Red Wine Shrimp care guide
Red Wine Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis var. 'Red Wine') — minimum tank 40 L, temperature 22-25 °C, pH 5.8-6.5.
Overview
Red Wine Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis var. 'Red Wine') is a freshwater dwarf shrimp of the family Atyidae, listed in the Aquairi knowledge base as an expert-level species. It belongs to the selectively bred Caridina cantonensis bee-shrimp complex and requires soft, slightly acidic, low-TDS water. Deep wine-red Taiwan Bee, considered the red counterpart of BKK. Solid wine coloration with minimal white.
Taxonomy
- Family: Atyidae
- Genus: Caridina
- Scientific name: Caridina cantonensis var. 'Red Wine'
- Common synonyms: Red Wine, RW, Red King Kong
Habitat
The wild ancestor Caridina cantonensis is native to montane streams of southern China and Hong Kong, where it occupies soft, slightly acidic, well-oxygenated water above shaded leaf litter. Modern selectively bred lines such as Crystal, Taiwan Bee and Pinto descend from this ancestor and have been intensively inbred in Japan and Taiwan since the 1990s. The Aquairi knowledge base records this entry from: Taiwan (selectively bred).
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (10.6 US gal)
- Adult size: 2-3 cm
- Temperature: 22-25 °C (72-77 °F)
- pH: 5.8-6.5
- GH: 4-6 °dGH
- KH: 0-1 °dKH
- Lifespan: 1-2 years
Diet
A grazing detritivore. In the aquarium the shrimp continuously feeds on biofilm, soft algae, decaying plant matter and dropped food. A small daily ration of a shrimp-formulated sinking pellet, occasional blanched spinach or zucchini and rare protein wafers keep the colony in good condition without polluting the water.
Compatibility
Peaceful and best kept in a colony of ten or more in a stable, well-cycled, planted aquarium. Suitable tank mates listed in the Aquairi knowledge base: Otocinclus. Should be kept away from: Neocaridina, Crayfish.
Breeding
Reproduces in fresh water without a planktonic larval stage. Mature females develop ripe ovaries visible as a yellow or olive "saddle" on the back; after a successful moult they are fertilised by males and carry the fertilised eggs under the pleopods for roughly three to four weeks before juveniles hatch as miniature fully-formed shrimp. Stable parameters and absence of predation are the main success factors. Bee-shrimp colour lines are highly inbred and demand precisely controlled soft, acidic, low-TDS water for reliable breeding and pattern fidelity.