Taiwan Bee vs. Crystal Red: The Differences Explained

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If you have a home aquarium and are interested in keeping shrimp, you may have heard of the Taiwan Bee and Crystal Red shrimps. These pretty shrimps are relatively easy to take care of, so they’re great choices for beginner or expert shrimp keepers. However, it’s not always easy to tell them apart.

Taiwan Bee shrimp and Crystal Red shrimp differ in appearance, care requirements, and origin. Taiwan Bees have more variations in appearance than Crystal Reds and are pickier about their tank requirements. 

This article will outline the differences between these two dwarf shrimps. Although there are many similarities (especially since the Taiwan Bee is a mutation of Crystal Reds), these shrimp do differ in some important ways. 

Differences Between the Taiwan Bee and the Crystal Red

Although they may look somewhat similar, there are significant differences between these two kinds of shrimp. The following table summarizes those differences:

Area of DistinctionTaiwan Bee Crystal Red 
Appearance Many different colors depending on the variantBright red and white 
Care requirements Optimal pH 6.0-6.8, temperature 68-72°F (20-22°C)Optimal pH 5.8-7.4, temperature 62-76°F (16.7-24.4°C) 
Origin Mutation of a Crystal Red shrimp, native to Taiwan Mutation of Crystal Black shrimp, native to Southeast Asia 

Let’s take a closer look at these differences. 

Appearance

Taiwan Bee shrimp come in many different variants and a range of colors: 

  • Blue Bolts 
  • Red Bolts 
  • Red and Blue Mosuras 
  • Red Pandas 
  • Black Pandas 
  • Red Extreme 
  • Black Extreme 
  • Red 1 Stripe
  • Red 2 Stripe
  • Black 1 Stripe
  • Black 2 Stripe 

The appearance of a Taiwan Bee shrimp largely depends on what kind of variant you’re looking at. Here are some more details about these variants: 

VariantAppearance
Blue Bolt Blue with white speckles, sometimes with an entirely white tail 
Red BoltLight red or peach color with speckles of white throughout the body 
Red Mosura Mostly white with blotches of dark, wine red 
Blue Mosura Light blue body, usually with a dark blue blotch or band near the head 
Red Panda Rust red with stripes of white
Black Panda Black with white stripes (or is it white with black stripes?) 
Red Extreme Bright, cherry red body
Black Extreme Black body 
Red 1 Stripe Bright red or orange body with one white stripe 
Red 2 Stripe Bright red or orange body with two white stripes 
Black 1 Stripe Black body with one white stripe 
Black 2 Stripe Black body with two white stripes 

Taiwan Bee shrimp can vary greatly in terms of their appearance. This is the most noticeable difference from their ancestors, the Crystal Red shrimp. 

Crystal Red shrimp are only bright red and white. They look similar to Red Panda shrimp, but the red of a Crystal Red is brighter and more vibrant. Their colors can be in stripes or a different, more organic pattern.

Crystal Red shrimp with more white are considered more desirable, so they usually sell for more. “Grade C” Crystal Reds are almost entirely red with just a few spots of white. These shrimp are about 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) long when fully grown, as they are both dwarf shrimps. 

Care Requirements

Taiwan Bees and Crystal Reds have similar care requirements because they are both varieties of dwarf shrimp. However, Taiwan Bees generally have more specific requirements for their tanks. 

Both species will be happy in tanks that are at least ten gallons. Taiwan Bee shrimp prefer a pH level of 6.0-6.8, whereas Crystal Reds can thrive in a wider range of 5.8-7.4.

Taiwan Bees are also pickier about temperature. They like a tank that is kept between 68-72°F (20-22°C), whereas Crystal Reds are okay with a wider temperature range of 62-76°F (16.7-24.4°C). 

To ensure your shrimp are happy, you’ll need to be able to read the pH level and temperature of your tank with a pH meter. 

If you don’t already own one, I recommend getting the PmoYoKo Digital pH Meter, available on Amazon.com. This meter can measure pH, TDS, and temperature to ensure that your tank is at a proper pH and temperature. Thanks to the included algorithm chip and electrode, it is also highly accurate. 

Origin 

It is believed that the first Taiwan Bee shrimp was a Blue Bolt variety in Taiwan. This Blue Bolt was born from a Crystal Red colony, so all Taiwan Bee shrimp are mutations from Crystal Reds. However, the genetics of these first Taiwan Bee shrimp were unstable, so they died quickly and easily. 

To fix this, breeders began breeding Taiwan Bee shrimp with Crystal Red shrimp. A few years down the line, the genetic lines were stabilized, and the Taiwan Bee shrimp became hardier. 

On the other hand, Crystal Red shrimp are believed to have resulted from a single mutation of Crystal Black shrimp in Japan. The current form results from several generations of inbreeding, so it is fragile. This might make them not the best choice for beginner shrimp keepers, but they’re still a beautiful addition to any aquarium for experts. 

Final Thoughts

There are many similarities between the Taiwan Bee shrimp and the Crystal Red shrimp. Still, there are also some distinct differences that shrimp keepers should know before raising either of these varieties. The most distinct of these differences are their appearances, care requirements, and origins. 

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