Crystal Red Shrimp

Scientific name: Caridina cf. cantonensis
Common names: Crystal Red Shrimp, CRS
Difficulty level: Intermediate
Origin: South East Asia

Crystal Red Shrimp Requirements:
As with most other freshwater shrimp you don’t need a large aquarium to keep crystal reds. Keep in mind that they are quite sensitive and don’t react well to bad water values, which means a larger aquarium is better especially if you’re a beginner. An aquarium of at least 30ltrs is easier to keep stable than smaller setups. Like all aquariums a crystal red shrimp tank should be fully cycled and established before any inhabitants are introduced. You need a filter to cycle the tank; most shrimp breeders prefer sponge filters, as these create a gentle water flow and can’t suck up tiny shrimp fry. Although crystal red shrimp can handle room temperatures just fine it’s still recommended to use a heater to prevent any temperature fluctuations.  Crystal red shrimp love plenty of hiding places in the aquarium, especially when they’re vulnerable during molting time. Shrimp flats and live plants make great hides while also providing a place for nutritious biofilm to grow, so be sure to incorporate a few in your crystal red tank.

Crystal Red Shrimp Water Quality:
Crystal red shrimp are a little more sensitive than most common dwarf shrimp. Their ancestor, the bee shrimp, naturally occurs in fast-flowing, clean waters. Selective breeding has made crystal reds even more sensitive; this especially applies to the higher grades. All this means you have to keep a close eye on your water values if you want to keep these shrimp alive and happy. The water should be relatively soft and acidic and always free of ammonia and nitrites. Regular aquarium maintenance is a must, as crystal blacks are also quite sensitive to nitrates. Do regular, small water changes to keep the water values where they should be. A liquid test kit allows you to check the water values while a thermometer should be used to make sure the temperature is still correct.

pH: 5.8-7.4
Temperature: 62-76 °F
gh: 4-6
kh: 0-4
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids): 100-200

Crystal Red Shrimp Tank Mates:
Although there are some options out there when it comes to tank mates for your crystal red shrimp, most breeders prefer keeping them in single species setups. This ensures no fry fall prey to hungry fish and the shrimp feel safe at all times. If you do want to keep your crystal reds with some tank mates and don’t mind the fact that you likely won’t get as much offspring, be sure to still choose carefully. Only go for small and very peaceful tank mates like Otocinclus or Pygmy Corydoras or even stick to just inverts. Snails should work well and you can also try other dwarf shrimp species as long as they don’t interbreed with your crystal blacks. Shrimp from the Neocaridina genus can co-exist with crystal reds just fine.

We suggest suitable tank mates like – Micro Rasbora, Celestial Pearl Danios, Emerald Dwarf Rasbora, Endler Guppy, Pygmy Cory Catfish, Oto Catfish, Ember Tetra, Sparkling Gourami, Chocolate Gourami, Dwarf Pencilfish, Kubotai Rasbora, Coral Red Pencilfish and Purple Pencilfish.

Crystal Red Shrimp Diet:
Crystal red shrimp are omnivores that thrive on a varied diet. They naturally feed on biofilm that forms on rocks and plants but in the aquarium their diet should be supplemented. There are many high quality shrimp foods out there that can be used as a staple and the possibilities for added variation are endless. Your crystal reds will love frozen foods like mosquito larvae, fresh blanched veggies, algae pellets and even strange things like dried nettle leaves. Botanicals like Indian almond leaves and cholla wood are also a welcome source of food. Because crystal reds are so sensitive all uneaten foods should be removed after a few hours. Any leftovers can quickly start rotting, which is disastrous for your water quality and can damage the shrimp population.

Breeding Crystal Red Shrimp:
Crystal red shrimp make a great breeding project and you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting your crystal red to reproduce. As long as their requirements are met these shrimp should pretty much constantly produce fry! The females, which are larger and more brightly colored, carry the eggs between their back legs (swimmerettes) for around 30 days before releasing tiny babies that don’t need any special care. Like crystal blacks, crystal red shrimp come in various colour patterns that vary in rarity and determine their “grade” or “quality”. A crystal red shrimp with more white and more opaque colouration falls into a higher grade, which affects the price.