New Bee Shrimp from Southern China (province Guandong) have reached hobbyists since 2006. They often resemble the phenotype of a Bumble Bee shrimp, although they don’t belong to the caridina breviata group. New Bee Shrimp are interesting for breeders for they can crossbreed with caridina cantonensis / caridina serrata and haven’t been selected to in to high grades yet.
Due to the raising scientific interest, the New Bee Shrimp have been divided and defined in four origin species within the group caridina:
- caridina venusta
- caridina tumida
- caridina maculata
- caridina meridionalis
Some European and Chinese scientists (Karge/Klotz and Wang/Liang/Li) have had a closer look to the New Bee. A very informative overview of the serrata group and the New Bee was written by Andreas Karge in German.
On their spring trip to China, Andreas Karge and Werner Klotz discovered in 2009 a shrimp with a line on the back which identified as caridina cantonenis: It did not belong to the neocaridina group. They caught a blue and white shrimp with stripes also.
This is, in my opinion, another hint that we cannot be certain to which group our freshwater shrimp belong. Shrimpists should therefore stop wondering about tiger shrimp with a back line like they did at aquaticquotidient. We should carefully read and argue if users have strange kind of crossbreds in their tanks no one ever has seen before.
It is possible that all the classification has to be revised in the future because scientific methods of glossary have to be more precisely. Perhaps only full DNA-analysis can disclose the secret of the caridina serrata.
Practical advises
New Bee Shrimp are not that easy to keep. They need very soft water. Friedrich Bitter describes the natural environment as little brooks with drift, no plants but tree leaves in it. In their living space, enemies like fish often miss. That’s why the shrimp are not shy and usually show.
Water parameters are important for breeding and healthy offspring. New Bee Shrimp shouldn’t be held too warm - but in soft, clear, fresh water. This means:
- LW 80 -20 micro siemens
- pH 6,4 – even 5,4
- 15-22 Grad C
Images
by google

Sources