Blue Bolt Shrimp (Caridina sp. "Taiwan Bee")

Decide whether this genus-level shrimp fits your aquarium

The Blue Bolt Shrimp (Caridina sp. “Taiwan Bee”) is a freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae. It suits a keeper who can prepare a mature, filtered aquarium, test the water regularly and protect invertebrates from copper and predatory tank mates. WoRMS recognises Caridina as an accepted genus in Atyidae. The animal is identified to that genus rather than to one species.

The genus has a broad natural range. Wikipedia describes Caridina as freshwater shrimp found in tropical and subtropical parts of Asia, Oceania and Africa. That range describes the genus and should not be read as a collection locality or breeding origin for this Blue Bolt trade form.

Start with the decisive care figures

Keep the aquarium at 17–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and 4–18°dH general hardness. Carbonate hardness can be 3–15°dKH. OATA’s freshwater shrimp and snail guidance provides these broad group values, not a species-specific optimum. It also recommends an aquarium of at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater shrimp, with a larger aquarium when fish are included.

This shrimp helps graze nuisance algae, but it remains a living aquarium animal with its own feeding and water-quality needs. Choose it for a properly managed freshwater aquarium rather than as a substitute for maintenance.

Understand the animal supplied and the gallery

One purchase supplies one live Blue Bolt Shrimp. Its recorded dispatch grade is 1–1.3 cm, which describes the size supplied rather than an adult-size promise. Plan the permanent aquarium around the needs of a group of small freshwater shrimp, not around this handling measurement.

The exact species has not been identified, so the care advice here follows the genus Caridina and its care group. “Blue Bolt” and “Taiwan Bee” identify the aquarium trade form, while Caridina sp. keeps the scientific identity at genus level. The label does not assign the shrimp to Caridina cantonensis or establish a particular geographical origin.

Sex and individual appearance

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Blue Bolt Shrimp listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

The gallery images are representative, based on reference photographs of this kind of animal, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal.

The illustrations show blue and pale mottled shrimp with segmented bodies and long antennae in planted aquarium scenes. One illustration contains two shrimp, but the commerce unit remains one live shrimp per purchase. Use the gallery to understand the depicted trade form and aquarium presentation rather than to count the animals supplied.

Make the purchase decision in the right order

1. Prepare the aquarium first: establish biological filtration and provide gravel or sand, shelter and suitable planting or ornaments.
2. Test the water: ammonia and nitrite must both be 0 mg/L before the shrimp is introduced.
3. Plan for a group: freshwater shrimp are generally social, and OATA’s minimum for a group of small shrimp is 10 litres.
4. Screen every companion: avoid predatory species and any fish able to fit the shrimp in its mouth.
5. Check treatments: use only products identified as safe for invertebrates.

Browse the current shrimps and crustaceans collection when comparing freshwater invertebrates. Compare identity, water needs and the unit supplied separately; another shrimp listing is not automatically a compatible companion.

Keep the water within the freshwater-shrimp guidance

Maintain 17–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0, general hardness of 4–18°dH and carbonate hardness of 3–15°dKH. These values belong together as freshwater-shrimp and snail guidance; do not isolate one number while allowing the other measurements to drift.

Control nitrogen waste

Keep ammonia at 0 mg/L and nitrite at 0 mg/L. Nitrate should not exceed 20 mg/L above the normal level in the tap water used for the aquarium. For example, if conditioned tap water measures 10 mg/L nitrate, the corresponding OATA ceiling is 30 mg/L in the aquarium. This is an addition to the tap-water baseline, not a universal reading detached from the source water.

Record the tap-water nitrate result alongside the aquarium result. A single aquarium number cannot show whether the permitted rise has been exceeded unless the normal tap-water level is known. Repeat testing at least weekly, and investigate any ammonia or nitrite reading rather than treating it as a routine background level.

Use tests as a connected set

Our aquarium water chemistry guide explains what the tests measure. Enter the results into the water-matching tool to compare the aquarium with the stated guidance, then make gradual, measured adjustments rather than reacting to one isolated result.

Treat replacement tap water with conditioner before it enters the aquarium so chlorine or chloramine is removed. Match the replacement water carefully enough to avoid an abrupt change across several values at the same time.

