Orange Eye Blue Tiger

Common Name: Orange Eye Blue Tiger, OE Blue Tiger, OEBT

Scientific Name: Caridina mariae ‘Blue Tiger’

Genus: Caridina

Wild Origin: China

Adult Size: 1.2 in

**Note:  All livestock orders will come carefully packaged with solid wall Styrofoam insulation and shipped via 1-day shipping only. No extra insulation needs to be added to your cart for your livestock.

The Orange Eye Blue Tiger is a popular dwarf shrimp variety in the aquarium hobby. It is a genetic morph achieved by extensive selective breeding of the Caridina Tiger shrimp. Good quality specimens have deep blue bodies, dark tiger stripes, and bright orange eyes. The highest grade specimens achieve a solid blue shrimp that eliminates or greatly diminishes the Caridina Tiger striping. Lower grades may have translucent bodies, patchy patterns, and brown eyes. 

Care requirements are the same as most dwarf Caridina shrimp. The Orange Eye Blue Tiger variety thrives at room temperature and doesn’t require a heater. They do best at a pH of 6.2 - 6.6, preferring softer and more acidic water. Ensure the shrimp are kept in a low-flow, well-cycled tank with aged water and plenty of algae to feed on.

The Orange Eye Blue Tiger is a scavenger that continually feeds on detritus and decomposing plant material within the aquarium. Its diet consists of algae, biofilm, and decaying organic matter, and can be further supplemented with commercial plant-based shrimp pellets or wafers. Adding hardscape elements like lava rock to the aquarium encourages the growth of biofilm and algae due to the rock’s rough texture. This provides increased surface area for algae growth as well as an extra food source for shrimp to feed on.

Key Features & Important Notes

• Tank-raised specimen
• Bright, bold color and pattern
• Shrimp are excellent scavengers and will happily feed on biofilm, decaying plant matter, and algae
• To increase survival rates, please allow 2-3 business days after an order is placed to properly prepare live animal shipments 

Recommended Water Parameters:

• Temperature Range: 68-74 ° F
• pH: 6.2-6.6
• TDS: 120-140     
• GH: 4-5
• KH: 0-1 (best if 0)

Recommended Tank Size:

• 5+ gallons

Diet:

• Algae, biofilm, diatoms, decaying plant matter, spirulina powder, bee pollen, plant-based shrimp pellets/wafers, blanched vegetables

Breeding:

• The Orange Eye Blue Tiger variety is a natural mutation as a result of extensive line breeding efforts derived from Caridina mariae, or Tiger shrimp. Specimens are sold at different price points based on grade, which is determined by quality of body color and the genetics involved in the lineage.
  
  Orange Eye Blue Tiger shrimp do not breed true. Meaning one batch of eggs will likely produce shrimplets of varying color and grades.
  
  A line is established when a breeder selects specimens with the highest amounts of blue, breeds them together, and then re-selects from the offspring for those with the most blue, with the intention of breeding superior shrimp to one another again. The breeder repeats this process with the resulting offspring across generations until opaque blue shrimp with bright orange eyes are consistently produced.
  
  Solid blue shrimp are considered higher grade and more desirable, therefore commanding a higher price than a clear-bodied shrimp. Note that lower grade shrimp aren't "worse" or less healthy than high-grade specimens; they're simply less pretty.
  
  Check out our blog article to learn  how to breed freshwater shrimp .