Caridina profile
King Kong shrimp
Caridina sp. King Kong
King Kong shrimp are dark Taiwan Bee Caridina, often called Black King Kong when the body is strongly black. They need stable soft water and a mature breeding setup.
Quick verdict
Suitable for: Experienced Caridina keepers focused on stable water and selective breeding. Watch especially: adjust KH, GH and TDS slowly.
Quick care card
Use this card as a starting point. Always check whether your aquarium is stable enough for sensitive species.
20 - 24 °C
5.6 - 6.6
4 - 6 °dH
0 - 1 °dH
90 - 140 ppm
From 40 liters
Expert
Peaceful but sensitive high-grade Caridina breeding shrimp
Biofilm, fine shrimp food and very controlled supplemental feeding
Breeds in freshwater when soft-water conditions remain very stable
Experienced Caridina keepers focused on stable water and selective breeding
Important
Do not treat these as easy beginner shrimp. High-grade Taiwan Bee, Pinto and Boa lines need stable soft water, low KH, active substrate, mature biofilm and careful feeding. Avoid rapid changes, warm water, high nitrate, exhausted substrate and mixed-line breeding without a clear goal.
Care in practice
These are the points that most often make the difference between survival and a stable colony.
Use remineralized RO water with active substrate. A practical range is 19-23 degrees Celsius, pH about 5.6-6.6, GH 4-6, KH 0-1 and TDS roughly 100-150 ppm. Keep values stable and change water slowly with closely matched temperature and mineral content.
Use a mature, dedicated Caridina tank with active substrate, gentle filtration, moss, leaf litter and lots of biofilm. A protected intake is essential for shrimplets. Let the aquarium mature well before adding expensive breeding stock.
Base feeding on biofilm and small controlled portions of quality shrimp food. Use powdered food carefully for shrimplets and remove leftovers. Overfeeding is one of the fastest ways to destabilize a soft-water Caridina tank.
Keep a calm group with enough animals for breeding, usually at least 10 if budget allows. They are peaceful, but stress from fish, frequent disturbance or unstable maintenance quickly affects color, molting and breeding.
A dedicated shrimp-only breeding tank is the safest choice. Avoid fish and avoid mixing different high-grade lines unless you are intentionally planning crosses and tracking offspring.
These lines breed in freshwater with direct development, but reliable breeding depends on mature biofilm, low-stress conditions and stable soft water. Select breeding stock carefully and cull or separate animals that do not fit the line goal.
Common mistakes are buying expensive shrimp before the tank is mature, using unstable tap water, allowing KH or nitrate to rise, overfeeding, changing too much water at once, mixing lines without records and selecting only for pattern while ignoring health and fertility.
Background and identification
Extra context helps you identify, compare and keep the species safely.
These are selectively bred aquarium Caridina lines, usually built from Bee shrimp, Taiwan Bee and Pinto-related breeding backgrounds. Treat trade names as breeding-line names rather than wild species names unless exact lineage is documented.
King Kong shrimp have a dark black body with varying white markings depending on line and grade. Strong black coverage and healthy body shape are key.
King Kong, Panda, Wine Red and Blue Bolt are Taiwan Bee-related lines with similar care but different color and pattern goals.
Full species profile
King Kong shrimp are classic dark Taiwan Bee Caridina. They are striking but more sensitive than Neocaridina and should be kept in a dedicated soft-water tank.
Appearance
Good King Kong shrimp show deep black pigment, clean white accents if present and a solid healthy body. Weak lines may show patchy color or poor fertility.
Water parameters
Use remineralized RO water with active substrate. A practical range is 19-23 degrees Celsius, pH about 5.6-6.6, GH 4-6, KH 0-1 and TDS roughly 100-150 ppm. Stability matters more than chasing a single exact value.
Aquarium setup
Use a mature dedicated Caridina aquarium with active substrate, gentle filtration, moss, leaf litter and protected intakes. Let the tank develop stable biofilm before adding valuable breeding animals.
Feeding
Feed lightly. Biofilm and microfauna are the base, with small amounts of quality shrimp food and occasional fine powdered food for shrimplets. Overfeeding can quickly destabilize soft-water tanks.
Behavior and tank mates
King Kong shrimp are peaceful but sensitive. Keep them in a calm shrimp-only tank for best breeding results. Fish and frequent disturbance reduce shrimplet survival and can suppress breeding.
Breeding and selection
Keep King Kong lines separate if you want predictable dark offspring. Crosses with Panda, Wine Red, Blue Bolt or Pinto lines should be treated as planned breeding projects.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions about King Kong shrimp.
Sources and review
Last reviewed: June 12, 2026. Different values are used in the hobby; choose stability over chasing numbers.
- Garnelio: King Kong Shrimp - Shadow Shrimp - Taiwan Bee - Caridina sp.
Bron die King Kong als Caridina sp., Taiwan shrimp / Shadow Bee en kweekvorm uit Taiwan beschrijft.
- Flip Aquatics: Black King Kong Extreme
Bron over Black King Kong als Taiwan Bee-lijn en context rond het mengen van Taiwan Bee-varianten.
- Shrimpy Business: Black King Kong Shrimp Care Guide
Bron die Black King Kong als zwart-witte Taiwan bee shrimp en selectieve Caridina-lijn beschrijft.
- SoShrimp: Black King Kong / Panda Mix
Aanvullende handelsbron met Black King Kong, Black Panda en Taiwan Bee-naamgebruik.
- Flip Aquatics: Black King Kong Extreme
Black King Kong/Taiwan Bee-waarden voor pH, GH, KH, TDS en temperatuur, plus RO/DI-water, GH+ mineralen, actief substraat en Mattenfilter.
- Rare Shrimp: Caridina Black King Kong Water Parameter Requirements
BKK-specifieke ranges voor pH, GH, KH, TDS en temperatuur, plus nadruk op RO/DI-water, actieve bodem en parameterstabiliteit.
- Shrimpy Business: Black King Kong Shrimp Care Guide
Aanvullende waarden voor temperatuur, pH, GH en KH, plus waarschuwing dat stabiliteit belangrijk is.
- Garnelio: King Kong Shrimp - Shadow Shrimp - Taiwan Bee - Caridina sp.
Praktijkadvies voor zeer zacht, koel, zuurstofrijk en schoon water, actief soil, osmosewater en wekelijkse waterwissels.
- SoShrimp: Black King Kong / Panda Mix
Aanvullende waarden voor pH, GH, KH, TDS en temperatuur bij Black King Kong/Panda mix.
- Garnelio: King Kong Shrimp - Shadow Shrimp - Taiwan Bee - Caridina sp.
Praktische informatie over uiterlijk, actief soil, osmosewater, waterwissels, kweek, jonge garnalen, stofvoer, socialisatie en voeding.
- Flip Aquatics: Black King Kong Extreme
Praktische informatie over Taiwan Bee-setup met Mattenfilter, actief substraat, RO/DI-water, GH+ mineralen, driftwood, Java moss en Indian Almond leaves.
- Shrimpy Business: Black King Kong Shrimp Care Guide
Praktische informatie over tankgrootte, stabiliteit, zuurstof, tankgenoten, groepsgrootte en kweek.
- Rare Shrimp: Caridina Black King Kong Water Parameter Requirements
Praktische informatie over TDS, pH, mineralenbalans, actieve bodem, RO/DI-water, waterwissels, testen en stabiliteit.
- SoShrimp: Black King Kong / Panda Mix
Aanvullende praktische informatie over inrichting, voeding, RO-water, wekelijkse waterwissels en kweekuitdaging.