Pure Black Bee

The Pure Black Bee shrimp belongs to the species Caridina logemanni and is a beautiful Bee shrimp breeding form with black/white coloring. Our Pure Black Bee strain is characterized by strong, bright colors and consists of animals from classes A to S. These therefore have 3 to 4 continuous colored bands, a Tiger Tooth pattern or V-shaped band.

Bee Grades: (With and without Maro-Ten dots)
A-B (K4): 3-band and 4-band shrimp
S (K6): Tiger Tooth, V-Band
SS (T8): Hinomaru
SS (K10): Double Hinomaru, No Entry Sign, Little Lips
SSS (K12): Mosura
SSS (K14): Mosura Flower Head, Mosura Crown
SSSS (K14): Smile Head

Prizes won by our Pure Black Bees:

• 1st place, Category 6 (Black Bee all Grades), TGISC, Dortmund 2022
• 2nd place, Category 6 (Black Bee all Grades), TGISC, Dortmund 2023

Caring for the Pure Black Bee in the aquarium

Caridina logemanni occurs naturally in small mountain streams in China, which have very soft, cool and oxygen-rich water. Even if the Pure Black Bee, which has been selected over many years, does not have much in common externally with this wild form, it also relies primarily on soft water and the most stable water values ​​possible in the aquarium and is one of the more demanding shrimp species. Keeping this beautiful shrimp is possible in aquariums with a capacity of 10 liters or more, but since the water values ​​fluctuate significantly less with more volume, we recommend an aquarium that holds 20 liters or more. The Pure Black Bee needs clean, oxygen-rich, soft and lime-free water (GH 3-8, CH 0-3), which is why it is best kept on re-mineralized osmosis water. The Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+ is suitable as a mineral salt. We recommend active soil as substrate, such as Ebi Gold Shrimp Soil, which sets and maintains the correct water parameters. It is also important that the temperature of the water does not exceed 25°C for long periods of time, even in summer. In order for this sociable dwarf shrimp to feel safe, it should be kept in a group of at least 10 animals and in a well-planted aquarium. The plants, but also wood, stone structures or shrimp tubes offer it protection and places of retreat. Ideally, the Pure Black Bee is kept in a pure shrimp aquarium, possibly with snails. It is possible to socialize with small fish that do not chase it, but loss of shrimplets is to be expected.

Feeding

As a classic leftover recycler, the Pure Black Bee feeds on biofilm and algae growth as well as detritus (dead plant material, carrion, leftover food). In the aquarium it can be fed with special types of shrimp food, leaves, algae powder and occasionally frozen food. Ideally, there are always brown autumn leaves in the aquarium, which represent optimal permanent food for the animals.

Sexual characteristics and breeding

Sex determination is usually not possible in young animals, but only in sexually mature animals. Juveniles and males have a narrower underside of the abdomen, while sexually mature females have a wider underside that covers the swimming legs like a “skirt”. This widening of the abdomen serves to protect the eggs, which the female carries and cares between her swimming legs until they hatch. As with most dwarf shrimp, female Pure Black Bee adults are slightly larger than males. Caridina logemanni reproduces in fresh water and can be bred in an aquarium without any problems as long as the water parameters are right. After a gestation period of around 3 to 4 weeks, the female releases around 10-30 fully developed shrimplets, which initially feed on microorganisms present in the aquarium and can be fed with dust food.