Black and white bee shrimp / Black Bee K4/K6 - Caridina logemanni

The beautiful black and white striped bee shr imp with the often striking orange tail fan is, along with the amano shrimp, one of the first ornamental shrimp to appear in the hobby. The pretty animals are very popular in the hobby. For a very long time the species was not described, because no locality was known, and the animals were listed as Caridina cf. cantonensis. Only a few years ago the habitat was discovered in southern China, and in 2014 the bee shrimp was then scientifically described as a new species. It was given the name Caridina logemanni. Grade K4 designates bee shrimp with four even bands, and grade K6 represents bee shrimp in which the last dark band on the abdomen either tapers downward into a V-shape (V-band) or tapers out into two points (Tiger Tooth).

In nature, bee shrimp live in very soft, cool, clean and oxygen-rich water, and also in the hobby it has been found that although the animals can be kept in harder tap water for some time, they hardly reproduce there. As soft water shr imp, they prefer a very low carbonate hardness, which comes out of the tap only in a few areas. The bee shrimp husbandry has been revolutionized by the development of a special Hardening saltthe use of active soils, such as salt water or demineralized water, has also revolutionized the keeping of bee shrimp. The use of active soils, which keep the water values in a range favorable for bee shrimp, has also proven successful with many keepers, although neutral substrate such as gravel can of course also be used. Only the soil should definitely not harden up, because the bee shrimp prefers very soft water.

The bee shrimp needs very clean water, so do not overfeed and change water regularly about 10 to 30% per week. Especially in summer you should make sure that the temperatures in the aquarium do not exceed 25 °C. This way the animals are much less susceptible. This way the animals are much less susceptible to diseases and moulting problems, and the reproduction rate is much higher.

If the external conditions are good, the breeding of the bee shrimp is quite easy. The female carries 20 to 40 eggs under her abdomen, and after three to four weeks of brood care, ready young shrimp hatch, which do not have to go through a larval stage. The juveniles are very sedentary at the beginning and should therefore be fed a good Dust food fed so that they can find food where they are. Since many black bee shrimp have latent red genes, red bee shrimp (Crystal Red) can always appear in the offspring. This is not a big deal, because even when mixed, no unattractive transparent animals will appear, but only dark or red striped bee shrimp.

Bee shrimp are not very picky when it comes to food. As omnivores and recyclers, they will gratefully take brown autumn leaves, for example, which can be left in the aquarium as it is a good permanent food that has no negative effect on water values. Giving a special protein food twice a week has proven to be effective. Otherwise, bee shrimp should be fed mainly with food of vegetable origin.

Bee shrimp grow to a maximum of three centimeters in size, with females growing slightly larger than males. The males are generally somewhat slimmer, while the females have belly pouches that extend far downward, giving them a plumper appearance. The animals are mostly peaceful and can be socialized well with other shrimps, provided the demands on the water values are roughly comparable. Bee shrimp can also be kept together with crayfish, snails and mussels as well as small, peaceful fish, although even the most peaceful fish will eat a small baby shrimp now and then. So, due to their somewhat lower reproduction rates, you should think twice before treating them to a shrimp-only tank.

Our food recommendation: NatureHolic's soft Mainfeed Softpads are designed for daily feeding. They contain all the nutrients shrimp need for shell development, egg formation and growth. During the production we pay attention to a gentle and environmentally friendly production, in which the vitamins and other valuable ingredients are preserved as far as possible.

Our plant recommendation: Use for the planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planaria and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.