Cherry shrimp are omnivores and scavengers, which means they are happy to eat just about anything they can find. Here are some of their favorite foods:

• Algae: Algae is the foundation of a cherry shrimp’s diet. Cherry shrimp eat most types of algae, including hair algae.

• Plankton: Cherry shrimp also eat plankton.

• Uneaten fish food: Cherry shrimp are scavengers and will eat discarded fish food.

• Plant debris: Cherry shrimp will eat plant debris.

• Blanched vegetables: Vegetables such as zucchini, lettuce, spinach, and carrots are commonly used. When preparing these vegetables, place them in boiling water until they are soft, 2-3 minutes for leafy vegetables and longer for carrots and zucchini. Small amounts of each should be fed at a time and make sure never to leave rotting food in the aquarium.

• Boiled leaves: Indian almond leaves or oak leaves can be boiled and fed to cherry shrimp.

• Frozen or live foods: Cherry shrimp can also eat frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, or bloodworms.

It is important to note that cherry shrimp are extremely sensitive to copper, which can be very bad for them. When feeding cherry shrimp, it is generally recommended to feed them once per day, providing only enough food that they can consume within 2-3 hours to prevent overfeeding. Baby cherry shrimp eat biofilm and algae as their primary sources of food for the first 60 days of life, and can also eat commercial foods such as powdered food.