Two genera, dozens of named lines. Cherry, Blue Dream, Crystal Red Bee (CRS), Crystal Black Bee (CBS), Taiwan Bee morphs (King Kong, Panda, Wine Red, Black Pinto, Red Pinto, Blue Bolt), Mishling crosses. Care guides, breeding protocols, and live vendor inventory.
Crystal Red Bee, Crystal Black Bee, Taiwan Bee morphs (King Kong, Panda, Wine Red, Pinto, Blue Bolt), Mishling crosses. Soft acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5, GH 3-6). Premium grades $30-150 per shrimp.
Browse Caridina lines →The full Caridina + Neocaridina lineage map. Cherry grades (Sakura, Fire Red, Painted Fire Red), Blue Dream, Yellow, Green Jade, Black Rose. CRS S/SS/SSS grading. Taiwan Bee morphs.
Read the lineage guide →6-step breeding protocol. Tank parameters, food schedule, generation cycles, selective color intensification. Cherry shrimp breed in any tank that's stable - this guide gets you to a self-sustaining colony.
Read the breeding guide →Substrate, water chemistry, cycle, and stocking density for Caridina or Neocaridina colonies. ADA Amazonia for Caridina, inert substrate for Neocaridina. Sponge filter is non-negotiable.
Read the setup guide →What fits with cherry shrimp + Caridina in a 10-20 gallon planted tank. Compatible nano fish, plants, snails, cleanup crew. Shrimp-safe vs shrimp-eating species.
Read the stocking guide →Husbandry deep-dive: water parameters, food cycle, breeding cues, color genetics, common diseases, copper toxicity warnings, plant + substrate compatibility.
Read the husbandry guide →Neocaridina (Cherry, Blue Dream, Yellow, Green Jade) are forgiving of beginner mistakes. They tolerate pH 6.8-7.5, GH 6-12, normal-hardness tap water (with dechlorinator), and breed in almost any planted tank. Most beginners start here. $5-25 per shrimp.
Caridina (Crystal Red Bee, Crystal Black Bee, Taiwan Bee morphs) need soft acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5, GH 3-6) which usually means RO/DI water + active substrate (ADA Amazonia). They breed slower + are pricier ($25-150 per shrimp). Most collectors graduate from Neocaridina to Caridina once they've mastered the basics.
Don't mix Caridina and Neocaridina in the same tank. They don't interbreed (different genera) but the parameters required for each stress the other. Pick one species per tank.
Live Caridina + Neocaridina inventory from Fast Aquatics charter shrimp breeders. Climate-aware shipping, carrier-tracked Buyer Protection, 4-hour photo-evidence DOA window.
Recommendations on this page cross-checked against the following authoritative references and our internal vendor + breeder database.
Whatever specific topic brought you here, four fundamentals govern long-term aquarium success: water quality, parameter stability, biological filtration, and species-appropriate husbandry. Skip any one and the others struggle to compensate.
Water quality: ammonia + nitrite at zero, nitrate under 30 ppm freshwater + 10 ppm reef. Test weekly with API or Salifert kits. Use our water parameter checker to score your readings against your tank type.
Parameter stability: stable wrong parameters beat fluctuating ideal parameters. Most fish tolerate a wide pH range if it's stable. Sudden swings of 0.4+ pH or 5+°F kill fish faster than chronic suboptimal values. Use temperature controllers (Inkbird) + automated dosing for consistency.
Biological filtration: the bacterial colony on your filter media + rock + substrate is the engine. Never replace all media at once. Use our filter turnover calculator to size correctly.
Species-appropriate husbandry: research adult size, territoriality, diet, and tankmate compatibility before purchase. Use our tank stocking calculator + compatibility guides.
How long does an aquarium take to set up? 4-6 weeks for full cycling + first stocking. Use our cycle ETA calculator + how long does cycling take.
What's the best aquarium for beginners? 20-gallon long. Big enough for parameter stability, small enough for budget + space. See beginner picks.
How often should I do water changes? 25-30% weekly. See water change frequency Q&A + water change calculator.
Why does my fish keep dying? 5 leading causes: uncycled tank, wrong species pairings, no quarantine, undersized tank, neglected water-change schedule. See full diagnosis.
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