Taiwan Bee shrimp found in stores tend to lose their vibrant color quick, even when purchased. Within a month, you will likely notice that almost all of them has dissapears from the tank. Also know that Taiwan Bee shrimp are hybrid. This means they has both Tiger Shrimp and Crystal Red Shrimp genetics. Knowing this makes all the difference between success or failure with a colony.
As you can see by the chart above, this puts them somewhere along the genetic spectrum. Taiwan Bees is considered a separate classification from pure *Caridina cantonensis*. This means they breed differently and have different tolerance level. For instance, a pH of 6.5 might be fine for pure Red Crystal shrimp. That said, it’s too alkaline and maybe even too hard for these hybrids over time. They prefer a more acidic and softer environment. A stable pigment requires a pH between 5.8 and 6.5.
How to Keep Taiwan Bee Shrimp Happy
If you look through the guide book, it breaks down varieties in an order of pattern. On the lower end are some that offer forgiveness and affordability, such as Blue Bolts and Pandas. These varieties will be good if you’re just starting to learn to manage water. Moving upward on the chart, the varieties gets more complicated and expensive. For example, trying to breed a shadow in a shrimp like a Shadow Mosura or Shadow Panda is very difficult and these can run upwards of a hundred bucks per shrimp. The translucent body allow the darker pigments below to show through, so its appearance often depends off luck.
Water chemistry is where most hobbyists fail: They don’t pay attention to it. Tap water contains too many minerals and shouldn’t be used. You must use reverse osmosis water remineralized with a combination of Caridina salts to reach a total dissolved solids level of 80-130 ppm. To maintain a natural pH, active substrate will buffer the water for you. But you should of still watch for any shifts in it at least once per week. Regular water changes of about ten percent each week will ensure your parameters stay consistent and won’t shock the system. Shrimp are small creatures and don’t produce very much waste. However, they are fussy when it comes to changes. Consistency is more important than perfection.
Feed them carefully because the shrimps are biofilm feeders. So you have to be careful not to feed too much (i.e., pellets, algae wafer). Overfeeding causes clouded water and crash of cycle. Some mosses (e.g., Java Moss) grow densely and serve as an ideal place of refuge for baby shrimps. They hide in between the roots until they is big enough to live in the open water. Otherwise, adult shrimp would eat the babies, leaving the tank empty even if they successfully breed.
Certain genetic combinations are necessary for breeding Taiwan Bees. For instance, breeding a Black King Kong to a Blue Bolt will result in offspring called Shadow Blue. Mixing a Black King Kong and Red Wine results in a range of interesting patterns where both solid color genes and mottling texture combine. Some crosses increase the Mosura coverage, whereas other crosses diminish the pattern’s strength. You won’t have to guess since the guide points out popular crosses and their probable results.
Raising Taiwan Bee shrimp takes both precision and patience. They’re not just pretty; they’re live artwork that needs specific environmental conditions to thrive. So begin with Panda shrimp, the easier ones so you can dial-in your water parameters. Then move onto premium lines once you figure out how to create an environment that mimics nature: low hardness, acidic water, places to hide, etc. Not only will you have some beautiful shrimp, but more importantly, you’ll have mastered a delicate eco-system.
And there’s nothing better than seeing new babies poking through the roots of the moss. That quiet satisfaction of seeing a new batch of babies peek out from the moss roots is what keeps us coming back for more.