Description
Taiwan Bees are among the most expensive and demanding shrimp in the hobby: solid, opaque colours — black in the King Kong, red in the Red Wine — selected from the same species as the Crystal Red. They are the next step after Crystals, not a starting point.
The demand is the water: soft, acidic and very stable, which in practice means remineralised RO water and an active substrate to hold the pH down. A sudden parameter change can kill a whole colony.
Like other shrimp, they are very sensitive to copper and to large water changes.
Habitat
The species lives in cool mountain streams of southern China, with soft, acidic water, leaf litter and rocks. Taiwan Bees are varieties selected on Taiwanese breeding farms, hence the name.
In the aquarium: active substrate, RO water remineralised for shrimp, moss, dried leaves and moderate temperature. Warmth above 25 °C shortens their lives.
Habitats
🌊 Water parameters
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 22–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 22–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 18–22 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 21–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 22–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 22–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 20–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.8–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.8–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 23–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 23–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5 and 18–24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
Sources
- GBIFGBIF Secretariat (2026). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei. Consultado vía GBIF.org, 2026-08. Caridina cantonensis.
Taxonomy verified as ACCEPTED unless stated otherwise.
'Taiwan Bee' is a colour variety obtained through breeding, not a taxon. GBIF recognises the species Caridina cantonensis; the variety has no entry of its own and never will.
The care values (pH, temperature and hardness) have no citable source: none of the accepted sources publishes invertebrate profiles. Seriously Fish has none and PlanetCatfish does not respond. A source for invertebrates is still to be agreed.