Blue bolt shrimp care
The blue bolt is one of the best-known Taiwan bee shrimp: a bee-type Caridina with a white to sky-blue body, often brighter and more solid on the head. Taiwan bees, including blue bolts, King Kongs, pandas and wine reds, are close relatives of the crystal red and need the same soft, acidic, very clean water. The Shrimp Farm rates blue bolts intermediate to hard, so they are best kept after you have had some success with an easier shrimp.
What is a blue bolt shrimp?
Practical Fishkeeping identifies the bee shrimp as Caridina logemanni, and the Taiwan bee varieties (such as King Kong and panda) as fancy forms developed by breeders. Shop names describe looks rather than species, and labels vary, but in general use:
| Name | Typical look |
|---|---|
| Blue bolt | White to sky-blue body, often a solid blue-white |
| Shadow panda / blue king kong | Dark blue to black bands or a solid dark blue body |
| King Kong | Solid black to dark red-black body |
| Wine red | Solid deep red body |
| Crystal red (not a Taiwan bee) | Red and white bands; see crystal red shrimp care |
For how bee shrimp differ from cherry shrimp and the other groups, see Caridina vs Neocaridina.
Water parameters
| Parameter | Commonly cited target | More detail |
|---|---|---|
| GH | About 4–6 dGH | GH and KH explained |
| KH | About 0–1 dKH (0–2 is also cited) | Low KH lets the soil hold the pH down |
| pH | Roughly 5.8–6.6, set mostly by the active soil | shrimp tank pH |
| TDS | Roughly 100–160 ppm | TDS explained |
| Temperature | Roughly 68–74 °F (20–23 °C) | shrimp tank temperature |
| Ammonia / nitrite | Zero; nitrate kept low | ammonia and nitrite |
Sources differ. Practical Fishkeeping puts the bee shrimp group at about 18–23 °C, 5 °dH, 0–2 °KH and pH 6–6.8. The Shrimp Farm's blue bolt care sheet gives wider survivable ranges (pH 6.2–7.8, GH 3–7, KH 1–8, 65–85 °F) and stresses avoiding swings. The targets above match our crystal red guide and sit inside both. As with all Caridina, stability matters more than hitting one exact number.
Making the water
- RO or distilled water. Most tap water is too hard. Practical Fishkeeping recommends RO water with a GH remineralizer for bee shrimp; use a GH-only product so you don't add KH that fights the soil. See remineralizing RO water for shrimp and can shrimp live in tap water.
- Mix ahead and match. Remineralize to the same TDS every time, and match temperature before the water goes in.
Tank setup
- Size: The Shrimp Farm gives 5 gallons as the minimum and recommends 10 gallons for beginners, because a bigger volume swings less.
- Substrate: an active shrimp soil to buffer the water soft and acidic. Practical Fishkeeping notes that some soils release ammonia at first, so cycle the tank with the soil in place. See best substrate for shrimp.
- Cycle and mature it: The Shrimp Farm says never to use an uncycled tank, and blue bolts are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite. Many keepers wait several weeks after the cycle so biofilm builds up. See how to cycle a shrimp tank.
- Filter: a sponge filter, or a filter with a pre-filter sponge on the intake so shrimplets aren't pulled in. See shrimp-safe filters.
- Plants and cover: moss and pesticide-free plants (Practical Fishkeeping warns about pesticides on plants). See best plants for a shrimp tank.
- Stay cool: a heater only to keep a cold room steady; summer heat is a bigger risk than cold.
Adding blue bolts
Ask the seller for their pH, GH and TDS and match them as closely as you can. Practical Fishkeeping recommends drip acclimating at about 1–2 drops per second; see how to drip acclimate shrimp. Expect the first couple of weeks to be the riskiest, and don't chase numbers with big corrections.
Feeding
Blue bolts graze biofilm all day. The Shrimp Farm suggests feeding about once a day and removing leftovers within a few hours; many keepers feed less often than that in a mature tank. Overfeeding fouls the water quickly in a soft-water tank. See best shrimp food.
