Chris Lukhaup is the leading freshwater shrimp specialist, a well known aquascaper and professional photographer. Chris spends most of his time on expeditions around South America and Asia studying shrimps in their natural habitat. During these trips he has discovered many new species, studied their behaviour and taken some of the most breath taking pictures of shrimps ever seen. His experience and knowledge on shrimps and freshwater aquascaping proceeds him and our very own Alex Veres has been lucky enough to get an interview with this global celebrity. 


Alex: During your time, you probably had many aquariums where you kept shrimps. In your experience, what is the ideal size for a shrimp-tank if you intend to keep regular species, such as Crystal Red Shrimp?
Chris: This depends on how many shrimps you want to keep. If you don’t want to breed shrimps you can have a Nano Tank with 10 litres and 10 to 15 Caridina in it. That will work fine. If you want to breed them, you‘d better have a bigger tank, of 60–100 litres. This is the average tank that breeders use in order to reproduce them in higher quantities.


Alex: Do you recommend a special filtration for that tank? I am more interested in finding out if you recommend canister filter, hang-on, under-gravel filter or simple sponge-filter with strong aeration?
Chris: I would not say that there is special filtration system that works best.I have seen all of the examples that you mentioned at different breeders and all of them worked. I think it is more important that the filter is big enough,with a big surface. Which technology you use to achieve biological filtration is almost entirely up to you, there is a vast range of possibilities. What's also important when it comes to filtration: baby shrimps have to be protected from entering the filter in order to prevent them from disappearing in there forever.


Alex: The water parameters are very important in breeding the shrimps. Can you tell us about what water parameter do you recommend for Bee Shrimps?
Chris: When it comes to Bee Shrimps it is  important that the water isclean and that the nitrate content  does not exceed 10mg/liter. In general I would recommend that Caridina species should be kept in cooler water with a temperature around 18–24 C and a conductivity from 50 -300. Water change every week around 10%.  The pH should be around 6,5. In my experience most shrimp species from the genus Caridina love the cooler water. Recently I have been to Hong Kong where I have found the habitat of the bee shrimp. This place was a secret for many years because local shrimp catchers did not want any foreigners to go there. When we measured the water the temperature in March had been 16.5 Celsius.The water had a conductivity of 40 microsiemens, so in fact that was rainwater. Similar parameters you can find in most of the shrimp habitats I visited during last years.


Alex: Total dissolved solids (TDS) is a measure of all organic and inorganic substances that are dissolved within a liquid, do you think this is the most important parameter that it has to be checked into the shrimp tank? What model/brand of device you use for that?
Chris: I would not consider that the most important parameter. I know that mostof the breeders don’t pay attention to it at all. If it is around 5–8 it is fine. I think that other parameters are more important.Conductivity for example: It should not be higher then 200–300 microsiemens.


Alex: What is the substrate that you recommend for shrimps like Crystal Red Shrimp/Red Bee, Crystal Black Shrimp/Black Bee and Snow White/Golden Bee?
Chris: When it comes to substrate I always tell people that in all the habitats in China, Hong Kong etc. where Caridina and Neocaridina can be found I never saw soil on the ground. Always it was gravel and sand with detritus. I know that many people use soil for the shrimp tanks they have, but I don’t. The breeders from Hong Kong and China sometimes use soil but I have also seen breeders who reproduce them in very high quantities and they don’t have substrate at all.They told me that it makes it easier for the tank to be kept clean. I think the most important is that the water is pollution free.


Alex: Every hobbyist knows that keeping shrimps is similar to having tanks with different species or varieties of Moss. Is there a Moss that you recommend for a particular reason for the shrimp tank?
Chris: In some of the habitats in China or Hong Kong you can find mosses in the water. I suppose that’s why many people think that shrimps need mosses. It is a good combination because it looks good and because the shrimps can find microorganisms in the mosses. But they can thrive perfectly without them.


However, I can only speak for myself, and describe my way to do things. There are great aquarium photographers who work in a different way and their work is awesome.To work in the pictures I use Photoshop or Lightroom. However, if I'm not done with a picture in 3 to 5 minutes, I usually discard it. You can see in a photo when it has been over-shopped. A little contrast, around 3 to 5%, and around 7 to 8% colour.


However, many photos are already good when I download them from the camera, and I almost do not have to do any work with them. If I minimize pictures I sharpen them slightly afterwards. When the preparations have been good there's no need to repair much afterwards. One of the most important preparations is that I always change water a day before the photo shoot. This really makes a difference.