Red Crystal Sulawesi

A crystal-clear red body that lights up from within — a red Sulawesi line rarely seen on the Vietnamese market.

Lake MatanoCrystal-clear redRarely available

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

— Jack Shrimp Farm

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 Red Crystal

💎Translucent redThe red is clear rather than opaque, so light passes through the body like a gemstone.

🔆Light it rightAngled light over a dark substrate brings the translucency out best.

👥Best in numbersA large group gives you dozens of glowing red points moving across the rock.

💧Needs clear waterCloudy water kills the effect entirely — strong filtration is non-negotiable here.

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

Red Crystal profile

Strain data

Strain code: RC-01
Selected grade: SS+
Home lake: Matano (Malili system)
Scientific name: Caridina sp.
Adult size: 1.8–2.2cm

Wild species — natural profile

Red Crystal Sulawesi is grouped with the Cardinal / Galaxy complex (Caridina dennerli) of Lake Matano, differing in the depth of red and the way its spotting is distributed. Note this is an alkaline-water Sulawesi line — entirely different from Crystal Red bee shrimp, which need soft water.

Home lake: Matano — the deepest lake in South-East Asia, clear alkaline water that stays stable year round; also home to the Cardinal / Galaxy.

Natural habitat: Submerged rocky shoreline in Lake Matano, among crevices where biofilm grows thick.

Behaviour: Grazes biofilm off rock in groups, favouring clear water with gentle flow.

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

Keeping note: Strong filtration with a soft outflow; the clearer the water, the better the crystal effect.

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.