Sakura and Cherry Shrimp Grading Guide

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Searching around online for grades of Sakura or Cherry shrimp can result in some confusing and seemingly conflicting information. This is because Sakura shrimp are the same species as Cherry shrimp, just different grades. To sort this out, you just need to familiarize yourself with the concept of shrimp grading.

Sakura shrimp is a specific grade of Red Cherry shrimp. A good guide for distinguishing between these grades is the notable color difference in the shell, with Sakura shrimp having a more red color than lower-grade Cherry shrimp.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the grading process and look at more unique factors that set these shrimp apart.

Determining Various Grades of Shrimp

When it comes to shrimp, “grade” is just another term for quality. Shrimp of a higher grade are considered higher quality. Shrimp are bred for their grade, and grade determines the price at which shrimp sell.

The grade of shrimp is based primarily on the color of the shell. The outer shell of the thorax is responsible for color differences between grades. This shell is called the carapace. The color density between different grades of red shrimp is determined by the carapace and how transparent it is. More transparency reduces the intensity of the color of the shell.

The color of shrimp is often displayed darkest on their backs. Low-grade shrimp are more transparent, and it’s easy to see the eggs and saddle (the saddle is the anatomical area inside of shrimp that houses eggs when they’re ready to mate). The color of their shell is blotchy with some transparent spots, and their legs have almost no opacity at all.

As you move through higher and higher grades, the color becomes more intense, the bodies more opaque, and the legs present more color. The highest grades of shrimp are no longer translucent. The highest quality shrimp are carefully bred to show these attributes.

Quick Cherry Shrimp Grading Guide 

Neocaridina davidi is a species of shrimp known as Cherry shrimp. They’re native to Eastern China and can also be found in Taiwan, Japan, and Hawaii. Cherry Shrimp are bred and farmed around the world and sold online. 

Color is the main difference that sets shrimp apart and the primary metric on which they’re graded. Here is a guide to help determine each grade of Cherry shrimp by color:

  • Cherry Grade Shrimp: Not all Cherry shrimp are red. Their bodies range the entire visible spectrum of color, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and even black.
  • Red Cherry Grade Shrimp: There are many grades of Red Cherry shrimp. Low-grade Red Cherry shrimp only have little pink blotches on their bodies, while higher-grade Red Cherry Shrimp can be a thick, rich red. 
  • Low Sakura Red Cherry Grade Shrimp: Sakura, translated from Japanese, means “cherry blossom.” The lowest Sakura grade shrimp is a grade up from the lowest-grade Red Cherry shrimp. With a deep red carapace, these shrimp have somewhat translucent legs similar to lower grades. Their shells are a darker red than lower-grade Red Cherry shrimp but are still pretty spotty in places, and their legs are almost entirely uncolored.
  • High Sakura shrimp: There are two different grades of Sakura shrimp: a low Sakura grade and a high Sakura grade. High Sakura grade (AA) shrimp possess an even deeper red carapace with more opaquely red legs than the low grade.
  • Fire Red Cherry Shrimp: One grade up from Sakura, we have Fire Red Cherry Shrimp. Shrimp below this grade are still significantly transparent to the point that you can see through the outer shell. Unlike lower grades, the carapace of these shrimp is so dark that it’s difficult to see the eggs and saddle inside the shrimp. However, the color is still blotchy in places.
  • Painted Fire Red Cherry Shrimp: At this grade, the shell is so opaque that the eggs and saddle aren’t visible. The carapace is so dark that the shrimp look as though they’ve been painted red.
  • Bloody Mary Red Cherry Shrimp: Considered the darkest breed of Red Cherry shrimp, they’re produced by crossing high-grade Red Cherry shrimp with non-red Cherry shrimp. Expert breeding can yield the deep chocolate color of Chocolate Cherry Shrimp. The lineage of Bloody Mary Red Cherry shrimp has traces of Chocolate Cherry that make them the darkest and richest red of the Red Cherry shrimp.

Conclusion

While Sakura shrimp are technically the same as a Cherry shrimp, the term Sakura defines specific grades of Cherry shrimp. The varying grades of Sakura shrimp are mostly denoted by their leg color, though some differences in the shell color may be seen as well. 

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