Complete genetics research
TOPIC 01 / RESEARCH UNDER REVIEW
Start here: Three different shrimp trees
A species phylogeny describes evolutionary relationships inferred from molecular and morphological evidence. A breeder pedigree describes crosses and selections actually undertaken by individual breeders. A trait inheritance model predicts offspring phenotypes only when the inheritance mechanism is supported by breeding data.
Do not conflate commercially named strains with taxonomic species, and do not infer parentage from a similar-looking pattern. A tree with multiple founders and repeated backcrosses is more properly a network.
Evidence: Caridina bee/tiger taxonomy: Klotz & von Rintelen (2014), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25544138/ .
TOPIC 02 / RESEARCH UNDER REVIEW
Caridina foundation families and Taiwan Bee
Bee shrimp associated with *Caridina logemanni* include Crystal Black and Crystal Red selected lines. Tiger shrimp associated with *C. mariae* have distinctive tiger banding and include selectively bred blue and orange-eye variants. The commercial Taiwan Bee complex includes names such as King Kong, Panda, Wine Red, Red Ruby and Blue Bolt. These are breeder varieties, not independent formally described species.
Provisional breeding-family diagram (solid arrows here indicate breeder-reported breeding relationships, not a sequenced pedigree):
Bee-type founder stock
├─ Crystal Black / Crystal Red and PRL-type selections
└─ Taiwan Bee-associated selected stocks
├─ King Kong / Panda
├─ Wine Red / Red Ruby
└─ Blue Bolt
Tiger-type founder stock
└─ Blue Tiger / Orange Eye Tiger and other selected stocks
Individual breeder founders and the precise history of Taiwan Bee mutations remain unverified unless attributed to dated first-person records.
TOPIC 03 / RESEARCH UNDER REVIEW
Hybrid and designer Caridina
Breeder terminology commonly describes Tibee as Bee × Tiger offspring and TaiTibee as a Tibee lineage backcrossed toward Taiwan Bee. Pinto, Fancy Tiger, Galaxy, Fishbone and Boa are patterned breeding-line families with diverse histories, not universal single-parent genetic formulas.
Bee-associated lines + Tiger-associated lines
↓
Tibee crosses
+ Taiwan Bee lines
↓
TaiTibee populations
↓ repeated selection / crossing
Pinto / spotted / fishbone-associated lines
↓ pattern selection and varying crosses
Galaxy / Boa / other designer labels
Caution: The lower branches have uncertain, line-specific founder history and are not a proof that every marketed Boa descended from one particular Pinto.
Breeder terminology reference: https://skfaquatics.com/forum/topic/7637-tibee-taitibee-pinto-mischling-f1-f2-terms-explained/
TOPIC 04 / RESEARCH UNDER REVIEW
Neocaridina color-family lines
Most colorful aquarium Neocaridina varieties are *Neocaridina davidi*. Same-species color lines normally interbreed, but trade names are not proof of shared pedigree.
Wild-type N. davidi populations
├─ red-selected families → Cherry / Sakura / Fire Red / Red Rili
├─ dark-selected families → Chocolate / Black Rose / Carbon Rili
│ ↳ some Bloody Mary and Blue Dream-associated pedigrees
├─ yellow/orange-selected families → Yellow / Golden Back / Orange / Orange Rili
└─ multiple unresolved / breeder-specific roots → Green Jade / Snowball
Red Rili-associated breeding has also been reported for some Blue Jelly lines.
Important: Blue Jelly ≠ Blue Dream ancestry by default; the two may originate from different selection families. Bloody Mary history likewise differs by breeder. Record a distinct line ID for each breeder population and retain the stated parent stock.
Scientific coloration study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8069546/
TOPIC 05 / RESEARCH UNDER REVIEW
Pigment biology and molecular research
Visible hue depends on chromatophore pigment cells, spatial distributions of pigments, reflectance/structural properties, and physiological/environmental influences. A 2020 ornamental Neocaridina transcriptomic comparison identified 4,706 differentially expressed genes between sampled color morphs and developed five microsatellite markers. These are expression differences and markers, not 4,706 proven color-causative genes.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32529453/ .
The taxonomic name used by a particular study must be checked before transferring findings directly to other *N. davidi* stock. A pigmentation-related candidate is not a validated marker-assisted breeding assay for a named aquarium line.
TOPIC 06 / RESEARCH UNDER REVIEW
Inheritance, carriers and crossing probabilities
A hypothetical single-locus recessive model uses BB (dark), Bb (dark carrier), bb (recessive red). Carrier × carrier (Bb × Bb) gives 25% BB, 50% Bb, 25% bb in expectation, if that model holds. This model is not scientifically confirmed as a universal explanation of Crystal, Taiwan Bee or Neocaridina commercial strains.
Advanced color and pattern traits may be polygenic and environmentally modulated. Do not publish precise cross predictions without multi-generation pedigree/offspring counts. Log sire, dam, breeder, line ID, generation, surviving offspring, phenotypes, dates and imaging.
TOPIC 07 / RESEARCH UNDER REVIEW
Compatibility, records, and research requests
Documented hobby crosses: Crystal Red × Crystal Black Bee, Bee × Tiger (Tibee), Tibee × Taiwan Bee (TaiTibee), same-species *N. davidi* color lines.
Not established as viable routine crosses: *Caridina* × *Neocaridina*, Bee × Sulawesi Cardinal, Bee × Amano. Belonging to the same genus alone is insufficient evidence of compatibility.
Proposed site data fields: taxon, display name and aliases, strain name, breeder/region, founding animals, cross type, parent line IDs, phenotype, claimed genotype, actual marker result, generation, breeding observations, citations per claim, confidence label, licensed photo status, and conflicting ancestry claims.
Evidence hierarchy: primary molecular and experimental evidence; dated breeder records; consistent independent breeder reports; anecdote; unverified trade label. Avoid fabricated creator credit, precise genotype claims, images without reuse permission, or invented offspring percentages.
Next research targets: original Crystal Red origin records, Taiwan Bee history, breeder-documented Pinto/Galaxy/Fishbone/Boa chains, Blue Dream vs Blue Jelly founders, Bloody Mary origins, and published *Caridina* mitochondrial/phylogenetic work.