RCS breeding for darker color

shrimper Bob · Post by **shrimper Bob** » Fri May 04, 2007 7:29 pm

I have been reading articles and post at this site for some time now in search of a answer to a question I have. Mustafa's article "Myth of the reverting red cherry shrimp" was a great read but I still wonder... My situation is this. I have 2 Red females from a shipment a few months ago, they usually have a beautiful deep red color,so dark it can be hard to see the saddle. The second shipment I received 4 weeks ago, from a different source seemed to be all young shrimp. Side by side the latter females color still do not come close to my 2 dark red females. I know they darken with age, are we talking months or a year? My main question, 2 part, which shrimp carries the color characteristics, male or female? Would it be wise for me to separate these 2 females to breed a better color?
Thanks! Bob B.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat May 05, 2007 5:20 am

I would not mix the populations until you know the true color of your new shrimp. Often you end up will all sorts of mutts in new shrimp, and the colors are not always good. Sounds like what you started with is about as good as it gets. The idea of needing to bring in new blood to keep a vigorus shrimp population is a myth.

Put your new shimp n a separate tank, and when the time comes that you want to mate them, only move the females to the dark red tank. It is impossible to tell what you have with the males.

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Sat May 05, 2007 5:26 am

shrimper Bob wrote:

which shrimp carries the color characteristics, male or female?

I can not help you with this.

But I can let you know what I have been doing to Breed for better color.

I wait for my best colored Females to become Berried and then move them to a different tank.

Then the long process begins. After the offspring get to about 3/4 of a inch, I start to sort them out by coloration to another tank. The best colored Shrimp stay in with the Adult Females.

The second tank is to let them grow out even more. This is so you will be able to sort out the Males from the females. The best colored Males go back in with the Adult Females.

Then You need to repeat this for several Generations.

After you have done this for a few generations the Males will also start to show more color.

And another way to sort, at least for Sub-Adults & Adults.
Is to have a net ready when you first turn on the lights in the morning.
And the Shrimp that have the most Red Coloration when you first turn on the lights. Remove these to another tank for your selective breeding.

John

shrimper Bob · Post by **shrimper Bob** » Sat May 05, 2007 7:58 am

Thanks.
I will start setting up another tank today since I am not working due to a work injury to my arm, which required surgery last week. I have plenty of time. I hate to sit around. This sounds like a good one armed project, with girlfreinds help.

Bob B.

pleco_breeder · Post by **pleco_breeder** » Sat May 05, 2007 8:30 am

This sounds like a good one armed project, with girlfreinds help.

Wouldn't that make it a 3 arm project???

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » Sun May 06, 2007 5:38 pm

I hope that over time the selective breeding shows results.
I know next to nothing about shrimp genetics but I know enough about the basics of Menedlian genetics to agree with your approach(es). I would take the same approach.

I have been pleased to see how stable the red form is. I don't think I am imagining it but some males seem to me to be pinker than others. This is shakey ground for me because I have a mild form of color blindness that makes reds seem a little different to me than for most others.
I have trouble with seeing Huckle Berries amongst the shadow dappled green leaves where another can follow me and find a bunch of berries I miss

I'm just glad the mutation is as stable as it is so I'm not ending up breeding grey shrimp by accident..

RCSGuy · Post by **RCSGuy** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:24 am

I don't know how true this is, but IME the reddest RCS in my tank have been those saddled and especially the one that's been berried twice (have had this tank since January so results may vary). This berried female got darker red than all the other shrimp (including the other females) and also developed a bold pink stripe down it's "back". It is not near as red as those solid dark RCS but it is the reddest in my tank so far. Hope this helped.

shrimper Bob · Post by **shrimper Bob** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:07 pm

Got another tank going but I haven't been able able to get the two females in there yet. My shrimp tank is in a awkward place, little clearance in top. Since my left arm is in the cast... I'm left handed. I'll net her soon....

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:15 pm

apistomaster wrote:I'm just glad the mutation is as stable as it is so I'm not ending up breeding grey shrimp by accident..

If you keep selecting the best males & females they get better. It is totally stable. There is also no need to cross breed with other strains. If you decide you must, only add females of the best color, or males that are nearly as red as females. A light color male could be a wild, and unless you know the tank they came from, you could mess up years of work.