Mini Blue

A small species with a pale blue body and a row of tiny bright spots down the back. Its size makes it a natural fit for a Sulawesi nano tank.

Malili lake systemSmall sizeNano friendly

A great strain isn't one beautiful shrimp — it's the whole colony looking the same.

— Jack Shrimp Farm

VIDEO

Mini Blue in the tank

ORIGIN

An ancient cradle

DISTRIBUTION MAP

An ancient cradle

Sulawesi shrimp are endemic to a handful of ancient tectonic lakes — 1–4 million years old, among the oldest freshwater lakes on earth.

Lake MatanoHome of Cardinal & White Sock (C. dennerli)

Lake PosoHome of White Orchid, Blue Legs (C. “Poso”)

Towuti · MahalonaThe Malili lake system, linked by rivers

IDENTIFICATION

How to identify a Mini Blue

💙Pale blue castA soft blue wash over the body that deepens once the shrimp settle and biofilm is plentiful.

🔹Dorsal spotsA line of small bright spots along the back that catch the light.

🐾Compact bodyNoticeably smaller than a Cardinal — a good choice for a 20–40 L nano.

🕳️Crevice dwellerLoves tight rock crevices, so build the scape with stacked, layered stone.

WATER

Ideal keeping conditions

27–30°

Temp C

7.8–8.5

150–250

TDS ppm

6–8

3–6

The golden rule: stability beats perfect numbers. A swinging parameter does more damage than one that sits slightly off but never moves. Use a Sula Sand substrate and a dedicated bacteria culture to keep the buffer rock-solid.

STRAIN DATA

Mini Blue profile

Strain data

Strain code: MB-01
Selected grade: SS+
Home lake: Matano (Malili system)
Scientific name: Caridina loehae
Adult size: 1.5–2cm

Wild species — natural profile

Caridina loehae is a wild species of the Malili lakes, found principally in Lake Matano and the Petea River. Its occurrence in Lake Towuti is still disputed in the literature.

Home lake: Matano — the deepest lake in South-East Asia, plus the Petea River draining into the Malili system. Its presence in Towuti remains unsettled.

Natural habitat: Rock crevices and rubble zones along the shore, full of hiding spots at its own scale.

Behaviour: Shy; most active under softer light and forages in small groups.

Conservation: An extremely narrow natural range under pressure from mining and invasive species. Captive-bred stock takes pressure off the wild population.

Keeping note: Stack rock to create many small crevices and avoid tank mates that outcompete it at feeding.

FOOD & SET-UP

The matching set-up

FEEDING

Omnivorous, but mostly grazing on biofilm and algae growing on rock. Add the White Powder + Yellow Powder pair for colour and steady breeding, and set the tank on Sula Sand to hold an alkaline pH long-term.