Blue Shrimp Prices: Dream, Velvet, Diamond, Jelly — and Blue Bolt
Five names, two genera, and a price range that triples. What each blue line costs per shrimp today, and which 'blue' you're actually buying.
Published July 29, 2026 · figures recomputed from data through September 2, 2026 · by Shrimp Price Index
"Blue shrimp" is the hobby's most crowded shelf label: at least five Neocaridina lines plus a Caridina share it, at prices that differ by genus far more than by shade. Here's the blue landscape as actually priced today.
The blue Neocaridina lines
| Line | Listings | Vendors | Per-shrimp low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Velvet Shrimp | 5 | 2 | $2.00 | $2.25 | $2.50 |
| Blue Jelly Shrimp | 16 | 4 | $2.50 | $3.80 | $5.50 |
| Blue Dream Shrimp | 22 | 5 | $2.50 | $4.20 | $6.50 |
| Blue Rili Shrimp | 11 | 3 | $3.80 | $4.40 | $5.50 |
| Blue Diamond Shrimp | 7 | 2 | $2.50 | $4.80 | $4.80 |
| Blue Sapphire Shrimp | 5 | 2 | $2.50 | $5.14 | $7.27 |
| Blue Steel Shrimp | 4 | 1 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
Blue Dream is the volume line — 22 listings across 5 vendors, median $4.20 per shrimp — and the usual answer to "I want blue shrimp." The named lines differ in shade depth and lineage (Dream and Velvet are solid blues, Jelly lighter, Rili patterned, Diamond the darkest), but as the table shows, the market prices them within a narrow band. Which line you're getting depends on the store's own naming — the differences are covered line-by-line on the blue Neocaridina comparison page.
The other blue: Blue Bolt (Caridina)
The Blue Bolt looks like it belongs on the shelf above, but it's a bee-shrimp Caridina — soft-water keeping, different care — and the market prices the difference: median $7.15 per shrimp (25 listings, 5 vendors) versus $4.20 for Blue Dream. If you're choosing between them, the real decision is genus, not color — see the Caridina premium before falling for the deeper blue.
Buying notes
- Don't mix blue Neocaridina lines in one tank if color matters to you — interbred offspring drift toward wild coloration over generations. Pick one line and stock from it.
- Judge a "premium" blue against the family median above, not the listing's own compare-at price (why).
- Packs beat singles for colony-starting here as everywhere on this index — the measured difference.
Prices are from in-stock listings as of September 2, 2026 and recompute with every daily update.