HELP cherry red shrimp lost there color

starfishplus

AC Members
Feb 28, 2005
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Hi just wanted to know if anyone has the same problem.I have a tank full of cherry shrimp and i have been breeding them for a few yrs but now it seams they have got lighter in color even to where some are close to ghost shrimp color. i added a new blood line about 2 months back.I also moved them to a bigger tank now.Iam feeding the same things. i even add some other foods to see if that helps and no diffs. i do have one that get really red when berried.Any help would be great guy.might be time for new line all together.
Tanks karen
 
i was going to ask about the substrate as well, i noticed in my tanks of cherries with light substrate the shrimp are much lighter, some downright pale. When moved to a tank with darker substrate (and tannins) they get much more red.
 
shrimp

hi i have not changed any of the gravel . i use a fine neon green in those shrimp.same as i have had, i well try the other foods also. thanks all.
 
yup diff foods and new shrimp to the mix.
 
you will have cull out the lighter ones just like in livestock, breed for the color, take all the darkest ones and put them into a new tank, and the add new blood only if they are showing dark colors, also check parameters, and stress, as both will cause them to lighten also if they have good cover they will feel better and darken up if the are uncovered in a tank so we can see them the will stay lighter so we can't see them just a predatary responce..
seen and be eaten
 
I feed mine, tetra color enchancer pellets, peas, cucumber, zuccinni. But a darker substrate would stimulate them to be a darker shade.
 
I agree with the substrate connection. Also, I've seen a direct connection between color and dosing Iodine with water changes.
 
i have some clear 1's 2 but with a red line down them. have like that since i got them a while back. i have had i bought 3 batches of 10 from 3 different people and in the babies the red is very red so hope fully i have breed the colour back into them with 3 different families (so to speak).
 
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