Crystal Red Shrimp are some of the most sought-after freshwater shrimp in the aquarium hobby today. Their vibrant red coloration and peaceful nature have made them extremely popular for nano tanks and planted aquariums. But keeping these delicate shrimp healthy and thriving takes some specialized care and equipment. This ultimate guide will teach you everything you need to know about setting up a habitat for Crystal Red Shrimp, breeding them successfully, and keeping them free of disease.
Introduction
What are Crystal Red Shrimp?
Crystal Red Shrimp, often abbreviated as CRS, are a color variant of the Bee Shrimp species complex that originated in Asia. Selective breeding has intensified their bright red coloration, especially on their translucent white bodies. The vibrant red stripes on their bodies and fans make them stand out dramatically in planted aquariums. Their scientific name is Caridina cantonensis sp. “Crystal Red”.
Why are they so popular?
Crystal Red Shrimp have become extremely popular in the freshwater shrimp keeping hobby for several reasons:
- Their bright coloration makes them eye-catching and beautiful additions to planted aquarium tanks. The contrast of the red stripes over their clear white bodies is very unique and appealing.
- They stay small, growing to around 1.5 inches at maturity, so they can be kept in nano aquariums as few as 5 gallons.
- They are generally peaceful and can be kept in community tanks with small fish or other shrimp species. They won’t bother most tankmates.
- They are industrious algae eaters and will help keep tank surfaces free of algae or detritus.
- With proper water conditions, they readily breed frequently to produce offspring. Shrimp keeping enthusiasts enjoy breeding CRS to create high-grade red color variations.
What are the benefits of keeping them?
Some key benefits of keeping Crystal Red Shrimp are:
- Their bright colors and small sizes make them interesting focal points for small planted aquariums or shrimp-only breeding tanks.
- They help clean aquarium surfaces by grazing on algae and cleaning up excess fish food or debris.
- Breeding CRS and working to intensify their red colors through selective breeding can be a rewarding challenge for the experienced shrimp keeper.
- They are generally very hardy once acclimated to your tank’s water parameters. Crystal Red Shrimp can live 1-2 years with proper care.
Setting up a Crystal Red Shrimp Tank
Caring for Crystal Red Shrimp requires some specialized equipment and water parameters to keep them healthy. Here’s a guide to setting up the optimal CRS habitat:
What size tank do you need?
- A 5 gallon tank is sufficient for a small colony of around 10 Crystal Red Shrimp. This allows room for them to move around and adequate filtration.
- 10-20 gallon tanks are ideal for larger colonies of 20-30 shrimp. This gives them more grazing area and room to hide.
- heavily planted nano aquariums are perfect for showcasing their bright colors. Ensure the plants are shrimp-safe with no sharp edges that could damage their delicate exoskeletons and legs.
What kind of filter and substrate should you use?
- Sponge filters are ideal as they provide gentle water flow and surfaces for beneficial bacteria without sucking up baby shrimp. Avoid powerful HOB filters.
- ADA AquaSoil or Fluval Stratum shrimp substrates help buffer the water and provide food for grazing. Sand is also fine.
- Substrate should be at least 1 inch deep to allow plants to root and shrimp to sift. Slope substrate from back to front for interest.
- Add plenty of mosses, ferns, anubias, and aquatic plants to help naturally filter the water and give ample grazing surfaces.
What are the ideal water parameters?
Crystal Red Shrimp require the following ideal water parameters for their health and breeding:
- Temperature between 68-75°F but aim for the lower end closer to 70°F. Use a submersible heater.
- pH between 6.2-6.8, ideally around 6.5. This acidic pH helps keep their exoskeletons hardened. Use RO or distilled water.
- GH 4-8 dGH. Their shells require some mineral content that GH provides. Use a GH+ mineral supplement if needed.
- KH 0-3 dKH. Low KH helps keep pH stable in the ideal acidic range.
- TDS less than 200ppm. This indicates clean, mineral-rich water.
- Substrate and plenty of plants help naturally achieve these soft, acidic water parameters. RO water, driftwood, alder cones, and Indian almond leaves can lower pH.
Feeding Crystal Red Shrimp
Providing a varied diet is essential to keeping Crystal Red Shrimp vibrantly colored and actively breeding. Here are some feeding tips:
What do they eat?
Crystal Red Shrimp are omnivores and scavengers that will eat:
- Biofilm, algae, and microorganisms that coat surfaces in the tank
- Aufwuchs – the mix of tiny plants, animals, fungi and bacteria that grow on plant leaves, wood, and rocks.
- Detritus and loose bits of plant matter
- Micro pellet foods and calcium-rich powdered shrimp foods
- Bacter AE and Shrimp Baby powdered foods provide microorganisms and protein
- Blanched vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, spinach
- Natural foods like alder cones, Indian almond leaves, bamboo shoot
How often should you feed them?
- Feed CRS once per day, in the evening. This allows time for them to graze on biofilm and aufwuchs during daylight hours.
