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InvertebrateFreshwaterHard

Curated catalog

Crystal Red Shrimp (CRS)

Caridina cantonensis var. Red

The *Caridina cantonensis var. Red* (CRS) is the crown jewel of advanced shrimp keeping, famous for its bright red and intense chalk white bands. Unlike the hardy Neocaridina, CRS are extremely fragile and intolerant of errors. They cannot be kept in tap water: they require remineralized RO water, active soil to keep the water acidic (pH 5.5-6.5), and KH at zero. They need cool temperatures (never above 24°C). Breeding them successfully is a rite of passage for expert aquarists.

Family
Atyidae
Origin
Mutazione spontanea (selezionata in Giappone negli anni '90) della Caridina cantonensis selvatica (Bee Shrimp) proveniente dai torrenti freschi e acidi della Cina meridionale.
Tank use
Used in 0 tanks
Temperature

18 °C - 24 °C

pH

5.5 - 6.5

Water type

Freshwater

Ecological role

Pascolatore di biofilm e microalghe

Copper

Estrema (Mortalità fulminea al 100%)

Description

The Summer Apocalypse and the Deaf Immune Collapse (The Thermal Condemnation of the Futile Boiled):

*Caridina cantonensis* comes from cool, shaded mountain streams. TEMPERATURE is your mortal enemy. Above 24°C, dissolved oxygen plummets and the shrimp's immune system shuts down. At 26-28°C, normally harmless bacteria take over, decimating the colony in a few days. In summer, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CHILLER or powerful fans, give up from the start. Even thermal shocks (e.g. cold water changes in a warm tank) will force premature molts, leading to certain death.

Care and observations

The Lethal Deception of Tap Water (The Deadly Molt and the Blind Futile Stone Shell):

NEVER try to keep CRS in tap water. If the KH is greater than 1 and the pH is basic, the shrimp will inevitably die within a few weeks. Water that is too hard (high GH) will make its carapace so hard that, at the moment of molting, the shrimp will be trapped inside, dying of exhaustion and suffocation. The MANDATORY SETUP is: Reverse Osmosis Water + specific GH+ salts (without KH) + Active Soil. Without this trident, you are just throwing money away and killing animals.

Invertebrate profile

Type
Gamberetto Nano Avanzato (Acqua Tenera)
Diet
Onnivoro specializzato / Detritivoro / Biofilm e mangimi specifici
Ecological role
Pascolatore di biofilm e microalghe
Minimum group
10
Adult size
2.5 cm
GH
4 dGH - 6 dGH
KH
0 dKH - 1 dKH
TDS
100 ppm - 150 ppm
Copper
Estrema (Mortalità fulminea al 100%)
Shock sensitivity
Estrema (Sensibilissime agli sbalzi termici, osmotici e di pH)
Calcium and minerals
Medio-Alto (Sali specifici GH+ necessari per garantire il calcio senza alzare il KH)
Molting
La muta è il momento più critico. Acqua con TDS > 200 o GH > 8 rende il carapace troppo duro da rompere, causando la morte durante la muta.
Reproduction
Si riproducono solo se i parametri sono perfetti e stabili. Le femmine incubano le uova per 30 giorni. I piccoli nascono già completamente formati (no stadio larvale).
Compatibility
Da allevare esclusivamente in un acquario monospecifico (solo caridine). Qualsiasi pesce, anche i minuscoli rasbora, prederà i cuccioli. Le lumache inoffensive (Ramshorn) sono ottimi compagni di vasca.

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.