Crystal Black Caridina Shrimp
Crystal black aquarium shrimp are stunning in color and pattern. They are the black mutation of the wild bee shrimp. Most hobbyists refer to crystal black shrimp as CBS. The CBS is an entry level freshwater shrimp for the Caridina genus. When a hobbyist is making the transition from Neocaridina to Caridina, the crystal black shrimp is a great option to start with. While crystal blacks require a lower PH, they can still live in condition that are slightly alkaline (PH above 7).
The grading scale for CBS is somewhat difficult to comprehend at first. Here are the grades in order of highest to lowest: SSS, SS, S, A, B and C. The higher the grade (SSS), the less black the shrimp will have. So, a C grade shrimp will be almost all black while an SSS grade shrimp will be almost completely white. The other way to grade the shrimp is by color and how solid the color is versus being transparent in color. Shrimp with poor color are usually culled (separated) from the colony.
Here are the tank conditions we keep our CBS at:
Tank Parameters
Ph: 6.6 to 6.9
Gh: 5 to 7
Kh: 0 to 2
TDS: 130 to 160
Temp: 68 to 74
Tank Equipment
Filter: Matten Filter
Substrate: Brightwell Rio Escuro or Cafe Soil, Fluval Shrimp Stratum
Water: RO/DI Water remineralized with Salty Shrimp Gh+ or Gh/Kh+
Decor: Malaysian Driftwood, Java Moss and Indian Almond Leaves
Crystal black aquarium shrimp are stunning in color and pattern. They are the black mutation of the wild bee shrimp. Most hobbyists refer to crystal black shrimp as CBS. The CBS is an entry level freshwater shrimp for the Caridina genus. When a hobbyist is making the transition from Neocaridina to Caridina, the crystal black shrimp is a great option to start with. While crystal blacks require a lower PH, they can still live in condition that are slightly alkaline (PH above 7).
The grading scale for CBS is somewhat difficult to comprehend at first. Here are the grades in order of highest to lowest: SSS, SS, S, A, B and C. The higher the grade (SSS), the less black the shrimp will have. So, a C grade shrimp will be almost all black while an SSS grade shrimp will be almost completely white. The other way to grade the shrimp is by color and how solid the color is versus being transparent in color. Shrimp with poor color are usually culled (separated) from the colony.
Here are the tank conditions we keep our CBS at:
Tank Parameters
Ph: 6.6 to 6.9
Gh: 5 to 7
Kh: 0 to 2
TDS: 130 to 160
Temp: 68 to 74
Tank Equipment
Filter: Matten Filter
Substrate: Brightwell Rio Escuro or Cafe Soil, Fluval Shrimp Stratum
Water: RO/DI Water remineralized with Salty Shrimp Gh+ or Gh/Kh+
Decor: Malaysian Driftwood, Java Moss and Indian Almond Leaves
Crystal black aquarium shrimp are stunning in color and pattern. They are the black mutation of the wild bee shrimp. Most hobbyists refer to crystal black shrimp as CBS. The CBS is an entry level freshwater shrimp for the Caridina genus. When a hobbyist is making the transition from Neocaridina to Caridina, the crystal black shrimp is a great option to start with. While crystal blacks require a lower PH, they can still live in condition that are slightly alkaline (PH above 7).
The grading scale for CBS is somewhat difficult to comprehend at first. Here are the grades in order of highest to lowest: SSS, SS, S, A, B and C. The higher the grade (SSS), the less black the shrimp will have. So, a C grade shrimp will be almost all black while an SSS grade shrimp will be almost completely white. The other way to grade the shrimp is by color and how solid the color is versus being transparent in color. Shrimp with poor color are usually culled (separated) from the colony.
Here are the tank conditions we keep our CBS at:
Tank Parameters
Ph: 6.6 to 6.9
Gh: 5 to 7
Kh: 0 to 2
TDS: 130 to 160
Temp: 68 to 74
Tank Equipment
Filter: Matten Filter
Substrate: Brightwell Rio Escuro or Cafe Soil, Fluval Shrimp Stratum
Water: RO/DI Water remineralized with Salty Shrimp Gh+ or Gh/Kh+
Decor: Malaysian Driftwood, Java Moss and Indian Almond Leaves