Give a small shrimp group stable, sheltered space

Use an aquarium of at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater shrimp. OATA advises choosing as large an aquarium as is reasonable because a larger water volume generally keeps temperature and water quality more stable. Increase the planned volume when fish will share the aquarium.

The 1–1.3 cm dispatch grade is not a reason to use a temporary undersized container. Set up the permanent aquarium before the shrimp arrives and make the decision from group space, water stability, filtration and the total stocking plan.

Build the essential layout

• Install a filter: filtration is essential regardless of aquarium size.
• Add a substrate: use aquarium gravel or sand.
• Provide cover: live plants are ideal because they create shelter and additional surfaces.
• Use safe alternatives where needed: plastic plants and suitable ornaments, including plant pots or model caves, can provide shelter when live plants are not used.
• Leave accessible space: arrange the cover so the shrimp can move between feeding surfaces and shelter.

Prepare and mature the aquarium before livestock is added. The filter’s beneficial bacterial population must be able to process the waste produced by the animals and their food. A filled aquarium is not automatically mature merely because its temperature and pH fall inside the target range.

Check the plan before adding the shrimp

Follow our shrimp-keeping setup guide while preparing the aquarium. The practical goal is a filtered, mature and sheltered home whose measured water remains stable during ordinary feeding and maintenance.

Protect the biological filter as stocking increases

Keep a functioning filter in every aquarium used for this shrimp. The filter removes waste and supports beneficial bacteria that convert toxic ammonia into nitrite and then into the safer compound nitrate. The RSPCA’s general aquarium guidance explains this biological filtration process.

Before introducing shrimp, test the aquarium and confirm that ammonia and nitrite are both 0 mg/L. Continue testing at least once each week after livestock is added. A clear-looking aquarium can still contain dissolved nitrogen waste, so visual cleanliness cannot replace water tests.

Add livestock slowly

Increase the number of shrimp, snails or fish gradually. Every addition increases waste and usually increases feeding, so the filter’s bacterial population must grow to handle the extra load. Adding too many animals too quickly can cause new tank syndrome, with ammonia and nitrite rising to harmful levels.

Preserve the bacteria during cleaning

Check the filter regularly for blockages. If cleaning is needed, rinse the media lightly in aquarium water removed during a partial water change. Do not run it under the tap, because chlorine or chloramine may kill the beneficial bacterial population established in the media.

Avoid replacing functioning media merely because it looks discoloured. The useful bacteria live on its surfaces. Maintenance should restore flow while retaining enough of that living filtration community to continue processing waste.

Feed small portions two or three times a week

Feed this shrimp two or three times a week. Freshwater shrimp generally graze algae in the aquarium, but OATA recommends supplementing that grazing with algae wafers or commercial pellets made for freshwater shrimp.

Give only enough food for the animals present. Leave pellets or wafers for at least 30 minutes so the shrimp have time to feed. Prevent uneaten food from accumulating afterwards, because decomposing food releases toxic waste and can push ammonia, nitrite or nitrate upwards.

Use a simple feeding decision

Algae grazing does not remove the need for prepared food, and adding this shrimp does not replace aquarium maintenance. Control nuisance algae by managing light, waste and water quality while feeding the shrimp as an animal in its own right.

Do not turn variety into overfeeding. Rotating a suitable algae wafer and a purpose-made freshwater-shrimp pellet provides the forms named in the group guidance without placing several foods in the aquarium at the same sitting.

Follow the weekly maintenance routine without harming the filter

At least once every week, change 25% of the aquarium water. Treat the replacement water with tap-water conditioner before adding it so harmful chlorine or chloramine is removed. Use a siphon where helpful to remove solid waste from the gravel.

Test the water at least once per week. Ammonia and nitrite must remain at 0 mg/L, while nitrate must stay within 20 mg/L above the normal tap-water level. Record the results so a gradual change becomes visible before it develops into an acute water-quality problem.

Complete the routine in a controlled order

1. Measure the aquarium’s temperature and water values before disturbing the system.
2. Prepare enough conditioned replacement water for the 25% change.
3. Siphon solid waste while removing the planned amount of aquarium water.
4. Check the filter for blockages and reduced flow.
5. If cleaning is required, rinse the filter media lightly in the removed aquarium water.
6. Return the filter to service and add the conditioned replacement water.
7. Confirm normal filter operation and observe the shrimp after maintenance.

