# IDEAL crystal red setup?



## iris600 (Feb 12, 2004)

If you were starting a tank just for breeding CRS, what would your ideal water parameters (gh, kh, etc)/filtration setup/temperate be? I'm assuming temperature about 72-76, Ph between 6.5 and 7.5, sponge filter, mosses....???


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

from www.petshrimp.com

Common Name:
Crystal Red Shrimp

Scientific Name:
Caridina sp. "Crystal Red" (belongs to the Caridina serrata species complex)

Size:
2.5-3.5cm

Temperature:
70°F-78°F is best, will not tolerate temperatures that are too high.

Water Parameters:
Needs soft, acidic water to feel well and breed. Can survive for a while in slightly alkaline water, but usually no offspring survive after hatching. Adults seem to be shorter lived in alkaline water, too.

Food:
Algae, Spirulina wafers/pellets, even flake food

Origin:
Japan (although the wild form is from southern China)

Larval Development Type:
Completely Suppressed: Larvae assume a benthic lifestyle after hatching, i.e. they are miniature versions of the adults. There is no planktonic larval stage.



> The Crystal Red Shrimp is a red color variation of the bee shrimp from China and Hong Kong. It was selectively bred from the bee shrimp (and NOT from the Bumblebee shrimp as some erroneously claim) in Japan. It gained huge popularity in Japan and Germany due to its nice colors and excellent algae eating habits. Their colors stay red and white permanently and even young Crystal Red Shrimp (even hatchlings) already show this beautiful coloration. There are several color variations of this shrimp in Japan. There are shrimp with mostly red bodies and thin white stripes (most common), shrimp with wider white stripes, and shrimp with very wide solid white stripes (most sought after). Recently a Japanese breeder has been producing shrimp that are almost solid white from tail to mid-body and show some red in the front. Quite a bit of variation can even occur among siblings as the photos above show. Both shrimp are from the same hatch and still show differences in coloration.
> 
> According to some sources the Crystal Red Shrimp is more sensitive and harder to keep and breed than its wild form the bee shrimp. Others seem to have no problems breeding them. This shrimp thrives in soft, acidic to neutral water and reproduction can decrease significantly in harder and more basic water.
> 
> ...


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## vinnymac (May 4, 2005)

Here's a thread I posted:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp/25115-crystal-red-shrimp-information-care-breeding.html


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## iris600 (Feb 12, 2004)

Thanks so much! I have four, one was lost in shipping, that I recieved over a week ago. They are doing well for me in my water, with plenty of plants, driftwood, and a well-aged/cycled sponge filter.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

iris600 said:


> Thanks so much! I have four, one was lost in shipping, that I recieved over a week ago. They are doing well for me in my water, with plenty of plants, driftwood, and a well-aged/cycled sponge filter.


What grade are they?


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## iris600 (Feb 12, 2004)

They are all juveniles, too young to really tell. I can tell one is definitely lower grade, but I also have one with very nice white stripes. I should ask the person I purchased these from.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

vinnymac said:


> Here's a thread I posted:
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp/25115-crystal-red-shrimp-information-care-breeding.html


He always makes good informative threads about breeding and care. He also has one about Cherries that he should post here so we can make it a sticky. arty:


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

I would like to see vinnymac more involved over here as well...his article on crystal reds is very good and the cherry red shrimp as well. He has been able to breed CRS in ph higher than 7 without problems. Most places tell you that ph should be lower than 7.

I would maintain the temp in your tank at most 73F.

Cheers and good luck,

Pedro


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## vinnymac (May 4, 2005)

milalic said:


> I would like to see vinnymac more involved over here as well...his article on crystal reds is very good and the cherry red shrimp as well. He has been able to breed CRS in ph higher than 7 without problems. Most places tell you that ph should be lower than 7.
> 
> I would maintain the temp in your tank at most 73F.
> 
> ...


I'd like to get more involved on this forum as well, but it's difficult for me to keep up with all the messages. I'm also really active with a few other hobbies including cars so my time spent on forums is probably a little more than my wife would like. 

Keep in mind you will find a lot of different success factors when it comes to raising and breeding animals. A lot of the information I started out with was from Asian CRS breeders and they tend to use slightly different methods.

Pedro is correct. I've had success breeding CRS in moderately alkaline water. My PH is usually right around 7.4 in my CRS tank. CRS are delicate inverts but they are more adaptable than people realize. I imported CRS from Singapore and they adapted quite well to my water conditions after a few weeks.

Let me know if you guys have any questions. Cheers.


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## iris600 (Feb 12, 2004)

Yes, what do you do differently to aid breeding in 7.4 water? My ph is 7.0 to 7.4 out of the tap, with high gh/kh, but I do use a small amount of Co2 injection to down the PH. The shrimp have adjusted well to the water thus far, but I'm hoping they will still breed.
Any tips?
What do you consider the key points to successfully breed CRS?


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## vinnymac (May 4, 2005)

iris600 said:


> Yes, what do you do differently to aid breeding in 7.4 water? My ph is 7.0 to 7.4 out of the tap, with high gh/kh, but I do use a small amount of Co2 injection to down the PH. The shrimp have adjusted well to the water thus far, but I'm hoping they will still breed.
> Any tips?
> What do you consider the key points to successfully breed CRS?


Based on my experience...one of the key success factors for breeding CRS is temperature. I would suggest a temp of 73F...and not higher than 75F.


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