A Shrimp Color & Genetics Theory, Pics & Poll

Diet of pure algae, feed, or both

  • 100% Algae

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • Regular Flakes Pellets etc

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • A mix of both

    Votes: 5 71.4%

  • Total voters
    7

Primous

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I guess this starts with me stumbling across the outrageous price of a single sakura shrimp and opting instead to go for regular cheap cherry shrimp only to then watch these cheap variety develop into such strongly colored cherry shrimp that they eventually turn a dark crimson or deep purple... Until recently I had about 11 bee shrimp and several and 8 cherry shrimp which through stupidity (a residual snail treatment which according to the label, should have dissipated by the time I put them back in.) I wiped them all out bar two bee shrimp :sad:

So again I had to look in my lfs(') and ebay and again I chose the cheaper option for both breeds. And again, the shrimps have developed into better looking (and higher market value if I were to sell them) The cherry shrimp develop into a darker and darker shade with every molt. I never ever feed the shrimp directly. Due to the way I feed my tank The shrimp never get any artificial food and feed "solely" on algae and whatever else they find in a planted tank.

I bought 2 of the cheapest bee shrimp I could find a couple of months ago and this is the first surviving offspring which I stumbled across (about 1cm long)

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And with the cheap cherry shrimp (or sakura) notice the darkest patch near the head. It appears that that dark patch is the next color it will attain with it's next molt.

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I personally believe that shrimp that are not fed develop stronger colors. I've seen shrimp tanks, one not that far from me and some of the hobbyists I'm subscribed to on yt. And in every case I've come across those that feed on regular flake/pellets don't develop colours as strong. Unless they have been specifically bred...

And I'm wondering what you're take on the matter is and perhaps you could post pics of yours...

Oh and please excuse the algae in each pic I haven't had a sufficient clean up crew for sometime now
 
Interesting theory, Primous.
I have four cherries, three in a 5 gallon, and one in a 20 gallon.
The one in the 20 feeds solely on algae since the amanos munch up any shrimp pellets i throw in there, and has a very intense ruby color. No pics of him, sorry.

But the ones in my 5 gallon, feed mostly on Hikari Shrimp Cuisine pellets and any algae that grows. They aren't as intensly colored as the one in the 20g.
Here they are
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If I may add, I think the intensity of the color also depends on the presence of predators.
Though no fish attempt to eat the cherry in the 20g, the shrimp will have a deeper color to "blend in" or something like that. Just something to keep in mind :good:
 
Not a shrimp expert at all but I've been reading recently because I got 3 red rili shrimp myself.
Apparently red cherry shimp get darker with age. I higher grade cherry would be one like the fire red cherrys which are very red when juveniles, as opposed to getting redder when they grow older.
On another side, red cherry shrimp can throw different colours over time and generations. That's how all the neocaridina species appeared, including the orange sakura, yellow shrimp, rili shimp, blue velvet shrimp and even blue pearl shrimp, etc...
 
Personally I think its not so much a case of whether or not the shrimp are fed but also the original parentage of the shrimp (sub adults from a pet shop are never going to show their true potential), as well as the water conditions and tank mates. Some of my darkest most amazing shrimp are in a 4ft tank with white sand plenty of plants, other fish and timber.

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The above ones where selected out for sending away to a person who requested them, otherwise they would have still been free in the main tank.

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And now after having these shrimp for over 12 months (and I origianally only had 13), I am now getting potential Rili shrimp emerging on their own accord.

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My shrimp don't really get special meals, most of the foods I put in my tanks are more aimed at the fish in the tank, but you can't stop shrimp from helping themselves.
 
@snazy While we can get a color in one generation I don't think the shrimp can change their genetic makeup. And since the original cherry can't change color with/without the presence of predators or as they mature I'd rule out both as the cause.

I have purchased cherry and bee shrimp from different sources both online and at my lfs' and since changing my setup to a planted tank they have always colored up strongly on algae alone.

A quick search of shrimp tank on youtube http://youtu.be/zoxwJhQ5wC4 notice they are pink and being constantly fed?
 
I really don't know. I have to find out for myself I guess. Only posted what I read but you know how it is with info online :lol:
I was just thinking, but isn't algae based food and greeneries recommended for guppys for example to help them colour better?
So maybe it does matter for shrimp too.
 
All of my shrimp help themselves to the smorgasboard of food that I give to my various fish, as well as the odd feeding of crayfish pellets which the shrimp and fish all like to eat. All of my shrimp are under relatively bright lights too with reflective white sand, so if they where going to be pale/ washed out these conditions should make them pale but the reverse is true, mine just keep getting darker and better coloured.

Algea and mircofauna that collects on plants in tanks is good for shrimp, but I don't think you can say that an entirely algea based diet with no supplimentry feeding will produce fantasic colour all of the time.
 

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