Care at a glance
Taiwan Bee line with gradient blue/white head-to-tail. Pricier and more sensitive than CRS. Active soil + RO + remineraliser is the standard setup.
By Mike ElmiraUpdated 1 min read
Part of our complete freshwater shrimp guide.
Shrimp
Blue Bolt Shrimp
Caridina cantonensis 'Blue Bolt'
Selectively bred (Taiwan Bee line)Advanced
TL;DR, Blue Bolt Shrimp
Taiwan Bee line with gradient blue/white head-to-tail. Pricier and more sensitive than CRS. Active soil + RO + remineraliser is the standard setup.
Blue Bolt Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis 'Blue Bolt') reaches 2.5–3 cm and needs a minimum tank of 30 L with a colony of 10+. Native to Selectively bred (Taiwan Bee line). Aim for 20–24 °C, pH 5.8–6.5, 3–6 dGH, and 100–150 ppm TDS. Lifespan: 1.5 years. Breeding: medium, soft, acidic, very stable water. Diet: omnivore / detritivore, Specialised caridina foods, biofilm, blanched spinach. Plant-safe: Yes. Tank-mates: Species-only.
- Colony10+
- Plant-safeYes
- Tank-mate safeSpecies-only
Hero photo by Marcus Hafermann · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikipedia
Tank fit
The parameters that decide whether blue bolt shrimp fits in your tank.
Parameters
15 °C20 °C25 °C30 °C
4.05.06.07.08.0
0 dGH5 dGH10 dGH15 dGH20 dGH25 dGH
035810
50 ppm150 ppm250 ppm350 ppm500 ppm
Still
Low
Medium
High
V. high
Profile
Colony minimum
10+
Diet
Omnivore / detritivore
Specialised caridina foods, biofilm, blanched spinach.
Clean-up crew
Solid
Breeding
Medium, soft, acidic, very stable water
Lifespan
1.5 yrs
Habitat
Bred from Caridina, wild kin in Chinese mountain streams
Selectively bred (Taiwan Bee line)
Who it lives with
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Good tank mates
Other Caridina (Taiwan Bee compatible). Will crossbreed.
Avoid
Same as CRS.
Pro tips
Hard-won lessons from the tank.
Taiwan Bee line is more fragile than CRS. Stability is paramount. Buy from a reputable breeder with photos of their colony — Asian wholesale Blue Bolts are often poorer genetic stock.
Things to watch for
What can go wrong and how to spot it.
Things to watch for
Failure modes, in order of how dramatic the fix is.
Health
Diseases
Same as CRS.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes
Mixing colour morphs (acceptable if you want experimentation, problematic if you want pure lines). Underestimating water parameter precision required.
How to care for it
The practical routine, read top to bottom.
Tank setup
Identical to CRS — active soil, RO + remineraliser, sponge filter, no fish.
Background
Where it comes from, how it behaves, and the variants you'll see at retail.
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In the wild
Where it lived before it came home.
Native rangeTaiwan
Origin · Selectively bred (Taiwan Bee line)
Taiwan Bee selective breeding line from C. cantonensis.
Behavior & breeding
How they pair, reproduce, and grow.
- Stage 1
Telling them apart Sexing
Same as all Caridina.
- Stage 2
Molting cycle Molting
Same as CRS — sensitive.
- Stage 3
Life stages Lifecycle
Direct freshwater development.
Variants & identification
The named cultivars and the lookalikes worth flagging.
Color grades / variants
Pure Blue Bolt: white head, gradient blue body. Variants include 'Blue Bolt White Stripe' and 'King Kong Blue Bolt'.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
What tank size do Blue Bolt Shrimp need?
Minimum tank: 30 L with a colony of 10+. Blue Bolt Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis 'Blue Bolt') reach 2.5–3 cm as adults.
What water parameters do Blue Bolt Shrimp need?
Target 20–24 °C, pH 5.8–6.5, 3–6 dGH, and 100–150 ppm TDS. Mature, cycled, low-nitrate water is non-negotiable.
Are Blue Bolt Shrimp safe with fish?
Tank-mate notes: Species-only. Plant safety: Yes.
How do Blue Bolt Shrimp breed?
Breeding: Medium, soft, acidic, very stable water. In a stable colony of 10+ adults you will see berried females naturally once parameters and food are right.
What do Blue Bolt Shrimp eat?
Diet: omnivore / detritivore, Specialised caridina foods, biofilm, blanched spinach. Algae-eating rating: 3/5.
How long do Blue Bolt Shrimp live?
Typical lifespan: 1.5 years.
Sources & further reading
More shrimp
See all shrimpAdjacent specimens in the catalogue.
Cross-references
Build the rest of the tank.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this shrimp with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
