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Facts

Characteristics
Length
Up to 3 cm
Water values
Temperature
Tolerates18–26 °C
pH
Tolerates5.5–7.4
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Range
Seen here

Seen in the wild in China, Hong Kong SAR China, and Macao SAR China.

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More about the species

Description

Caridina cantonensis, the bee shrimp, is a species of small freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae. It is native to China, Hong King and possibly Vietnam. These shrimp are scavengers, and eat small pieces of decayed vegetation and algae. Bee shrimp have a life span of about 18 months. They enjoy a temperature in the 70 to 78 °F (21 to 26 °C) range. Many modern versions of bee shrimp are selectively bred for their characteristics. Bee shrimp are in demand as aquarium pets. In Taiwan and other areas with suitable climates shrimp farms have sprung up to supply Bee shrimp, although they are more difficult to farm than other shrimp because their health depends on being raised in soft water that matches the pH of their native streams.

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Articles

All articles
How to set up an Asian aquarium5 min read

Two aquariums from Southeast Asia: calm forest streams and peat swamps with soft, brown water, and fast mountain streams with cool, oxygen-rich water.

Shrimp and snails in the aquarium4 min read

Dwarf shrimp and snails that brighten up and tidy the tank: which are easy to start with, what they need from the water, and who they can live with.