Crystal Red Shrimp
Caridina cantonensis · family Atyidae
Also: Bee Shrimp
Parameters
- Temperature
- 20–24 °C
- pH
- 6–6.8
- Hardness
- 4–6 °dGH
- Tank volume
- from 30 L
- Maximum size
- up to 3 cm
- Group size
- min 6, ideal 12
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Difficulty
- Expert
- Lifespan
- 1–2 years
Pros and cons
- High visual impact — white and red are strongly contrasting
- Serious collector niche with quality grading (S, SS, SSS, SSS+)
- Breeds well under proper conditions
- Very demanding: soft (gH 4–6, kH 0–2), acidic (pH 6.0–6.5), stable water
- Not for beginners — parameters must be locked from day one
- Sensitive to nitrates (>10 mg/L is critical)
- 5–20× more expensive than Neocaridina
- Mixing with other bee shrimp lines produces graded-down hybrids
Description
A selectively bred form of the bee shrimp. White-and-red coloration in grades (S, SS, SSS, SSS+) — the more white and the more 'snowy' it is, the higher the grade and price. Very demanding when it comes to soft, acidic water.
FAQ
- Can Crystal Red be kept with cherry shrimp?
- Technically yes (they don't crossbreed — different genera), but their needs differ: cherries prefer hard alkaline water, crystals soft acidic. A compromise serves neither well.
AuthorGoldie Editorial
Goldie editorial team
Practising aquarists with a combined 30+ years of experience · Biologists and editors, fact-checking against FishBase and Seriously Fish · Every piece is reviewed by a qualified ichthyologist before publication
Reviewed byGoldie Science Board
Scientific board — ichthyologists and veterinarians
Ichthyologists and veterinarians with university degrees · Reference FishBase, Seriously Fish and peer-reviewed literature · Sign every reviewed article with their credentials shown
Sources
- Wikipedia: Caridina cantonensis · Wikipedia · 2026-05-22