A captive bred bee shrimp line of Caridina cantonensis, whose wild form lives in soft, acidic freshwater streams in southern China.
Overview
The crystal black shrimp is a peaceful black and white bee shrimp for a soft-water shrimp tank. It is harder to keep than the hardy Neocaridina and suits keepers with a little experience.
Did you know
Crystal black and crystal red shrimp are the same species and interbreed freely. Their young come out as a mix of red and black banded shrimp.
Caring for the crystal black shrimp
Keep crystal black shrimp in a mature, stable tank of at least 5 gal (19 L), on inert or active buffering soil. A planted tank with moss and biofilm gives them grazing surfaces and hiding places. Keep them with other bee shrimp or in a dedicated tank.
Use RO water remineralized to a low hardness, with a pH of 5.8 to 6.8 and TDS around 100 to 150. Keep it at 64 to 75°F (18 to 24°C). They need much softer, more acidic water than a cherry shrimp. They are sensitive to copper and to swings in temperature, pH and TDS, so drip acclimate them and change water slowly.
Feed biofilm, botanicals, blanched vegetables and shrimp-specific foods. Crystal blacks are small, peaceful grazers that work the bottom and plants all day.
Females carry the eggs under the tail and fan them until they hatch. The young come out as fully formed miniature shrimp, with no free-swimming larval stage. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.
Good to know
The crystal black is a color form of the bee shrimp, Caridina logemanni, also sold as Caridina cantonensis. It was selected from the wild black and white bee pattern. It is the same line as the crystal red, with black in place of the red bands. Keepers call it CBS for short. Its color intensity and the amount of white are graded from C up to SSS, and breeders prize solid white bands.
In the wild
The crystal black is a captive-bred line of the bee shrimp. Its wild form lives in soft, acidic freshwater streams in southern China.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The crystal black shrimp is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Is a crystal black shrimp a different species from the bee shrimp?
No. A crystal black shrimp is a variety of the bee shrimp, Caridina logemanni, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.
What size tank does a crystal black shrimp need?
A crystal black shrimp needs at least 5 gal (19 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What does a crystal black shrimp eat?
A crystal black shrimp grazes biofilm on the bottom and on plants. Feed it botanicals, blanched vegetables and shrimp-specific foods as well.
How big does a crystal black shrimp get?
An adult crystal black shrimp reaches about 1.2 in (3 cm).
How does a crystal black shrimp breed?
A female crystal black shrimp carries her eggs under the tail and fans them until they hatch. The young are fully formed miniature shrimp with no larval stage, and breeding is a moderate challenge.
1.2 in (3 cm)10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)