Shrimp

Purple King Kong Shrimp

Name: Purple King Kong Shrimp
Price: 195.99 USD

Caridina cantonensisAtyidaeDwarf shrimp

Price: $195.99 USD

1 photos

Purple King Kong Shrimp is a rare, selectively bred Caridina shrimp with deep purple bodies accented by crisp white bands. This intermediate-to-advanced variety needs stable, soft, slightly acidic water in a mature, well-planted aquarium and grazes continuously on biofilm, algae and decaying plant matter.

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as: Purple Bee Shrimp; Taiwan Bee Purple
Synonyms: Caridina cf. cantonensis
Environment: Freshwater
Native to: Southern China (Guangdong), Northern Vietnam
Habitat: Cool, shaded mountain streams and forest creeks with clear, slow-flowing water over rocky or sandy substrate thick with leaf litter
Sourcing: Captive-bred
Conservation: Not Evaluated

Care

Care level: Difficult
Temperament: Peaceful
Adult size: 0.6 – 1.2 in (1.5 – 3 cm)
Lifespan: 1 – 2 yrs
Min tank: 10 gal (38 L)
Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Bottom

Water

Temperature: 68 – 74 °F (20 – 23 °C)
pH: 5.8 – 6.8
GH: 4 – 6 dGH
TDS: 100 – 150 ppm
dKH: 0 – 2 dKH
Flow: Low-Moderate

Behavior & compatibility

Social: Group · groups of 10+
Aggression to own kind: Low
Active: Night
Invert safe: Yes
Plant safe: Yes
Shrimp safe: Yes
Clean-up role: Biofilm, Algae, Detritus, Leftover food
Population boom risk: Moderate

Feeding & breeding

Diet: Omnivore
Foods: Micro-pellets, Pellets, Algae, Biofilm, Vegetables, Freeze-dried, Frozen
Breeding type: Direct development
Breeding difficulty: Moderate
Sexing: Females are larger and broader-bodied with a more pronounced saddle-shaped underside for carrying eggs; males are smaller and slimmer
Target feeding: Beneficial

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Care guide

Overview

Purple King Kong Shrimp is a selectively bred Taiwan Bee grade defined by deep purple coloration broken by crisp white bands across the carapace and tail. This line breeds true only under tightly buffered soft water, and its saturated pigment fades quickly if TDS or pH drifts. Best kept in a mature, densely planted tank away from fish.

Care

This species and its many selectively bred color forms (Crystal Red, Crystal Black, Taiwan Bee lines like King Kong, Panda, Blue Bolt, and Pinto) demand soft, acidic, and highly stable water rather than the hardier conditions Neocaridina tolerate. An active buffering aquasoil is standard practice to hold pH in the low 6s and keep carbonate hardness near zero, and a mature tank with established biofilm and dense moss or fine-leaved plants gives them constant grazing and cover. Deep-color, heavily inbred grades such as Taiwan Bee lines are noticeably more sensitive to fluctuations in TDS, ammonia, and nitrate than the original wild-type bee shrimp, so frequent monitoring and small, gradual water changes matter more than with most freshwater invertebrates. Copper-based medications and metal-contaminated water are lethal and must be avoided entirely.

Feeding

Shrimp graze almost continuously on bacterial biofilm, microalgae, and decaying leaf matter, so a tank with an established biofilm layer reduces reliance on supplemental feeding. Offer small amounts of sinking shrimp pellets, spirulina, blanched vegetables such as zucchini or spinach, and occasional protein sources like frozen or freeze-dried foods two to three times a week. Remove uneaten food within a day since leftovers foul the soft, low-buffer water quickly and can trigger ammonia spikes that are especially dangerous to sensitive Taiwan Bee grades.

Tank mates

Best housed in a species-only shrimp tank, since almost any fish will eat the shrimplets and many will stress or pick at adults, especially the more delicate Taiwan Bee varieties. Small, peaceful, acid-tolerant fish such as Boraras species are sometimes used with wild-type or hardier bee shrimp, but breeders of high-grade lines generally avoid fish altogether. Snails that tolerate soft, acidic water can share the tank without conflict, as this shrimp is non-aggressive toward other invertebrates.

Breeding

Females carry 15 to 30 fertilized eggs beneath their swimmerets for several weeks until fully formed shrimplets emerge, with no planktonic larval stage, which makes rearing straightforward compared with brackish-water shrimp. Breeding success depends heavily on water stability rather than technique, since even minor swings in pH, GH, or TDS can cause failed molts or dropped eggs in high-grade Taiwan Bee lines. Selective breeding of specific color and pattern grades (Pinto, Galaxy, Mosura crowns) is done by pairing shrimp with desired markings and culling offspring that do not meet grade standards over several generations.

Health

Molting problems are the most common health issue, particularly when GH or mineral content is too low, leading to shrimp becoming stuck in a partially shed exoskeleton and dying shortly after. Bacterial or fungal infections show as discoloration, lethargy, or white patches and are best managed with daily partial water changes and isolation of affected individuals, since antibiotics are rarely effective. Copper in tap water, medications, or even some plant fertilizers is highly toxic and should be tested for before use in any shrimp tank.