Blue Bolt Shrimp
Caridina cantonensis
Min Tank Size
30L
Adult Size
3 cm
Lifespan
2 years
School Size
6+
About
Blue Bolt Shrimp are among the most visually striking invertebrates you can keep in freshwater. Part of the Taiwan Bee lineage developed from selectively bred Caridina cantonensis, they display deep, rich blue coloration across the body with a contrasting white head and saddle area. The intensity of that blue is something photos rarely do justice, especially under the right lighting on a dark substrate.
Getting that look in your tank, though, is earned. These shrimp are unforgiving about water chemistry. 8 range. Most keepers use RO water remineralized with a Caridina-specific product to hit a GH of 4 or below. Any drift upward in hardness or pH and you'll start losing shrimp without obvious cause. Temperature matters too. They struggle above 24 degrees Celsius and prolonged warmth tanks their immune systems fast.
A species-only setup or a carefully chosen invertebrate community is the way to go. They're completely peaceful, spending their days grazing biofilm off hardscape, foraging through moss, and occasionally picking at a leaf litter piece on the substrate. Feed sparingly with quality shrimp-specific foods and let biofilm do a lot of the heavy lifting.
If you get the water dialed in, they breed reliably and colonies grow steadily over time. Browse real tank builds featuring Blue Bolts to see how other keepers are aquascaping for them.
Water Parameters
Temperature
°CpH
GH
dGHKH
dKHSwimming Level
Flow Preference
Keeping multiple Blue Bolt Shrimp together
Best kept species-only or with other Taiwan Bee variants; nearly all tankmates threaten juveniles or require incompatible water.
Compatibility
Blue Bolts should be kept in a species-only tank or with other Caridina variants that share identical water requirements. Mixing with Neocaridina shrimp is problematic because the two genera need very different water parameters and crossbreeding produces undesirable hybrids. Most fish, even small ones like ember tetras or celestial pearl danios, will pick off juvenile shrimp and small adults. Snails like nerites and ramshorns coexist fine and don't compete for food meaningfully. If you want a community feel, other Taiwan Bee variants such as Shadow Pandas or King Kongs with matching water needs are the safest route.
Commonly kept with
Species this one is most often paired withCommonly tried but avoid
Often paired, but shouldn't beCare Notes
The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to keep Blue Bolts out of the tap, even soft tap water. RO water remineralized to Caridina parameters is essentially non-negotiable. Second is rushing acclimation during water changes, which spikes stress and kills shrimp within days. Many beginners also overfeed, which crashes water quality fast in a small tank. Mature, established tanks with stable parameters and healthy biofilm coverage give these shrimp their best shot. Patience with cycling and a reliable TDS meter are your two best tools.
Behavior & Aggression
Blue Bolts are completely non-aggressive. There are no territorial disputes, no fin nipping, no resource guarding worth mentioning. Males will chase females during breeding activity, which can look frantic but is entirely harmless. Juveniles and adults coexist without issue. The only real concern is that they themselves are extremely vulnerable to predation by fish, so aggression flows one way in a mixed tank, not from the shrimp.
Things to Know
- Extremely sensitive to water parameter swings, acclimate very slowly.
- Do not house with fish, most species will predate on them.
- Only breed in very soft, acidic water, hard tap water is lethal.
- Cross-breeding with other Taiwan Bee variants will dilute coloration.
- Never use copper-based medications or fertilizers in their tank.
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