Keep the frequency and percentage clear

The instruction is a 25% partial water change at least once a week. “At least” applies to how often the change occurs; it does not turn 25% into a minimum quantity that should routinely be exceeded without a reason.

Good husbandry matters because freshwater shrimp can be stressed by small amounts of pollutants. A repeatable routine protects both the shrimp and the filter processes on which the aquarium depends.

Follow the arrival steps before opening the bag

Be present to receive the parcel and prepare the mature aquarium before it arrives. Read the current delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy in advance so the unboxing record and acclimatisation steps can be completed in the required order.

Use this arrival sequence

1. Start filming before the parcel is opened: show the parcel still sealed with the outer box visible.
2. Open it in one continuous take: keep filming while the parcel is opened.
3. Show the shrimp inside the sealed bag: record its condition before anything is disturbed.
4. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes: acclimatise slowly before releasing the shrimp.
5. Keep bag water out of the aquarium: release the shrimp without pouring the transport water into the tank.

Film every arrival from the sealed parcel onward. If anything is wrong, contact us the same day with the order number and the continuous unboxing video. Keep the shrimp inside the sealed bag long enough for its condition to be shown before release.

Separate arrival handling from aquarium checks

Before release, the receiving aquarium should already meet the freshwater-shrimp guidance: 17–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0, 4–18°dH general hardness and 3–15°dKH carbonate hardness. Ammonia and nitrite must be 0 mg/L. These are aquarium preparation checks, while the numbered list above is the store’s arrival sequence.

After release, observe whether the shrimp can support itself, move normally and begin showing its usual activity. Avoid compensating for travel by adding a large meal; return to the normal schedule of feeding only two or three times each week.

Respond to health changes before they become severe

Learn the shrimp’s normal activity, colour, hiding pattern and feeding response. Individual freshwater shrimp vary, but a change from the animal’s own normal behaviour can provide an early warning that the aquarium or animal needs attention.

Watch for the changes named by OATA

• Increased inactivity, restlessness or unusual swimming behaviour
• A darker or paler colour than normal
• A change in aggression or more hiding than normal
• A changed breathing rate or effort, including spending more time in higher-oxygen areas
• White spots, discolouration, lesions or abnormal growths
• Damage to the exoskeleton or loss of appendages
• Noticeable weight gain, weight loss or abnormal swelling
• Reduced food intake or a loss of interest in food

Match the response to the observation

Freshwater shrimp are very sensitive to copper and will die if exposed even to low levels. Check every treatment before use and never assume that a product intended for fish is also safe for shrimp. This copper rule applies even when the aquarium’s temperature, pH and nitrogen tests appear normal.

Act on a pattern rather than trying to correct several measurements blindly. Test first, identify what changed and restore the established care routine without creating another abrupt swing.

Exclude predators before considering any companion

Avoid any fish that can fit the shrimp in its mouth, and avoid species known to be predatory. These are unconditional exclusions from OATA’s freshwater-invertebrate guidance. A fish described as a community species still needs this physical and behavioural screen before it shares the aquarium.

Common aquarium fish may eat freshwater shrimp, so mixing requires caution even when obvious predation has not been observed. Screen the exact species, the aquarium size and its water requirements before adding it. Treat every fish as requiring individual screening; no fish kind is an automatic companion for this genus-level Blue Bolt trade form.

Apply the screen in this order

Do not solve incompatibility with extra cover

Plants and ornaments provide useful shelter, but they do not convert a predatory species or a fish capable of swallowing the shrimp into an acceptable companion. Use cover as part of the shrimp’s normal habitat after the exclusion rules have been applied.

Account for aquarium capacity as well as predation. OATA recommends a larger aquarium when freshwater shrimp or snails are kept with fish. Adding a companion also adds waste and feeding demand, so increase livestock slowly enough for the biological filter to respond.

Use only treatments safe for every invertebrate in a mixed aquarium. A companion’s usual medication requirements cannot override the rule that this shrimp will die if exposed even to low levels of copper.