Water changes
The Shrimp Farm recommends weekly water changes with water matched to the tank. Small, regular changes (often 10–20%) keep nitrate low without shocking the shrimp; a big change of mismatched water is a common cause of failed molts. See shrimp tank water changes and shrimp dying after molting.
Breeding
In a stable, mature tank, blue bolts breed on their own. The Shrimp Farm says the eggs hatch in about 30 days, into tiny, fully formed shrimp with no larval stage. It also notes that not all babies look like their parents: Taiwan bee lines throw a mix of colors and patterns, so breeders keep the best-colored adults together to improve the line. See berried shrimp care and baby shrimp care.
Crossing with other shrimp
Blue bolts don't cross with cherry shrimp or other Neocaridina. They do interbreed with other bee shrimp such as crystal reds and black bees, and with tiger shrimp, which is where "Tibee" crosses come from (see tiger shrimp care). Practical Fishkeeping notes that these Caridina crosses don't revert to a wild form the way mixed cherry shrimp do, so the offspring are unpredictable. The Shrimp Farm recommends a shrimp-only tank; to keep a line pure, keep one type per tank.
Common mistakes
- Adding blue bolts to a new or barely cycled tank, or to fresh soil still leaching ammonia.
- Using hard tap water or a GH/KH remineralizer over active soil.
- Large or mismatched water changes and top-offs.
- Overfeeding and leaving uneaten food.
- Mixing them with crystal reds or tigers and then wondering about the babies.
- Letting the tank overheat in summer.
If shrimp are dying, work through why are my shrimp dying.
Track it
Log GH, TDS, pH and temperature on the free Water Parameter Log printable so you can spot drift before it costs you shrimp.
Frequently asked questions
Are blue bolt shrimp hard to keep?
The Shrimp Farm rates them intermediate to hard. They need soft, acidic, very stable water and a mature tank, so most keepers start with cherry shrimp or crystal reds first.
What water parameters do blue bolt shrimp need?
Commonly cited targets are about GH 4–6, KH 0–1, pH 5.8–6.6, TDS 100–160 and 68–74 °F (20–23 °C), with zero ammonia and nitrite. Stability matters more than exact values.
Can blue bolt shrimp live in tap water?
Usually not. Most tap water is too hard. Use RO or distilled water remineralized with a GH-only product over an active soil.
Do blue bolts need active soil?
It is the usual choice, because it holds the water soft and acidic. Cycle the tank with the soil in place, since some soils release ammonia at first.
Can blue bolts live with crystal red shrimp?
They can share water, but they interbreed, and the babies are unpredictable. Keep one type per tank if you want to keep a line pure.
Do blue bolts breed with cherry shrimp?
No. Cherry shrimp are Neocaridina and blue bolts are Caridina, so they don't interbreed.
Why don't my blue bolt babies look like the parents?
Taiwan bee lines are mixed, and The Shrimp Farm notes not all babies resemble their parents. Breeders keep the best-colored adults together to improve the line.
Sources: The Shrimp Farm, Blue bolt shrimp care sheet (Taiwan bee variety, white and blue; difficulty intermediate to hard; 5 gallon minimum, 10 gallons recommended for beginners; filter with pre-filter; never an uncycled tank; very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite, nitrate low; weekly matched water changes; pH 6.2–7.8, GH 3–7, KH 1–8, 65–85 °F, avoid fluctuations; shrimp-only tank; bee varieties interbreed; feed about once a day, remove leftovers within a few hours; eggs hatch in about 30 days; not all babies resemble their parents); Practical Fishkeeping, An introduction to shrimp (bee shrimp Caridina logemanni; Taiwan bee forms such as King Kong and panda; Tibee and other crosses; bee shrimp at about 18–23 °C, 5 °dH, 0–2 °KH, pH 6–6.8; shrimp soils, some leach ammonia so cycle first; RO water with a GH remineralizer; crosses don't revert to wild type; pesticide-free plants; drip acclimation at 1–2 drops per second). The target table follows our crystal red guide; color descriptions are general hobby usage.