Crystal Red

Introduction

Undoubtedly one of the most popular species in the dwarf shrimp hobby today is Caridina cantonensis/logemanni var. 'Crystal Red', also simply known as the Crystal Red shrimp. Selectively bred from the humble Bee shrimp, Crystal Reds are appreciated for their bright red and white coloration and make a great choice for any shrimp keeper - beginner or expert.

Our Crystal shrimp are named according to their pattern and graded on their colour, this gives customers a better idea of what to expect when purchasing crystal shrimp from Art of Aqua. 

Keep reading for everything you need to know about Crystal Red shrimp care and keeping Crystal Reds in your aquarium!

Scientific Name: Caridina cantonensis/logemanni

Common Names: Crystal Red Shrimp; Red Bee Shrimp; CRS; Crystal Shrimp

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Medium

Please note: All shrimps are sold as juveniles at 1cm and up.

Requirements

A large aquarium is not needed to keep Crystal Red shrimp: a setup as small as 30L can be enough to sustain a reasonably sized colony. Keep in mind, though, that these shrimp are quite sensitive and larger tanks are easier to keep stable than smaller ones. Beginners especially might want to go for something around 60L to make things a little easier.

Like all aquariums, a Crystal Red shrimp tank needs to be filtered. For smaller tanks, a sponge filter might be a good option, as it gently filters the water and can't accidentally suck up any baby shrimp. To keep an eye on your water values and cycle you're also going to need a liquid water test kit. A heater is recommended; although these shrimp do well at room temperature, a thermostat heater can prevent any sudden fluctuations in temperature and help keep things as stable as possible.

Shrimp are naturally prey animals and naturally spend most of their time foraging. They will appreciate some plants and other decorations to hide in and eat algae and aufwuchs off.

Water Parameters

PH Range: 5.8 - 6.8

Temperature Range: 18 - 24 Degrees Celsius

GH Range: 4 - 7

KH Range: 0 - 3

TDS: 80 - 150

Please note: TDS should only ever be used as a reference when re-mineralizing RO water.

Tankmates

Like all dwarf shrimp, Crystal Reds are quite vulnerable and shouldn't be combined with any but the most peaceful tankmates. Most shrimp keepers actually choose to set up a Crystal Red-only tank, especially for the higher and more expensive grades, but you could add other compatible shrimp species or harmless tankmates like snails

Keep in mind that many Caridina shrimp varieties do interbreed.

Diet

Crystal Red shrimp diet is similar to that of most dwarf shrimp. They are omnivores that naturally spend most of their time foraging and eating anything they can find. In the aquarium, they'll feed on algae and aufwuchs; because an aquarium environment is too clean to contain enough food to sustain them you'll have to supply additional options regularly.

You can feed your Crystal Reds once a day, though some variation in feeding frequency is a good idea. Because they are omnivores they will accept a wide range of food: try offering a high-quality shrimp food as a staple and adding some variation with blanched vegetables and frozen foods like bloodworms.

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