The Red Crystal Shrimp is a colorful freshwater shrimp that makes an attention-grabbing addition. But most aquarists reward this member of the Atyidae family for its voracious urge for food for freshwater algae of every kind. In this article, I am going to talk about Crystal Red Shrimp water parameters, care, grades, size, breeding, vs cherry shrimp, etc.
Red Crystal Shrimp profile
In addition, the Red Crystal Shrimp is each lovely – with mottled, vivid red colors – and peaceable, which makes it a great selection for any peaceable freshwater system.
The Red Crystal shrimp are divided or “graded” by the amount and depth of the white coloration on their bodies; the more white the shrimp have the higher they’re on the grading scale.
Crystal Red Shrimp Distribution
Native to the swamps and streams of Japan and Asia, the Red Crystal Shrimp requires a longtime freshwater aquarium or pond of a minimum of 10 gallons.
It wants loads of hiding locations, enough quantities of algae on which to feed, and a mature substrate. For the very best care, home the Red Crystal Shrimp with small peaceable fish or koi that won’t pose the specter of making a meal of them.
It prefers water that’s barely on the acidic aspect and can deal with a large range of water temperatures.
Description
Crystal Shrimp have a status of being tough to maintain or strictly for the skilled shrimp keeper.
This just isn’t true! As long because the water parameters are right (comfortable water with a PH of lower than 7) they’re vibrant additions to your tank which might be proving to be typically more resilient than the popular Cherry Shrimp.
Crystal Red Shrimp Characteristics
Crystal red shrimp is, without doubt, one of the most popular shrimp breeds that you’ll ever discover. It falls beneath the class of Bee shrimp and is a kind of dwarf shrimp as properly.
Likewise, cherry shrimp, the CRS has been additionally developed (by selective breeding) within the late ’90s and later braced by shrimp fans worldwide.
The discovery of CRS has an intriguing and considerably sudden story. It was found virtually unintentionally (fortuitously, it occurred).
Hisayasu Suzuki first noticed the crystal red shrimp amongst his Black Bee Shrimp in 1996. He discovered a vivid red color amongst his bee shrimp inhabitants and began creating it. Later, some shrimp fans additionally joined him, and at last, the extraordinary red and white striped got here into being.
As they improved the colors and bred the shrimp, it emerged into a brand new shrimp kind with a slight gene variation from the unique one.
Colors
There are three color variations of Crystal Shrimp: Red Bee, Black Bee, and Snowhite / Golden Bee. Unlike Neocaridina Shrimp you possibly can combine these colors in a single tank without ending up with wild-type shrimp. Purists wish to hold them aside to ensure pure strains, however for the frequent hobbyist they’ll make for a vibrant combine.
Grades
There are totally different grades in Crystal Shrimp (A-SSSS), these grades describe the markings and quantity of white on the body.
A-Grade shrimp have fairly a little bit of red, whereas the uncommon and more costly SSS and SSSS shrimp have little or no red and distinctive patterns (Crown, Flowerhead, Hinomaru, and so forth.).
In the final years, it has turn into more and more frequent to judge primarily on the depth of color (low, mid, and high grade).
If you will have any questions beforehand, do not hesitate to contact us- We are joyful to reply to any query and information you thru the process!
Tank Parameters for CRS (and RCS): Comparison
The CRS is extraordinarily delicate. Therefore, you need to know the right tank water parameters for the CRS.
The understanding of the water circumstances throughout the tank can even assist you to understand whether or not or not you possibly can hold the crystal red shrimp with cherry shrimp.
If the tank parameters for CRS meet with that of RCS, it’s easy. You can then hold each shrimp collectively. And if the water parameters don’t match, you possibly can’t hold them collectively.
Crystal Red Shrimp Diet
The Red Crystal Shrimp is an omnivore that consumes algae, detritus, and leftover meals. If inadequate meals are present, complement with top-quality flake meals or pellet.
Will browse on algae and biofilm. Supplement the diet with algae wafers, sinking pellets, crushed flake meals, small frozen meals reminiscent of daphnia, child brine shrimp, mini-bloodworm, and so forth., and likewise supply some vegetable matter reminiscent of blanched spinach or courgette.
It will be useful so as to add some dried Indian almond leaves (Terminalia catappa) to the aquarium as biofilm will type on these as they slowly rot, and this offers a great source of meals for the shrimps while serving to take care of a low pH within the aquarium.
Ideal water parameters
PH: 6.0-6.8
Temp: 19-23 C.
TDS: 80-180
Aquarium size
Both RCS and CRS are dwarf sized. Hence, a tank size of around 10 gallons of water capability is right for rearing a number of crystal red shrimps or cherry shrimps. Experts say that smaller tanks are higher since you possibly can preserve the tank rapidly then.
However, in relation to rearing each shrimp breeds collectively, you need a barely larger tank ranging between 7-12 gallons since every breed will search for its hiding and breeding place. A bigger aquarium is a staple of the shrimp colony.
Aquatic mosses
While cherry shrimp thrives in an aquarium with algae that produce microorganisms, red crystal shrimp loves the aquatic mosses.
The aquatic mosses are a great source of natural microorganisms. However, don’t anticipate the shrimp to eat the mosses immediately. They will as an alternative desire to eat the moss particles or residue and the algae that develop on it.
Crystal Red Shrimp Care
The lovely and popular Crystal Red Shrimp is an aquarium cultivated red type of the bee shrimp Caridina cantonensis. These shrimp are extremely social creatures that might be greatest maintained in massive colonies.
