalgae that has been a staple of shrimp nutrition in the hobby for decades because of its established benefits for shrimp colour enhancement, moulting regularity, and breeding condition: the natural carotenoid pigments in spirulina are directly incorporated into shrimp tissue and enhance body colour saturation in red, orange, and yellow morphs specifically, while the broad amino acid, mineral, and vitamin profile of spirulina supports the physiological demands of moulting and egg production throughout the breeding cycle. The sinking formulation ensures the food reaches the substrate where shrimp spend most of their time feeding, rather than floating at the surface where it is inaccessible. Suitable as a staple or supplement for all Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp.
What to Expect
Nutrition, Colour and Feeding Behaviour
Spirulina supports natural colour enhancement in red, orange, and yellow morphs -- the carotenoid pigments in spirulina -- particularly phycocyanin and beta-carotene -- are taken up by shrimp tissue during digestion and enhance the saturation and depth of red, orange, and yellow body colouration. The effect is most visible in morphs where carotenoid-derived pigments are the primary colour mechanism: Fire Red Cherry, Painted Fire Red, Dark Bloody Mary, SSS Sunkist, Blood Orange, and orange Neocaridina all show measurable colour improvement with consistent spirulina feeding versus without. Blue, green, and white morphs do not benefit directly from carotenoid supplementation but benefit from spirulina nutrition in all other respects.
Sinking formulation reaches shrimp on the substrate -- dwarf shrimp feed primarily on the substrate surface and lower water column where biofilm and decomposing plant matter accumulate. A sinking pellet delivers food directly to the substrate feeding zone rather than requiring shrimp to surface-feed at the water interface, which they do less readily and less frequently than bottom feeding. The pellet sinks quickly enough to reach the substrate before significant water-column dissolution occurs.
Small pellet size suited to dwarf shrimp feeding -- the pellets are sized appropriately for the feeding scale of dwarf shrimp -- small enough that individual shrimp can handle, carry, and feed on a pellet without difficulty, and sized to reduce waste from shrimp feeding on a pellet too large to consume before it begins dissolving and contributing to water quality load.
Supports moulting regularity and breeding condition -- the amino acid profile of spirulina -- providing all essential amino acids required by crustaceans -- supports the protein requirements of moulting and egg development. Shrimp fed a consistent diet with spirulina as a significant component moult more regularly and females carry clutches more frequently than shrimp on nutrient-deficient diets in equivalent conditions.
Use as a staple or supplement alongside varied feeding -- Spirulina Sinking Pellets perform best as part of a varied feeding rotation rather than as the sole food source. Pairing with a comprehensive mineral-containing staple food and occasional botanicals or blanched vegetables provides a broader nutritional range than spirulina alone and produces the best combination of colour enhancement, moulting support, and breeding condition.
Feed small amounts and remove uneaten portions within two to three hours -- dose conservatively -- a few pellets per 10-20 shrimp every one to two days. Uneaten pellets left in the tank beyond two to three hours dissolve and contribute to the organic load. In the low-buffering environment of Caridina tanks especially, consistent removal of uneaten food is an important water quality habit.
How to Feed
Getting Started
1Introduce a few pellets per 10-20 shrimp every one to two days -- start conservatively and observe consumption rate. Shrimp should find and consume the pellets within 30-60 minutes in an established colony. If pellets remain uneaten for more than two hours, reduce the quantity per feeding.
2Drop pellets near established shrimp activity zones -- place pellets near moss patches, hardscape bases, or other areas where shrimp are most actively foraging rather than in open substrate where they may be less immediately visible to the colony. Shrimp find food by chemical detection as well as visual proximity, but initial placement near active areas speeds uptake.
3Remove uneaten pellets after two to three hours -- use a small pipette or turkey baster to remove any pellets that remain uneaten after two to three hours. This prevents dissolving pellets from contributing to ammonia and nitrate accumulation between water changes.
4Rotate with other food types for complete nutrition -- include Spirulina Sinking Pellets as part of a varied feeding schedule alongside a comprehensive mineral-containing staple, occasional blanched vegetables, and botanical items. Variety in the diet produces better overall shrimp health outcomes than any single food used exclusively.
Bonus TipSpirulina Sinking Pellets have a measurably stronger colour enhancement effect in tanks with dark substrate than pale substrate -- not because the food works differently, but because the colour enhancement that the food produces in red, orange, and yellow morphs is most visible against dark backgrounds where the body colour is already presented at maximum contrast. Feeding spirulina consistently in a dark-substrate tank with well-selected grade shrimp produces the most visible improvement in colony colour quality over a breeding cycle and makes the difference between successive generations clearly apparent as colour depth increases with each new cohort.
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Browse more shrimp foodPair Spirulina Sinking Pellets with mineral-rich staple food and botanicals for a complete shrimp diet. Browse our Shrimp Food collection.
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