Germany black pinto 'White back' Shrimp (Caridina serrata)

Meet the Germany Black Pinto “White Back” Shrimp (Caridina serrata) — a striking, high-contrast Caridina that looks like it walked straight out of an aquascaping magazine. Deep black bodies with a clean white back stripe make them stand out against plants, moss and dark shrimp soil. They’re peaceful, curious and full of personality, but like most designer Caridina, they love soft, stable water and careful tank mates.

Tank Requirements

Tank Size: Minimum 20 L (larger tanks keep parameters more stable)

Temperature: 20 – 24 °C

pH: 5.5 – 6.8

Water Hardness: GH 4 – 6, KH 0 – 2

TDS: 100 – 160

Filtration: Gentle sponge filter or a pre-filter guard to protect shrimplets

Substrate & Décor:
Best kept on active shrimp soil to maintain a stable, slightly acidic pH. Add moss, fine-leaf plants, cholla wood and catappa leaves to grow biofilm and give shrimplets safe hiding spaces.

Avoid sudden water changes or parameter swings — stability keeps Caridina colonies thriving.

Diet

They thrive on a balanced shrimp diet, including:

✅ Biofilm and algae
✅ High-quality shrimp pellets or snowflake food
✅ Blanched veggies like spinach or zucchini
✅ Mineral food for moulting and shell strength

Small portions fed a few times per week are perfect.

Social Behavior

Germany Black Pintos are peaceful and active, especially when kept in colonies.
For community tanks, choose only the tiniest, calmest tank mates:

✅ Ember tetra
✅ Phoenix rasbora
✅ Pygmy corydoras
✅ Otocinclus
✅ Snails are great companions

Big or fast fish will hunt baby shrimp, so a shrimp-only tank is ideal for breeding.

Breeding

Females hold eggs for 25–35 days.
Shrimplets hatch fully formed and begin grazing straight away.
Clean water, low nitrates and lots of biofilm help ensure high survival rates.

Because Pintos come from mixed Taiwan Bee genetics, each batch of babies can produce a surprise mix of patterns — every generation is unique.

⭐ Fun Fact

The “White Back” marking is highly prized because it creates a beautiful contrast with the black body, almost like a tiny racing stripe. In a dimly lit tank, you’ll see that white streak shine like a spotlight as they move!

Reference: Bubbly Fish – creating underwater wonders.