They are appropriate for mature aquariums containing communities of small, peaceable fish solely, as bigger tankmates will regard them as a snack.
Crystal Red Shrimp are wonderful algae eaters and can browse on many alternative algae sorts. Highly beneficial for planted aquaria, they won’t harm the crops, as an alternative they may feed on any lifeless leaves – and huge teams can even be useful in protecting the leaves of slower-growing species free from nuisance algae.
Tall crops appear to be significantly favored, and these shrimp can typically be seen climbing and ‘hanging around’ in plant cover close to the water’s floor.
Like most species of shrimp, an elevated nitrate level won’t be tolerated – guarantee high requirements of water high quality are maintained always, ideally with small partial water modifications carried out just a few instances per week.
Filtration must be efficient however light; at all times attempt to goal the output of the filter in the direction of the floor of the water to make sure that there’s enough level of oxygenation (one thing that may be all too simply ignored in gently filtered shrimp aquaria).
Crystal Red Shrimps will moult frequently while rising, and the sudden look of completely shaped shrimp casings on the ground of the aquarium could cause alarm to fishkeepers who haven’t seen this before.
The shrimps can generally be seen feeding on the casings – that is truly very nutritious for them, so don’t rush to siphon them from the substrate. Once the shrimp has moulted, it can stay hidden for a time till the brand new shell hardens and it has a bit more safety.
Be conscious that these shrimp don’t are likely to fare properly in water that’s over 26 deg C (79 deg F), and for best long time period health, laborious, alkaline circumstances are greatest averted.
A grading system has advanced over time to separate Crystal Red Shrimps with totally different intensities of color and size/variety of white patches – the higher grades commanding fairly astonishing value tags from some breeders.
Acclimatize these shrimps very fastidiously and slowly, both by drip acclimatization or utilizing a Maidenhead Aquatics Fintro.
Crystal Red Shrimps are thought-about considerably delicate and so they don’t seem to be beneficial for rookies. Be extraordinarily cautious if utilizing CO2 injection on planted aquaria containing these shrimps, as they won’t deal with swings in pH.
Many aquarists are tempted to combine Crystal Red Shrimps with Cherry Shrimps in the identical aquarium, however, this isn’t suggested as their temperature necessities are relatively totally different.
Although you’ll at all times hear of circumstances the place Crystal Red Shrimps have been saved in water with a higher pH or temperature, lifespan, total health, and breeding shall be severely diminished beneath such circumstances. May even be seen on sale as Red Crystal Bee Shrimp.
Crystal Red Shrimp Proper hiding area
Hiding is a vital prerequisite of shrimps’ aquarium management. Both cherry shrimp and crystal cherry shrimp loves hiding areas for a lot of causes. And while you rear each shrimp collectively, it turns into even more essential.
Yes, if each shrimp are uncovered within the open water, they may really feel threatened which may wreak havoc on their health. As you understand shrimp molts frequently and it’s part of their growth process. While they molt they need to cover for apparent causes.
So, you need to provide them ample hiding areas. You can use rocks, gravel, and aquarium crops to create such hiding areas. Alternatively, you should use Cholla wooden or driftwood to create a natural hiding area for the shrimp.
And when you like a mechanical process, we suggest you go for the ceramic shrimp tubes. An anxious shrimp will cover behind these areas once in a while and relax.
Limiting water current
No dwarf shrimp can reside fortunately beneath highly effective water present in a tank. They shall be most certainly to swept away by the sturdy present.
So, be sure that the present energy is appropriate for the CSR & RCS. It ought to create a delicate circulation within the tank however not sweep away the tank mates.
And lastly, you need to get a top-quality filtration system for the crystal red shrimp.
Crystal Red Shrimp Breeding
If there’s a female and male Red Crystal Shrimp in your aquarium they may most certainly breed and the feminine will carry the eggs beneath her tail. The newly born shrimp will appear like miniature adult shrimp and can eat the identical factor because of the adults.
If breeding the Red Crystal Shrimp, you will need to home the hatchlings in a separate aquarium by themselves since most different tank mates will eat the younger shrimp.
Crystal Red Shrimps typically breed freely within the house aquarium given optimum circumstances. Best outcomes happen when the water is barely comfortable and acidic, and when the temperature is maintained between 21-23 deg C (70-73 deg F).
Females should still carry eggs on the higher end of the popular temperature range, however, smaller numbers of younger are produced in comparison with shrimps residing in cooler waters. Colors additionally are usually more vibrant at decrease temperatures.
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The eggs are held beneath the feminine till hatching takes place (approx. 1 month), and shall be seen throughout the stomach. Unlike some species, the younger don’t undergo a larval stage and, are as an alternative, born as miniature replicas of the adult shrimp.
On hatching, the offspring shall be colored red and white similar to their parents, nevertheless, precise grading can’t be carried out till they develop additional with age, when the standard of options shall be simpler to find out. Many aquarists wish to cover the intakes of energy filters with high-quality sponges to stop the tiny children from being drawn in.
Introducing the Crystal Red Shrimp with Cherry Shrimp
If you introduce the CRS too rapidly with the RCS, it may be a shock to the previous one. So, you need to go slowly.
First, substitute the red crystal from the aquarium retailer bag to a big bowl. Keep the water from the aquarium retailer.
Wait for a couple of minutes in order that the shrimp get accustomed to house temperature. Then, ever so slowly substitute the shop water with the tank water.
Then wait for an additional 30 minutes. It helps the crystal red shrimp get used to the tank water higher.
Then, launch the RCS gently within the tank and observe the cherry shrimp behavior. Learn more about houndfish.