- Remove any uneaten food after a few hours to prevent spoilage and water fouling.
- Supplement natural grazing with micro foods 1-2 times per week. Overfeeding can pollute the clean water CRS need.
What are the best foods to feed them?
- Bacter AE is an excellent powdered food that supplies microorganisms, protein, and biofilm to graze on continuously.
- Shrimp Baby micro powder helps strengthen shells and provides nutrition for growing baby shrimp.
- Grinding up a high-quality shrimp pellet into a fine powder provides balanced nutrition.
- Blanched organic zucchini, cucumber, and spinach are fiber-rich treats. Weight the vegetables down in the tank so they don’t float away.
- Indian almond leaves release tannins and microparticles as they slowly breakdown. This helps shrimp digestion and water quality.
Breeding Crystal Red Shrimp
One of the most rewarding parts of shrimp keeping is breeding your colony selectively to intensify their colors. Here is how to successfully breed vibrantly colored Crystal Red Shrimp:
How to sex Crystal Red Shrimp
- Females are usually larger and have a rounded saddle (egg carrying area under the tail).
- Males are smaller with a slim, v-shaped underside.
- Females have a curved line starting between their eyes while males have a straight line.
- Experienced shrimp keepers look for the diameter of these lines between the eyes to determine sex, but it can be tricky.
How to set up a breeding tank
Optimizing water conditions encourages mating and breeding:
- Soften water to 6 dGH or less. This triggers molting which leads to breeding.
- Lower pH slightly to 6.2-6.4. Acidic water promotes breeding.
- Keep water cool, around 68°F. Warmer temperatures speed up their metabolism which can prevent breeding.
- Feed a mix of natural biofilms and powdered shrimp foods to fuel breeding.
- Add moss, leaves, wood, and other natural grazing areas to stimulate breeding activity.
How to care for baby Crystal Red Shrimp
- Newborn CRS babies are tiny glass-like versions of the adults. They hide cleverly in the moss and plants.
- Leave babies in the breeding tank for 4-6 weeks until they grow larger. Moving them too soon can risk their survival.
- Powdered shrimp foods provide important nourishment for developing babies. Feed conservatively to avoid fouling the water.
- Java moss, sponge filters, and fine mesh screens prevent babies from getting sucked into filters where they can perish.
- Perform small, frequent water changes of 10-20% to keep the breeding tank clean while babies grow. Avoid disrupting them.
Common Diseases and Treatments
Even with pristine tank conditions, Crystal Red Shrimp can occasionally suffer diseases and health issues. Here are some common ailments and how to treat them:
What are the most common diseases that Crystal Red Shrimp can contract?
Some potential health issues to watch for include:
- Vorticella – a parasite that looks like small white dots riding on their exoskeletons and fans. It can spread between shrimp and block breathing.
- Muscular Necrosis – bacteria that causes white milky bands inside their muscles and eventually death.
- Failed Molts – shrimp having trouble fully emerging from their molted exoskeletons. This leaves them exposed and can lead to death.
- Bacterial Infections -opacity or red streaks inside their normally transparent flesh, lethargy.
- Planaria – microscopic flatworms that harm baby shrimp but are visible on tank glass as tiny white worms.
How do you treat these diseases?
If diseases are observed, here are potential treatment methods:
- Remove any infected shrimp immediately to a quarantine tank to prevent spreading.
- Increase water changes to every other day and siphon the substrate to remove waste and parasites.
- Raise temperatures up to 76°F to speed up their metabolism and molting which can eliminate parasites.
- Treat the whole tank with shrimp-safe medications like Paraguard to kill off pathogens without harming biofilters.
- Use copper-free Ich and parasite treatments like Fritz Paracleanse to kill parasites at half doses. Copper is toxic to shrimp.
- Remove Planaria with traps or shrimp-safe treatments like No Planaria. Manual removal also helps.
Conclusion
Keeping colonies of vibrantly colored and actively breeding Crystal Red Shrimp can be an incredibly rewarding aspect of the freshwater shrimp aquarium hobby. By following this guide on properly setting up their tank habitat, feeding them a varied diet, breeding selectively, and acting quickly against any diseases, you will be rewarded with stunning shrimp that stand out in any planted aquarium you put them in. Some key tips to remember include:
- Maintain pristine, soft, acidic water conditions around pH 6.5, and supplement minerals to help their molting and breeding.
- Provide plenty of natural grazing materials like mosses and Indian almond leaves. Supplement with protein-rich powdered foods.
- Use sponge filters, fine screens, and lower water flow to protect delicate baby shrimp.
- Isolate and treat any shrimp showing signs of disease immediately to prevent it spreading through the colony.
With the proper care outlined here, your colony of Crystal Red Shrimp will thrive for years to come, rewarding you with their vibrant colors and constant activity. Their breeding will allow you to continually improve their hues. Share your shrimp keeping knowledge with others joining the hobby so the unique beauty of CRS can continue to shine in home aquariums worldwide.
