Single Product

Caridina cf. cantonensis var. “Shadow Panda”

BKK Shadow Panda shrimp are a rare, elite, high-grade selectively bred variant prized for their striking combination of deep, velvety dark coloration and contrasting bright, crisp highlights. This creates a bold, dramatic contrast that delivers intense visual impact and a sleek, jewel-like presence in freshwater aquariums—especially in low-tech planted tanks, bioactive setups, dark-substrate aquascapes, or dedicated shrimp colonies.

Coloration & Appearance

Top-grade Shadow Panda shrimp display an opaque, full-body saturated deep coloration—covering the head, carapace, abdomen, tail fan, legs, and antennae—with exceptional color depth, uniformity, rich glossy sheen, and virtually zero translucency or fading.

• Visual Impact: These premium specimens push the boundaries of the Taiwan Bee lineage, featuring near-solid intense tones with an iconic translucent blue-black “shadow” hue that makes their bold pattern pop dramatically.

• Dynamic Hues: The coloration can subtly intensify or shift with mood, lighting, diet, and water quality, far surpassing standard grades in coverage, richness, and overall “wow” factor.

• Dimorphism: Females often showcase the boldest, most consistent colors, reach slightly larger sizes, and stand out especially when berried.

Behavior & Lifespan

These lively, scavenging shrimp attain an adult size of about 1–1.5 inches (2.5–3.8 cm), with a typical lifespan of 1.5–2 years in prime conditions.

• Active Foragers: They are active foragers and excellent natural cleaners, constantly grazing on biofilm, soft algae, detritus, and plant matter across mosses, leaves, driftwood, and substrate.

• Tank Maintenance: They add gentle movement and effective tank maintenance to your setup while being slightly more bold than many other Caridina varieties.

Care & Aquarium Setup

Shadow Panda shrimp are intermediate keepers, demanding stable, soft, acidic freshwater parameters and displaying sensitivity to sudden water fluctuations.

• Ideal Parameters:

  • pH: 5.8–6.8

  • GH/KH: Low GH / 0 KH

  • TDS: 100–150 ppm

• Environment: They thrive in mature, well-cycled setups using RO/DI remineralized water, active buffering substrates (specifically designed for Caridina), Indian almond leaves or tannins, and abundant hiding spots like dense plants, cholla wood, or shrimp caves to minimize stress and encourage breeding.

• Breeding: They are prolific breeders in optimized environments, with colonies expanding reliably when parameters remain consistent and disturbances are kept low.