The Dragon Blood shrimp (also widely known as Blue Calceo or Blue Dragon) is a highly sought-after, rare hybrid Caridina species. It was originally developed by breeders in Germany. They are famous for their transparent-to-golden lower bodies. In addition, these bodies are contrasted against a vivid, dark-blue zebra or “dragon scale” striping pattern on their upper regions. Because they are hybrid Caridina, their care difficulty is intermediate to advanced. This requires precise and highly stable water parameters to stay healthy.

Essential Water Parameters:

You cannot keep Blue Calceo shrimp in standard tap water. They require Reverse Osmosis (RO) water remineralised with a GH+ booster to maintain the exact environment they need:

• Water Type: Remineralised RO water strictly required.
• pH: 6.0 – 6.8 (Prefers slightly acidic).
• Temperature: 20°C – 24°C.
• GH (General Hardness): 4 – 6.
• KH (Carbonate Hardness): 0 – 1 (Requires very soft water).
• TDS (Total Dissolved Solids): 120 – 180 ppm. (Ensure that your TDS meter is calibrated)

Aquarium Care & Diet:

• Acclimation: Extremely critical. They must be drip-acclimated slowly over roughly 1 hour to prevent deadly parameter shock.
• Tank Setup: Best kept in a dedicated, seasoned shrimp-only tank with an active buffering soil to naturally keep the pH low.
• Feeding: They are peaceful omnivorous scavengers. They thrive on natural biofilm and algae to promote safe molting and boost coloration.
• Warning: Never use aquarium fertilisers or medications that contain copper, as it is highly toxic to them.
• Breeding: To boost breeding add Bene Tay’s Kallax Ball