Parameters
pH: 5,5-6,5
KH: 0-2 (optimal 0-1)
TDS: 100-180 / EC: 200-300 micro siemens
Temperature: 20°-24°/ 68-77F
Minimum tank size: 30 L / 8 US gallons
Facts
Lifespan: 1-2 years, Origin: Southeast Asia, Adult size: 30mm/1.2 inch
Although a lesser known than the crystal red shrimp (CRS), the crystal black shrimp (CBS) is the original crystal shrimp. A less pigmented crystal black shrimp can be found living in rivers and streams of Southeast Asia. The CRS came from a colour mutation from the CBS, which only formed a full red strain after years of selective breeding.
Appearance
Crystal black shrimp have a transparent body that is tinted black, with white stripes running along the length of the shrimp. The intensity of the black and white colours can vary, with some shrimp having dark black and bright white stripes, while others may have more muted colours.
Care
The most important for any aquatic species in an aquarium is having a cycled aquarium. If you donât know what this is, you should read How to cycle a shrimp aquarium before continuing.Â
Even though shrimps have a low bioload it is still important to provide adequate filtration. Sponge filters are the most commonly used as a filter. Other options are a âhang-on-the-back’ filter and canister filters. These last ones can also be used if the filterâs inlet is protected from sucking up any (baby) shrimp. For C. cantonensis species an under-gravel filter (UGF) is also recently becoming a popular choice because it can help save soil costs. You can find out which filter best suits your needs here.
Water Parameters
Crystal black shrimp (CBS) are a tat bit tougher to keep than Neocaridina species because of their specific water parameters. Although there is a small overlap in parameters, it is more important to strive for stable conditions within the optimal/tolerable range.
Crystal shrimp need their water to be more acidic with a low GH (general hardness) and a very low, to no, KH (carbonate hardness). Generally these parameters are almost impossible to achieve with normal tap water, which is why you need to use reverse osmosis (RO) water. There are special remineralisers on the market, like Shrimp Kingâs bee salt GH+ and Salty Shrimpâs Bee shrimp mineral GH+, that are used to get the correct GH value. It is important to have a product that only increases the GH of the water, not the KH. Crystal red shrimp donât tolerate a lot of dissolved calcium and magnesium because it is harmful to their molting process. Therefore make sure you have the right product.Â
Given their preference for acidic water and need for a low KH it is crucial to have a buffering soil. This soil will take over this stabilising role and actively help with keeping the pH and KH low. But don’t forget to renew the substrate after some time in use.
Equally as important is the temperature. Since they come from river streams they prefer a bit colder water than most tropical species. They thrive well in water between 20°C and 24°C.Â
Itâs very important to keep your water parameters very stable!
Tank Size
Following their need for stable water parameters, itâs advised to go with a bigger aquarium so that the conditions as consistent as possible. As a result the minimum tank size for a group of crystal black shrimp is 30 L (8 gallons). The stocking density has been shown to be more optimal with 2-4 adult shrimp per 1 litre (0,26 gallons) of water.
Habitat
While these shrimp can breed and thrive in a bare substrate aquarium, it is always better to keep in mind their original habitat has several natural hiding spaces. Itâs important to remember that shrimp are still prey animals and can have higher stress levels if they cannot have access to hiding spaces.Â
When shrimp molt it takes a while for their new shell to harden, so they are very vulnerable and like to hide during this time. Thus a planted tank is preferred as the plants provide shelter, lots of surface area for biofilm to grow, and they also help with keeping the water parameters stable by absorbing some of the produced nitrates.
Diet
Crystal black shrimp are, like all Caridina shrimp, omnivores and will eat almost anything, including other dead shrimp or fish. They generally love to eat biofilm and algae which are naturally occurring in an aquarium. However, this isnât enough food, and needs to be supplemented for your colony to thrive. There are a lot of varieties of shrimp food on the market:Â
- Pellets
- Powder (bacterial)
- Snowflakes
- Leaves
- Blanched vegetables
Overall, it is important to provide a varied and nutritionally balanced diet to insure their health and well-being.Â
Tank Mates
Generally, anything that can live in the same water parameters can be a tank mate. But be careful if you want to breed with your shrimp. Some fish love to have a baby shrimp as a treat! A rule of thumb is that if a fishâs mouth is big enough to fit a baby shrimp (shrimplet) or even an adult shrimp, it will probably eat it.
Most fishesâ diet includes crustaceans and that means our beloved shrimp are part of their menu. But shrimp and fish can certainly be tank mates, if you choose small non-aggressive fish like Chili Rasbora, Ember tetra and Neon tetras. Also provide a lot of hiding spaces so your shrimps feel safe.
It is even possible to have Neocaridina shrimp in the same tank as your crystal red shrimp if they were born in the right water parameters.  Since they are completely different species they wonât interbreed. Keeping other Caridina cantonensis together with CBS will result in crossbreeds like Tibees.Â
Snails are a great addition to a shrimp tank as they will eat any leftover food, but be careful as some species will overpopulate if you overfeed!
Breeding
It is highly advisable to not keep any other fish in the aquarium if you want to breed. Other than keeping the water parameters stable your shrimps do not have any extra needs in order for them to breed.  It is best to start with a group of at the minimum 10 but preferably 20 or more, the bigger the starting group the lower the chances of inbreeding and genetic defects to occur. Equally important is having a good male-to-female ratio in your shrimp tank, the ideal ratio is 3 females for every male shrimp.
A berried shrimp (a female carrying fertilised eggs) will carry between 20 to 30 eggs that she will fan between her pleopods to provide them with fresh oxygenated water and keep them clean. After about 25-35 days the eggs will hatch, unlike the Amano shrimp, CRS donât have a larval stage. The baby shrimp, also called shrimplets, will look like a tiny copy of its parents.Â
