Blue Bolt

Introduction

If you're looking for an unusual dwarf shrimp with stunning colors that's still pretty easy to keep and breed, you're on the right page. Blue bolt shrimp are a type of Taiwan bee with a white and blue body. Their beautiful color and effectiveness as a cleaning crew are sure to make these Caridinas the centerpiece of any tank.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about blue bolt shrimp care and keeping blue bolt shrimp in your own aquarium!

Scientific Name: Caridina cantonensis

Common Names: Blue Bolt Shrimp, Taiwan Bee, Extreme Blue Bolt

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Medium

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

Requirements

Blue bolt shrimp are a bee shrimp variety, just like the more well-known Crystal red shrimp. This means their care requirements are quite similar. General dwarf shrimp care guidelines also apply. Go for an aquarium of at least 30L but keep in mind that a larger setup is easier to keep stable. If you're a beginner you might want to consider something like a 60L, as blue bolt shrimp aren't as sturdy as their Neocaridina cousins and can be sensitive to bad water values. Tanks this size can sustain large colonies without a problem.

While you might be able to get away with an unfiltered but heavily planted tank for the less sensitive shrimp varieties, you really do need a filter if you want to keep blue bolts. A regular sponge filter works fine; if you go for something else be sure to use a prefilter sponge to prevent baby shrimp from disappearing in there. Another thing you should always have on hand is a liquid test kit to determine whether your cycle is complete and stable. Never introduce blue bolts (or any shrimp/fish for that matter) into an uncycled aquarium!

Like all shrimp, blue bolts need plenty of hiding places in the aquarium to feel safe. They also like to have all kinds of surfaces to forage on. Plants like Java moss will be much appreciated and aren't difficult to grow at all.

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

When it comes to dwarf shrimp, always be careful with tankmates, especially if you're looking to breed. Almost all fish species have an appetite for (baby) shrimp so it's a good idea to stick to just peaceful inverts. If you really want to keep the bioload low (and water quality high), just avoid all risks and go for a shrimp-only setup. This especially applies to the more expensive and rare types like blue bolts: you just don't want to lose any!

Keep in mind that many Caridina shrimp varieties do interbreed.

Diet

Like most shrimp, blue bolts naturally eat anything they can find. They spend much of their time picking algae and bio-film off every surface in the tank. Because most tanks don't contain enough nutrients for the shrimp to survive this way you should offer extra food once a day or so.

Most shrimp aren't picky when it comes to food. A high-quality shrimp food and regular variation in the form of blanched veggies, frozen foods, and pretty much anything that's green and safe should work well. Be sure to remove any uneaten foods within a few hours, as anything decaying in the aquarium can quickly cause issues with the water values.

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