Kingdom — Arthropoda.
Subphylum — Crustacea.
Class — Malacostraca.
Order — Decapoda.
Superfamily — Atyoidea
Family — Atyidae.
Genus — Caridina.
Tigers mainly inhabit China. Other Asian countries also have smaller populations. Caridina cantonensis “Tiger” — tigers are very popular due to their zebra-like coloration. The tiger has a beige, partially transparent base color, decorated with dark jagged lines evenly distributed across the entire body. From this species, breeders can select new mutations. They have a good ability to adapt to aquarium conditions and retain the coloration characteristic of their natural habitat. These shrimps are very active and energetic.
While their “relatives” crystal shrimps require a rather low pH, for tigers the pH should be 7.0-7.5. The temperature is around 22-26 degrees. Perform water changes of 20-30% every week. Tigers are quite sensitive to certain diseases. They reach sexual maturity in about 3-5 months after birth. Gestation lasts about a month. It is important not to crossbreed them with Crystal Red or Black shrimps, otherwise you will get offspring that look like neither crystals nor tiger shrimps.
— “White Tiger”, “Snow Tiger” — the result of hybridization between Tiger and Snow. White coloration with tiger stripes. This variety is very rare.
— “Super Tiger”, “Yellow Tiger” — characterized by a lemon-yellow tail and head, thick black stripes, and red antennae. They grow up to 4 cm. Genetically very unstable, and great variations of yellow color can occur.
— “Fancy Black & White Tiger Shrimp”, “Red & White Tiger Shrimp” — an interesting combination, looking like a mix of “Red Tiger” and “Black Tiger” shrimps with “Snow White”.
— Caridina cantonensis “Black Tiger” — Black Tiger Shrimp, Black Diamond. “Black Diamond shrimp”. 2.5-3 cm. Black tiger shrimps are the result of many years of selective breeding from wild Tiger Shrimp. A variety of tiger shrimp whose stripes in subsequent generations of juveniles became so wide that they filled the entire body, while the internal body color remained transparent, forming a very beautiful black color. They have an intensely black coloration.
There are two different types of Black Tiger Shrimp: — with black eyes “Black Tiger Dark Eye”; — with orange eyes “Black Tiger Orange Eye”, completely black ones are called Black Diamond. Those with orange eyes are a cross between “Deep Blue” and “Black Tiger” and look much darker with possible red-brown tones on the back, and have light eyes. Obviously, due to their higher decorative value, they are more valued.
Black tigers are divided into 5 unofficial grades according to the distribution of black color on the body: — BT 5 — minimum grade. The internal body color is transparent, black stripes are slightly thicker than in a regular tiger. Eyes can be orange; — BT 4 — black color all over the body, but certain parts are transparent; — BT 3 — the body is almost entirely black, while the head and tail are always transparent; — BT 2 — body, head, and tail are almost entirely black. Sometimes transparent legs; — BT 1 — shrimps are almost entirely black; — BT 0 — sometimes called “Black Diamond”. The shrimp is completely deep black, usually with orange eyes.
Identification: Black Tiger Shrimp — Caridina cantonensis Black Tiger orange eye.
At a young age, it is quite difficult to distinguish a male from a female. When females become mature, you can easily distinguish them from males, primarily by the wide carapace on the abdomen, as well as by their larger size compared to males. The saddle in females of this species is impossible to see due to the dark black coloration of the carapace. There are several grades of Black Tiger shrimp. Their differences are based on the intensity of the black coloration and eye color. The less saturated the black color of the carapace is, the lower the grade, and vice versa. Representatives of this species with orange eyes are preferred over regular Black Tigers.
However, this mutation also has its weaknesses: high demands on water parameters and purity, and higher susceptibility to diseases. Always remember that water must be constantly kept clean, as Black Tigers are also very demanding in this aspect. Black tiger shrimp prefer cool water with an alkaline reaction. pH above 7.2, temperature range 21-23°C. Regular water changes up to 30% of clean water. It is worth noting that this species has different maintenance requirements than Red Crystal, so keeping them together is unlikely to work.
Feeding the shrimp is not difficult and does not differ from feeding other shrimps. In aquariums with a sufficient amount of plants, shrimps can go unfed for weeks. Peaceful towards fish. As the experience of foreign breeders shows, the Black Tiger shrimp is quite difficult in both maintenance and breeding. It reproduces in fresh water.
