A World Within a World: Explore the Mysterious Lives of Tiny Shrimp

Meredith is a business analyst from Indiana who has created a secret world with little friends called neocaridina davidi. They are tiny shrimp — a full-sized fella is only about an inch long — that knuckle their way around an aquarium in a variety of bright colors. Meredith says red is most common, but you’ll see stripes, greens, blues, oranges and more. 

If you check out Meredith’s Instagram account (@merowenaravenclaw), you’ll see her pondering the lives of these little guys. She spends time building their environment and caring for them — and even just observing them as they live their little lives. There’s something contemplative about getting lost in such a tiny world. Each of these “shrimpees” (as Meredith calls them) is living a life full of drama and driving needs and simple pleasures — it’s like getting lost in another world to watch them. 

Her posts explore things even smaller than the tiny shrimp — shrimp eggs and baby shrimp and infant snails. Close observation of this colorful world seems to be so rewarding — it’s a window into a mysterious new realm, and you can’t help but wonder who is the popular kid, which one everyone hates, who is secretly in love, and what the best part of their day is. 

“They can all look really unique, they’re teeny, and they’re really peaceful with one another,” Meredith said. The biggest reason she loves them so much is that “watching them makes me feel calm and happy.”