Build the stocking plan around social needs and water quality

Plan to keep this social shrimp as part of a group rather than designing a solitary display. Use at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater shrimp, then choose the group and any later additions according to the aquarium’s measured capacity. Increase numbers slowly so the beneficial bacteria can adjust to the added waste and feeding.

Use worked decisions for common plans

• Starting a shrimp-only aquarium: mature a filtered aquarium of at least 10 litres, provide gravel or sand and cover, then add animals gradually.
• Adding to an established shrimp group: confirm 0 mg/L ammonia and nitrite, check nitrate against the tap-water baseline and avoid a sudden large increase in livestock.
• Adding fish: use a larger aquarium, avoid fish able to swallow the shrimp and avoid predatory species.
• Adding another invertebrate: compare its temperature, pH and hardness needs before deciding whether the shared water can suit both animals.
• Treating a mixed aquarium: verify that the treatment is safe for invertebrates and contains no dangerous copper exposure.

Compatibility is more than whether two animals attack each other. The shared aquarium must remain within 17–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0, 4–18°dH general hardness and 3–15°dKH carbonate hardness, while ammonia and nitrite stay at 0 mg/L. Every addition also has to fit the available space and filtration capacity.

Observe the animals after a stocking change. Increased hiding, unusual activity, altered breathing effort, reduced feeding or a colour change can signal a problem. Test the water first, then reconsider the companion plan if the aquarium remains within range but the behavioural change continues.

Keep the exclusion rules simple: no predatory species and no fish capable of fitting the shrimp in its mouth. Everything else requires individual screening rather than an automatic endorsement.

Answer the main Blue Bolt Shrimp questions

How big does Blue Bolt Shrimp get?

Plan Blue Bolt Shrimp as a small freshwater shrimp under OATA’s group guidance; 1–1.3 cm is its dispatch grade, not an adult-size figure. Use at least 10 litres for a group rather than sizing the aquarium around the dispatch measurement.

What size aquarium does Blue Bolt Shrimp need?

Use at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater shrimp. OATA recommends a larger aquarium when fish are included because the extra space improves environmental stability and accommodates the additional stocking.

How many should I keep together?

Keep it as part of a group rather than planning a solitary display. OATA recommends at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater shrimp and says to increase livestock numbers slowly so the biological filter can adjust.

Is Blue Bolt Shrimp suitable for beginners?

Blue Bolt Shrimp suits a keeper prepared to mature a filtered aquarium, test the water weekly, maintain 0 mg/L ammonia and nitrite and avoid copper. Complete those steps before treating it as a first aquarium animal.

What does this shrimp eat?

It grazes algae and should receive algae wafers or commercial freshwater-shrimp pellets two or three times a week. Leave the food for at least 30 minutes and prevent uneaten food from building up.

What temperature and pH does Blue Bolt Shrimp need?

Keep Blue Bolt Shrimp at 17–27°C and pH 6.5–8.0. OATA’s freshwater shrimp and snail guidance also gives 4–18°dH general hardness and 3–15°dKH carbonate hardness as broad group values.

Is this shrimp aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Plan compatibility around predation rather than assuming a temperament: avoid predatory species and any fish able to fit this shrimp in its mouth. Screen every other proposed companion individually for behaviour, water requirements and space.

Which kinds of animals can it live with?

Other freshwater shrimp or snails can be considered after matching their water requirements and total stocking. Use caution with common aquarium fish, and avoid fish able to swallow the shrimp and all species known to be predatory.

How does Blue Bolt Shrimp arrive alive?

Start filming with the parcel still sealed before floating the bag. Open it in one continuous take, show the shrimp inside the sealed bag, then float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing it without pouring bag water into the aquarium.

Public identity, care and welfare references

• WoRMS: Caridina — accepted genus and Atyidae family placement.
• Wikipedia: Caridina — genus-level freshwater distribution across tropical and subtropical Asia, Oceania and Africa.
• OATA: How to look after freshwater shrimp and snails — group water values, aquarium setup, feeding, maintenance, copper sensitivity and compatibility.
• RSPCA aquarium environment guidance — biological filtration and nitrogen-waste processing.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy — packing, unboxing video, acclimatisation and Live Arrival Guarantee procedure.