12 Best Substrates for Taiwan Bee Shrimp

When caring for any shrimp, especially Taiwan Bee Shrimp, it’s essential that you use the proper substrate. A well-chosen substrate ensures that your shrimp and plant life will thrive in their new tank. However, it can be a little confusing as to what substrate will work best, so let’s discuss which ones you should consider using.

Here are the 12 best substrates for the Taiwan Bee Shrimp:

ADA Amazonia.
Crushed lava rocks.
Akadama.
Baked clay.
Sand.
Ebi gold soil.
Aquarium gravel.
Controsoil black.
Aquarium soil.
Shrimp soil.
Brightwell Rio Escuro.
Echo flourite.

In the rest of this article, I’ll talk about the 12 best substrates you can use in your Taiwan Bee Shrimp tank. So if you would like to learn more, be sure to stick around as I go over the benefits of these different substrates and some of the most frequently asked questions about Bee Shrimp and their preferred substrates.

1. ADA Amazonia

First, I’ll be talking about ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia (available on Amazon). This substrate is pretty cool because it’s actually a Japanese plant-based soil full of nutrients that promote organic growth in your tank.

Plus, ADA Amazonia is notably one of the best substrates that you can use for your Bee Shrimps tank. ADA substrate promotes the growth of healthy bacteria and plants, which your shrimp need to thrive.

A few more of this substrates benefits include:

The ability to naturally lower the PH levels of the water.
The ability to lower the hardness of the water.
It’s a beginner-friendly option.
Aesthetically pleasing.

The only drawback to this substrate is that it will leach Ammonia for about 4-6 weeks. This duration means you’ll want to do frequent water changes and possibly add plenty of fast-growing plants to counteract this effect.

However, the benefits of this substrate far outweigh the extra effort, and your shrimp will thrive in the environment.

2. Crushed Lava Rocks

Next, I’ll discuss using Bonsai Jack Lava Rock Soil (available on Amazon). Using crushed lava rocks can be a great way to save money on a substrate. Also, it’s a pretty good option for those just starting out who feel overwhelmed with all the water parameters needed to keep their Bee Shrimp happy and healthy.

Some of the benefits of using these lava rocks include:

Easy maintenance.
Cost-effectiveness.
It is beginner-friendly.
Easy to acquire in most places.
Created from entirely organic material.

If you’re planning on using lava rock for your bee shrimp, keep in mind that sometimes plants will have difficulty growing since their roots will have difficulty finding a place to settle. Some people combat this issue by layering their lava rock with another more soil-based substrate.

3. Akadama

Another fantastic substrate option for your tiny shrimp friends is to use Calibonsai Japanese Super Hard Akadama (available on Amazon). Traditionally, this Japanese substrate keeps bonsai trees happy, but it also makes an excellent shrimp tank substrate.

Many shrimp keepers place this substrate in their list of top 5 substrates to use in a shrimp tank. This substrate promotes healthy bacteria growth and plant life, keeping your tiny Bee Shrimp happy and healthy for much longer than the average substrate.

The benefits of using Akadama for your Taiwan Bee Shrimps substrate:

Akadama provides stable pH levels.
It has a pH Buffering effect.
It’s Chemical-free.
Easy to use.
Healthy for plant life.
It Promotes the growth of good bacteria.

The only tricky thing about using Akadama is that it can promote a lot of algae growth on the porous surface of the substrate. However, Bee Shrimp love algae, so it should be fine as long as they are good cleaners.

4. Baked Clay

Very similar to Akadama or crushed lava rock is using Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum (available on Amazon). This kind of substrate is chocked full of vitamins and minerals that will promote healthy plant life in your shrimp’s tank.

Some of the benefits of using baked clay as a substrate include:

It provides excellent stimulation for plant growth.
It promotes neutral-mildly acid pH.
Created specifically for plants and shrimp.
Easy to use.
Simple to acquire.

The main drawback of this substrate is that it will break down over time, so you will need to replace it when that happens. You’ll also need to clean your tank more often as the clay begins to break down and cause the water to become cloudy.

5. Sand

Next, I’ll discuss using aquarium sand as a substrate in your Taiwan Bee Shrimp tank. FairmountSantrol 20-Grade Silica Sand (available on Amazon) is a pretty easy-to-use option, and as long as you have plenty of plant growth, your shrimp should do just fine with this substrate.

A few of the benefits of using this sand are:

Sand is natural and free of chemicals.
It acts as a secondary filter for your tank.
Sand is odorless.
Sand promotes plant growth.
Easily maintained.

Sand is a popular choice among shrimp keepers since it’s so easily accessible to most owners and can easily be cleaned compared to more porous substrates like gravel. Not to mention plants can do very well in a basic sand substrate.

When using sand as your tank substrate, you’ll want to remember to rinse it thoroughly before adding it to your tank. Rinsing your sand will prevent any harmful bacteria or chemicals from ending up in your tank.

6. Ebi Gold Soil

Another excellent option for your Bee Shrimp tank is Ebi Gold Soil. This soil is specially formulated for your shrimp and is highly recommended. However, it can be a little expensive and challenging to acquire.

Some of the benefits of using Ebit Gold Soil include:

Specifically formulated to be used in aquascaping.
Ebit Lowers hardness of the water.
It lowers the water’s pH levels.
It promotes plant growth.
Ebit Gold Soil doesn’t raise the Ammonium levels of the tank.