To obtain black shrimps, specimens with the widest black stripes are selected. After several generations, the stripes become so wide that they cover almost the entire body of the shrimp. Small transparent areas may remain. However, offspring can only be obtained in quite limited quantities. Due to these difficulties, the price of the shrimp is quite high. Fry are gray and transparent. Due to maintenance difficulties, it is not suitable for beginners.
Identification: Black Tiger Shrimp — Caridina cantonensis Black Tiger.
— Caridina cantonensis “Blue Tiger” — Blue Tiger Shrimp. “Orange Eyes Blue Tiger Shrimp”. China. Size 2.5-3 cm. Through selective breeding, hobbyists have preserved this striking blue color and created a truly beautiful dwarf shrimp. The Blue Tiger shrimp is characterized by a more or less intense, heritable blue background color intersected by typical stripes. The offspring include both blue and colorless shrimps, but blue shrimps will appear again in subsequent generations.
Unlike the regular Tiger shrimp, the entire body of the Blue Tiger is blue with black lines all over, and the eyes are orange (Orange Eyes Blue Tiger), which contrasts very well with the main dark coloration. The antennae and the tip of the tail are colored orange. The highest-grade animals possess intense red or wine-red stripes and light eyes. Shrimps with black eyes are called “Blue Tiger Black Eye”.
Sexual differences between male and female are visible to the naked eye. Females are larger in size, and their abdominal carapace is wider (where they carry eggs). Females are usually slightly darker than males, but it is difficult to distinguish female from male by color alone due to varying qualities of shrimp. Seeing eggs in a female Blue Tiger is quite difficult due to the dark coloration.
There are several grades into which Blue Tigers are divided depending on the intensity and/or darkness of their blue coloration, ranging from light blue, grayish blue, dark or royal blue to even black. However, only a few specimens possess a dark blue color from head to tail with wide black stripes. They range from “Light Blue Tiger” to “Dark Blue Tiger”.
Identification: Royal Blue Tiger Shrimp — Caridina cantonensis Royal Blue Tiger.
— “Blue/Wildform” — Blue wild form; — “Blue Berry Tiger ” — Dark blue, blueberry color; — “Blue Tiger Red Stripes” — Blue tiger with red stripes; — “Deep Blue”, “Dark Blue” — Very dark blue, almost black coloration. Dark red stripes appear. In the offspring, almost all have a dark blue color and only up to 20% have a slightly lighter blue; — “Hongkong Blue” — Hongkong Blue. Dark blue tigers cost more than light ones (they have this color due to a thin lower layer of brownish color), although many aquarists prefer the coloration of Light Blue Tigers. Females are larger and also have a curved underbelly. It should also be noted that pregnant females carrying eggs acquire brownish-red and brownish stripes instead of a blue body with black stripes; — “Light Blue” — Clear light blue color; — “Royal Blue Tiger” — Royal dark blue shrimp with intense blue color, but without classic stripes; — “Semi Dark Blue”, “Indigo” — Dark blue;
Identification: Deep Blue Tiger Shrimp — Caridina cantonensis Deep Blue Tiger.
High-grade criteria: Shrimps must have a completely dark blue body (including tail and legs), with wide black stripes throughout (including legs — although sometimes the blue color is so dark that the stripes are invisible). Eyes are bright yellow, orange, or pink. Shrimps that show a blue body throughout, but are transparent with no black stripes at all or poorly visible ones, and have pale yellow eyes, belong to a lower grade.
During reproduction, not all offspring will have blue coloration, however, the orange eye color usually manifests in all of them. Shrimps not colored blue are separated into a subspecies — Orange-Eyed Tigers. Non-blue offspring are called Orange Eyes Tiger shrimp or Blonde Tiger shrimp. The exact ratio of blue to non-blue shrimp in the offspring of Blue Tigers is not known. It can be said that the highest quality breeders with saturated blue coloration usually produce a higher percentage of blue-colored offspring.
Blue color appears in animals at 1 cm of length and they gain color as they mature. Breeding these shrimps is not so simple. Due to inbreeding between the most brightly and intensely colored representatives of this species, their offspring become increasingly susceptible to various diseases and react worse to inappropriate water parameters.
Non-aggressive. Easy to keep. On a dark substrate, shrimps are difficult to see. Medium-gray or brown substrate surfaces are more suitable for them. Java moss, Riccia, Monosolenium are used as plants; additionally, any low-growing flora can be planted as carpet plants. Lighting should not be too bright. Soft clean water with a pH of approximately 6.5-7.5. They need higher quality water, preferably free of nitrates and with a general hardness of 2-4°dGH. Very demanding regarding oxygen levels.
