Can Cherry Shrimp and Bee Shrimp Breed?

Can Cherry Shrimp and Taiwan Bees Breed?

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Cherry shrimp and Taiwan Bee shrimp are two popular varieties of shrimp for aquarists around the world. While many people prefer keeping them in different tanks, this is not always possible. But what happens when you place these two shrimp in the same tank – can they breed?

Cherry shrimp and Taiwan bee shrimp cannot breed. These shrimp are not related closely enough to be able to breed. In the almost impossible situation that they do breed, their offspring are unlikely to be either viable or fertile. So, mixing them together in the same tank will cause no issues. 

This article will examine why cherry shrimp and Taiwan bee shrimp do not breed in more detail. Keep reading to learn more!

Can Cherry Shrimp and Bee Shrimp Breed? small
Can Cherry Shrimp and Bee Shrimp Breed?

Why Cherry Shrimp and Taiwan Bee Shrimp Do Not Breed

The simplest way to understand why cherry shrimp and Taiwan bee shrimp do not breed is to look at their scientific names. 

Cherry shrimp are given the scientific name Neocaridina davidi, while bee shrimp have the scientific name Caridina cantonensis. As you can immediately tell, the two shrimp have different genera.

In general, while two animals from different species interbreed, they are almost always within the same genus but different species. Occasionally, there will be interbreeding between two animals of the same family but different genera, but these are rarer than those between different species. 

An example of breeding between animals of the same genus and different species can be seen in ligers and tigons, which are born from breeding between lions and tigers. An example of a rare breeding between the same family and different genera is the sheep-goat hybrid. 

The latter is very rare, and when there is a successful pregnancy, it generally ends in stillbirth. For these reasons, most sheep-goat offspring are genetically created chimera rather than natural hybrids. The reason for this frequency of stillbirths is the fact that the relation between sheep and goats is very distant, at the family level rather than the genus level. 

For the same reason, hybrids between Taiwan bee shrimp and cherry shrimp are nearly impossible. They are too far removed from each other, and if they should interbreed, offspring are unlikely to hatch or survive infancy.

Can Freshwater Shrimp Crossbreed?

In general, as long as the two shrimp are of the same genus, they should be able to crossbreed. This is also true of fish if you also keep fish – as many as 88% of all fish can interbreed. 

However, it’s essential to keep in mind that not all shrimp of the same genus will interbreed. If you want to be sure of hybridization, you should breed shrimp of the same species but of different varieties. 

For example, as mentioned above, the bee shrimp has the scientific name Caridina cantonensis. Some varieties of this species you may have heard of include:

  • Crystal red shrimp
  • Crystal black shrimp
  • Tiger shrimp
  • Golden bee shrimp
  • Blue bee shrimp
  • Yellow bee shrimp

These varieties can generally interbreed, and the success rate is far more than if you tried to interbreed bee shrimp (Caridina cantonensis) and Japanese shrimp (Caridina multidentata). That said, while interspecies interbreeding success rates are higher, it’s always best to breed your shrimp with the same variety if you want to minimize deaths.

This isn’t to say that interbreeding between different shrimp genera is impossible. For example, some of the species that bee shrimp will breed with include:

  • Bumble bee shrimp (Gnathophyllum Americanum)
  • Green shrimp (Caridina babaulti)

Are Taiwan Bee Shrimp and Cherry Shrimp Easy to Breed?

Both Taiwan bee shrimp and cherry shrimp are very easy to breed – as long as you have a tank with shrimp of both genders and water conditions conducive to breeding, your shrimp will start to breed as soon as they reach sexual maturity.

Here are the ideal water conditions for both shrimp:

Taiwan Bee Shrimp

These shrimp, like others of the species, need slightly acidic water – specifically, pH 6.8-7.5. Additionally, the water carbonate hardness should be 0-2 KH, and the water temperature should be 64-74 ° F(17.78-23.33 °C).  

Cherry Shrimp

Cherry shrimp require water that is slightly acidic to slightly alkaline and has a pH of 6.5-8.0. Additionally, the water temperature should be between 70-80 degrees °F (21.11-26.67 °C). 

Unlike bee shrimp, the water hardness is relatively unimportant when it comes to keeping and breeding cherry shrimp – you simply have to ensure that it is not too far on either extreme (that is, too hard or too soft).

Final Thoughts

Taiwan bee shrimp and cherry shrimp do not breed because they are not of the same genus. In the rare case that they breed, the offspring will likely be nonviable or die in infancy. If you want to crossbreed shrimp, choose shrimp of the same genus or, preferably, the same species but a different variety to do so. 

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