Pet Solution Inc.: Crystal Red Shrimp

Crystal Red Shrimp
genus: caridina
reference: wikipedia/ planetinvert

Discovery
In 1996, Japanese Mr. Hisayasu Suzuki who developed the Crystal Red Shrimp. a mutation from Cardina cantonensis species (a red form among the usual black form offspring). it is a autosomal recessive red mutation of the normal bee shrimp.

The variety has gained wide popularity since in Japan and worldwide and has been further refined by the founder and other breeders to produce specimens with larger white patches and intensified red. In Japan they are often known as Red Bee Shrimps or Crystal Red Shrimp. The black striped variety is commonly called Bee Shrimp. The more white and intense color they have, the higher the Crystal Red Shrimp grade becomes.

Basic Care
They grow up 2.5cm in size and live in temperatures up to 27 °C, surviving best at 20–25°C (68–77°F) with a pH level of 6.5–7.2 and TDS 150-220. The shrimp are quite sensitive to fast changes of the water parameters, especially when it comes to nitrogenous waste, or nitrite. Soft, slightly acidic water is the ideal breeding environment

Feeding

Crystal Red Shrimp is not too different from other algae eating shrimps. It is a scavenger and an algae eater. Hobbyists like to keep it sufficient in iodine and nutrition, but at the same time do not to spoil the water since Crystal Red Shrimp is sensitive to nitrate. The foods commonly used are pre-made Crystal Red Shrimp food, spinach, bloodworm, seaweed, and algae wafer.

Sexing
Crystal Red Shrimp Females have a plump under belly, males are generally smaller than females

Breeding
They reach adulthood at approximately 5 to 6months. They breed in soft acidic water with temperature 26 degree celsius and below.

Crystal red shrimp maybe crossbreed with other bee shrimp as well as bumblebee shrimp and it can cross breed with tiger shrimp, which are also of the Caridina genus

Grading CRS

Grade S
3 white bands excluding tail, & solid red band signifies S Grade