They are more vulnerable in poor water conditions than other tiger shrimps. The maximum temperature they can withstand is 27°C. In nature, their diet is based on detritus, as well as algae and microorganisms living on submerged driftwood. They are fed flakes, spinach, peas, carrots, pellets and tablets, frozen small invertebrates. Since shrimps of this species are quite expensive, many breeders feed them specialized food. They live about 1.5-2 years. pH 7.5; T 22-25°C.
Identification: Blue Tiger Shrimp — Caridina cantonensis Blue Tiger.
— Caridina cantonensis “Red Tiger” — Red Tiger Shrimp. “Red Tiger Shrimp”, “Tiger Red Stripes”. China. Size: 2.5-3.0 cm. The red-striped coloration is natural rather than artificially bred; these beautifully colored shrimps truly live in nature. Red Tigers are caught in streams and rivers with many red stones at the bottom, so the red color of the stripes serves as camouflage for the shrimp. It differs from the regular Tiger shrimp only in coloration.
Instead of black stripes, it has red stripes. Red transverse stripes stand out on a body with an orange sheen, sometimes having a body with a shimmering bluish tint. All efforts to make the red tiger stripes wider have failed so far. Eyes are always black, and the tail is mostly yellow or orange. Determining sex is quite simple — females are larger in size, and their abdominal carapace is much wider than that of males. As for color intensity, males and females do not differ from each other in the intensity of red stripes on the carapace.
Easy to keep. Non-aggressive. The pH level should not exceed 7.5, and the water must also be soft and clean, with a temperature of 22-25°C. Mangrove roots, oak leaves, or peat can be used to lower the pH. Water changes must be performed once a week. Placing mosses and other plants, as well as oak leaves, in the aquarium will be an excellent addition not only as decoration but also as a source of nutrients. If mosses and plants are present in the aquarium, you can feed the shrimps a couple of times a week; they will find food among the plants. They feed on special shrimp food, decaying plants, spirulina, flake foods, algae, lettuce leaves, zucchini, etc.
If you are successful in keeping any type of Tiger, you will have no difficulties with this species either. They will breed and regularly delight you with offspring. Upon reaching sexual maturity, eggs form on the female’s neck, the so-called “saddle”. Each female can carry 20-25 eggs at a time. About a week after the fry hatch, the female is ready to carry new eggs again.
The young are born with red stripes (like the parents, naturally). If you keep regular Tigers with Red Tigers in the same aquarium, the result of their offspring will be hybrids that possess characteristics of both species and will not look as attractive. Subsequent generations will produce more and more juveniles with brown stripes.
Identification: Red Tiger Shrimp — Caridina cantonensis Red Tiger.
— Caridina cantonensis “Tiger” — Tiger Shrimp. “Tiger Shrimp”. Southeast Asia, South China. Size 2.5-3.0 cm. Transparent body with brown, yellow, and gray tones. Has 5 black transverse stripes. Can have orange or black eyes. Shrimps with orange eyes carry the blue gene, which is why “Blue Tiger” appear in the offspring. Often the tail has an orange tint. A dark spot is present at the base of the tail.
There are two color variations of these shrimps. They can have an orange head and tail. Another form is bluish with dark brown stripes. The head and tail can also be orange, but are usually gray. Some shrimps show red stripes. Females are larger and more intensely colored.
They are one of the easiest Caridina species to care for. As long as the water is slightly acidic and soft, they do not require special attention. Adult shrimps can adapt to more alkaline water, but their lifespan and reproduction will be significantly reduced. As with all dwarf shrimps, it is important to keep all water parameters at an optimal level.
When shrimps are kept in large groups, additional feeding is necessary. Non-aggressive. If there are no predators or restless fish in the aquarium, they are constantly in sight. Shrimps require a cool temperature, below 25°C. For experienced aquarists, breeding is not difficult. The female produces about 20-25 young. Juveniles appear after 4 weeks and become mature after 3-4 months.
Fry are colorless and grow quickly up to 1.5 cm, then grow slower. Stripes appear starting from 1 cm. A week after hatching, the female is ready to carry eggs again. Tiger shrimp is recommended for aquarists with experience in breeding Cherry shrimp. They live about 2 years. pH 6.5-7.3; dH 4-12°; T 20-26°C, optimal 24°C.
Identification: Tiger Shrimp — Caridina cantonensis Tiger.
Caridina cantonensis “Crystal Red”, Crystal Red Shrimp.
Caridina cantonensis “Bee Shrimp”, “Blue Bee”, “Orange Bee”. 
