• Back

About Me

Everything began after my mom passed away from acute respiratory failure when COVID-19 first struck the U.S. I had no way to cope with the loss, and grief started showing up in unexpected ways — even in my dreams. One night, I dreamed I went to a pet store to buy a white betta fish. The dream stayed with me so strongly that the very next day, I went to Petco to find one. While there, an employee was netting something from a tank. I turned to look and saw two tiny creatures swimming about. He told me they were ghost shrimp, destined to be used as feeders, and offered them to me. Without hesitation, I said yes. That moment changed everything. The next day, I went back for more ghost shrimp, and that’s when I discovered there wasn’t just one kind — there were countless species of freshwater shrimp in a rainbow of colors and patterns. I was hooked. I threw myself into learning, spending sleepless nights researching aquariums, shrimp care, and water chemistry.My dad found my sudden obsession both amusing and bewildering. We had always been close, especially after my mom passed. Eventually, he caught the bug too — he even named one of my Amano shrimp “Whisker” and would regularly ask how she was doing. It was my dad who first suggested I sell my shrimp. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. But years later, when I lost him too May of 2022, I had no family left. I dove even deeper into the hobby to cope with the grief. Within a year I had become a master aquarist and breeder, built a following on social media, gained loyal customers in my hometown of El Paso, TX, and began mentoring newcomers in the hobby.What began as a way to survive heartbreak became a way to create beauty, community, and purpose. Lumina Caridina was initially what I name my business. But my business didn't take off until I left El Paso in November of 2023, and relocated to Dallas, TX . That's where the namr Southside Neos! was born. South Dallas had allowed me more the oppertunity and culture to hone in on my skills to.come up with the brand I have todaay.

• Back

Southside Neos!

Mauris porta ex id nisl eleifend blandit a eu ex. Praesent nunc massa, lorem sed finibus ac, vehicula eget diam. Sed faucibus feugiat neque eget amet interdum. Nunc at tortor eget purus faucibus tempor. Donec sagittis suscipit porta. Duis mollis orci non erat convallis fringilla. Mauris porta ex sed nisl eleifend magna nisl et magna feugiat neque eget interdum. Nunc at tortor eget purus faucibus tempor. Donec sagittis suscipit porta. Duis mollis orci non erat convallis fringilla sed interdum.Duis mollis orci non erat convallis fringilla. Mauris porta ex id nisl eleifend blandit a eu ex. Praesent nunc massa, pellentesque sed finibus ac, vehicula eget diam. Sed faucibus feugiat neque eget interdum. Nunc at tortor eget purus faucibus sagittis suscipit porta.

SHRIMP

PLANTS

These plants are illegal to own or sell in Texas, therefore I do not have them, and neither should you:• Hydrilla (Hydrillaverticillata)
• Water hyacinth (Eichhorniacrassipes)
• Water lettuce (Pistiastratiotes)
• Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)
• Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta)
• Dotted duckweed (Landoltia punctata)
• Brazilian elodea (Elodea densa)
• African Elodea (Lagarosiphon major)
• Alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)
• Asian marshweed (Limnophila sessiflora)

ORDER FORM

Below you can submit an order and ask any questions. Responses typically take a couple of hours.

• Back

Photo Gallery

Mauris porta ex id nisl eleifend blandit a eu ex. Praesent nunc massa, lorem sed finibus ac, vehicula eget diam. Sed faucibus feugiat neque eget amet interdum. Nunc at tortor eget purus faucibus tempor. Donec sagittis suscipit porta. Duis mollis orci non erat convallis fringilla. Mauris porta ex sed nisl eleifend magna nisl et magna feugiat neque eget interdum. Nunc at tortor eget purus faucibus tempor. Donec sagittis suscipit porta. Duis mollis orci non erat convallis fringilla sed interdum.Duis mollis orci non erat convallis fringilla. Mauris porta ex id nisl eleifend blandit a eu ex. Praesent nunc massa, pellentesque sed finibus ac, vehicula eget diam. Sed faucibus feugiat neque eget interdum. Nunc at tortor eget purus faucibus sagittis suscipit porta.