Description
The Wine Red is a very beautiful form of the Red Bee. The animals prefer a pH of approx. 6–7.5, a carbonate hardness of 0–5° and a total hardness of approx. 1–10°. Conductivity should be between 80 and 400 µS. Females of this species grow to approx. 3–3.5 cm in length, whereas males reach only approx. 2.5–3 cm.
It is still unclear whether the Wine Red is a mutation or whether breeders developed the animals’ red coloration through targeted breeding and selection.
Breeding the Wine Red is very similar to breeding Red and Black Bees. The animals prefer slightly acidic water, in which they often also display better coloration. Once sexually mature, females develop a saddle behind the head when the water quality is good and the water parameters are suitable. During the next molt, the male attaches a sperm packet to the female, which then attempts to press the eggs previously produced in the saddle into her abdominal pouches. Normally, there should be approx. 20–30 eggs. Inexperienced females often lose some of the eggs, and sometimes all of them. After approx. 4 weeks, the female releases the juveniles, which immediately retreat into hiding places. There they graze all surfaces for microorganisms and constantly search for food. At this still young age, they molt relatively often. However, the frequency steadily decreases with age. The animals become sexually mature at approx. 3–3½ months. To achieve better rearing rates, the use of juvenile-rearing food is recommended.