About the species

Black Panda is a Taiwan Bee with deep opaque black colour and sharply defined white bands — the marking that gave it its name. The contrast is the sharpest among the black Taiwan Bee lines and requires soft, acidic and stable water.

Facts

• Latin name: Caridina cantonensis
• Common name: Black Panda
• Size: Up to 3 cm
• Lifespan: 1.5–2 years

Behavior

Black Panda is peaceful but reserved and only settles in a well-established group. It grazes calmly over soil, moss and leaf litter and shows its colour best in a stable species tank.

Reproduction

• Females usually carry 15–25 eggs under the tail
• The eggs hatch after about 30 days as fully developed shrimplets
• Breeding depends entirely on low KH, low TDS and a stable temperature

Feeding

Black Panda is an omnivore but eats small amounts and feeds mainly on:

• Biofilm
• Algae
• Decaying leaves and plant matter

Feel free to supplement with:

• A low-protein Caridina food in small amounts
• Catappa or mulberry leaves
• A mineral supplement for moulting

Aquarium

• Minimum aquarium size: 30 litres
• Substrate: Active soil (we use Environment Soil)

Difficulty level

🔴 Advanced

Recommendation

Black Panda is a classic collector's choice among Taiwan Bees. The black colour is dense and passes on well in a pure colony. Keep KH near zero, TDS stable and avoid crossing with Crystal shrimp to preserve the sharp marking.