Caridina cantonensis 'CRS'
Premium 'caridina' shrimp. Active soil (ADA Amazonia, UNS Controsoil) lowers pH and is effectively required. RO water + remineraliser is standard.
Crystal Red Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis 'CRS') reaches 2.5–3 cm and needs a minimum tank of 30 L with a colony of 10+. Native to Selectively bred from Hong Kong wild stock. Aim for 20–24 °C, pH 5.8–6.8, 3–6 dGH, and 100–160 ppm TDS. Lifespan: 1.5 years. Breeding: medium, requires stable soft, acidic water. Diet: omnivore / detritivore, Specialised CRS foods (Shirakura, Mosura), biofilm, blanched spinach. Plant-safe: Yes. Tank-mates: Species-only or with otocinclus only.
Care at a glance
Premium 'caridina' shrimp. Active soil (ADA Amazonia, UNS Controsoil) lowers pH and is effectively required. RO water + remineraliser is standard.
Updated 2 min read
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Hero photo by Christophe cagé · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikipedia
The parameters that decide whether crystal red shrimp fits in your tank.
10+
Omnivore / detritivore
Specialised CRS foods (Shirakura, Mosura), biofilm, blanched spinach.
Medium, requires stable soft, acidic water
1.5 yrs
Bred from Bee shrimp, wild kin in southern Chinese streams
Selectively bred from Hong Kong wild stock
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
None recommended. Otocinclus possible with caution. Other Caridina colour morphs (will crossbreed but compatible).
All fish bigger than otos. Neocaridina (parameter mismatch — they want harder water).
Weighing it against something similar? Compare Crystal Red Shrimp head to head:
Hard-won lessons from the tank.
Stability is everything. A 'perfect' parameter list isn't as important as keeping that perfect list IDENTICAL for years. Top off with RO + remineralised water only — never raw tap. Use TDS pen and KH/GH test kit weekly. Buy 10+ from one breeder to start your colony — genetics matter.
What can go wrong and how to spot it.
Failure modes, in order of how dramatic the fix is.
More fragile than Neocaridina. Susceptible to bacterial infections during parameter changes. Quality of source colony matters enormously — buy from breeders, not chains.
1) Mixing CRS with Neocaridina — different water needs. 2) Using regular gravel instead of active soil. 3) Topping off with tap water. 4) Buying mixed-grade colonies and being disappointed when shrimplets are random.
The practical routine, read top to bottom.
30 L+ DEDICATED to CRS. Active soil substrate (ADA Amazonia, UNS Controsoil, Akadama) — non-negotiable, the soil buffers pH down to 5.8–6.5. RO water + remineraliser (Salty Shrimp GH+). Sponge filter only. Stable temp 21–24 °C. NO fish.
Where it comes from, how it behaves, and the variants you'll see at retail.
Where it lived before it came home.
See where the Crystal Red Shrimp and every other species comes from on the species world map.
Selectively bred from C. cantonensis (Hong Kong region) — the CRS strain is purely a captive creation, no wild equivalent.
How they pair, reproduce, and grow.
Same as Neocaridina — females larger, saddle visible, curved underside. Patterns may differ slightly between sexes but grading applies equally.
Every 4–6 weeks. Sensitive to KH/GH shifts — failed molts more common than in Neocaridina.
Females carry 20–30 eggs for ~30 days. Same direct-development pattern as Neocaridina. Mature at 3 months.
The named cultivars and the lookalikes worth flagging.
Lowest to highest by white-to-red ratio and pattern crispness: C → B (most common, 'V' band) → A (more white, hinomaru spot) → S (full white head, red body bands) → S+ → SS → SSS (mostly white, crisp red marks). Higher grades exponentially more expensive.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
Minimum tank: 30 L with a colony of 10+. Crystal Red Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis 'CRS') reach 2.5–3 cm as adults.
Target 20–24 °C, pH 5.8–6.8, 3–6 dGH, and 100–160 ppm TDS. Mature, cycled, low-nitrate water is non-negotiable.
Tank-mate notes: Species-only or with otocinclus only. Plant safety: Yes.
Breeding: Medium, requires stable soft, acidic water. In a stable colony of 10+ adults you will see berried females naturally once parameters and food are right.
Diet: omnivore / detritivore, Specialised CRS foods (Shirakura, Mosura), biofilm, blanched spinach. Algae-eating rating: 3/5.
Typical lifespan: 1.5 years.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this shrimp with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