As with all soils, you’ll want to rinse this substrate thoroughly before adding it to your shrimp tank. Otherwise, you risk introducing harmful bacteria and particles into their tank, resulting in the death of your shrimp.

7. Aquarium Gravel

Another option is to use aquarium gravel as your substrate. Voulosimi Outdoor Decorative Stones (available on Amazon) are pretty easy to acquire, and many people opt for this substrate, especially as they start out keeping shrimp.

The benefits of using aquarium gravel as a substrate:

Easy to acquire.
Created from natural ingredients.
Beginner Friendly.
Long-Lasting.
Easy to clean.
Cost-effective.

Like with most other substrates, you’ll want to clean this gravel before introducing it to your fish thoroughly. If you want to be extra careful, scalding hot water will help kill off any bacteria or other harmful residues.

8. Controsoil Black

Like Akadama, Controsoil is a porous clay ball that makes for a fantastic substrate. Ultum Nature Systems Black Controsoil (available on Amazon) is an excellent option for those looking to grow a thriving Bee Shrimp colony.

A few of the benefits of using this Controsoil as a substrate in your tank:

Specifically designed to aid in plant growth.
Optimized specifically for fish and shrimp tank use.
Releases low amounts of Ammonia back into the water.
Buffers pH and lowers the hardness of the tank’s water.
Does not require rinsing before use.

The only major drawback of this type of substrate is the dust these little clay balls can cause. Over time they will begin to break down and make your water cloudy if you don’t stay on top of the tank’s maintenance. However, shrimp seem to love them despite the cloudiness that can occur.

9. Aquarium Soil

Next, I’ll talk about another popular substrate choice known as aquarium soil. Landen Aqua Soil Substrate (available on Amazon) is an excellent option for those looking for a decent substrate for their Bee Shrimp.

Some of the benefits of using this aquarium soil for your shrimp tank:

Created from natural material.
Explicitly cultivated for plants and shrimp habitat.
Designed to make a stable breeding ground for beneficial bacteria.
Simple to clean.
Easy to use.

Again, with any sort of substrate you purchase, it never hurts to rinse it before placing it into your tank’s water. Also, you’ll want to make sure that you have a nice thick layer for your plant’s roots to grow into securely.

10. Shrimp Soil

Another fantastic substrate option is to use soil specially formulated for your shrimp. I recommend Carib Sea 00761 Samurai Soil (available on Amazon). One of the main benefits of using soil specifically made for shrimp is that it’s created to have all the nutrients your shrimp and plants could need from their substrate.

Some of the benefits of using this shrimp soil are:

Shrimp soil promotes neutral-slightly acidic pH in the water.
Neither raises nor lowers the hardness of your water.
Promotes plant growth.
It does not disintegrate over time.
Easy to use.
It doesn’t require washing before placing it in the tank.

The main drawback of this soil is that it comes in a smaller package, so you’ll need more to cover a larger tank. However, since it will not break down over time, this type of soil is still a pretty good investment in the long run.

11. Brightwell Rio Escuro

Finally, we have the Brightwell Aquatics FlorinVolcanit Rio Escuro-XF (available on Amazon). This substrate is made up of fine black volcanic ash and can make a beautiful addition to any shrimp tank. Not to mention it’s excellent for freshwater shrimp and plants.

Some of the benefits of using Brightwell Rio Escuro for your shrimp tank include:

Ideal for biotope aquariums.
Made from all-natural ingredients.
It lowers the hardness of the water.
Adds some acidification of alkaline water to a pH of less than 7.
Brightwell Promotes robust root systems in tank plants.
Specifically cultivated for plants and shrimp.

To get a thick enough layer for your plants to grow and thrive in, you might need to layer a bit more substrate than you usually would. This extra is necessary because the plant’s root systems need a thick substrate layer to branch into securely. However, this shouldn’t be a problem as this substrate is sold in large bags.

12. Echo Flourite

Another excellent option is Seachem Flourite Red (available on Amazon). This red clay gravel makes for an ideal substrate and is a great affordable option to keep both your plants and Bee Shrimp happy.

Some of the benefits of using this echo flourite include:

Echo Flourite doesn’t break down in the tank over time.
Created from all-natural ingredients such as clay.
Specifically formulated for planted aquariums.
Full of Iron for red plants.
Easy to use.

Before placing this substrate into your shrimp tank, you must wash it thoroughly to remove unwanted debris or bacteria. However, you can simply rinse your new substrate right in the bag, making the process simple.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lastly, I’ll discuss some of the more frequently asked questions about the Taiwan Bee Shrimps substrate preferences. So let’s dive right in and understand how shrimp feel about sand, gravel, and the best substrate for Caridina shrimp.

Q: Do Shrimp Like Sand or Gravel?

Shrimp do like both sand and gravel. Shrimp are not picky and simply want a substrate that they can cling to as they clean the tank of food. However, sand is far easier to clean than gravel, but your shrimp should be happy with either.

Q: What Is the Best Substrate for Caridina Shrimp?

The best substrate for a Caridina Shrimp is an Akadama or ADA Amazonia. This is because these substrates help promote healthy bacteria and plant growth which is vital for the health of your tiny shrimp and the overall health of your bioactive tank.

Q: Is Sand a Good Substrate for Shrimp?

Sand is a good substrate for shrimp since it’s easy to keep clean, shrimp can grip it, and plants tend to grow well in this type of substrate. However, you’ll want to rinse any sand before carefully placing it into your tank. Otherwise, you might expose your shrimp to harmful chemicals or bacteria.