i just joined the forum a few days ago and have been a frequent visitor for quite some time. i just wanted to ask, although i'm pretty sure that it hasn't happened yet, if anyone has seen a purple(merlot) colored cherry shrimp.
i have quite a few thats showed up in my tanks now, and they look amazing. if anyone has seen them before please let me know, if not get ready for a new wave of color!!!
new color form of cherry...i think
Moderator: Mustafa
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Neonshrimp
- Master Shrimp Nut
- Posts: 2296
- Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 5:37 pm
- Location: California, USA
actually I was JUST about to post about the purple/bluish ("merlot" is a great description) female I found in my RCS breeding tank. I immediately suspected she was a hybrid, but then remembered blue Neocaridina do not breed true. I also have not introduced new stock in 6 months, so at least 5 generations ago.
These pics are all of the same individual, the blue-est and largest I found. She has been moved from my RCS tank into my community tank.
When she's 'pale' her stressed coloration is actually blue. So it appears that tint is in her shell, and when she's happy she adds the red to form the purple/merlot color. As you can tell, I've already separated her and was kind of alarmed/dismayed at her appearance.
Please let me know if anyone else suspects she is a hybrid of some kind. If so, I will have to trash my entire RCS colony (actually, probably give them away) and start all over. Not only that, but I'll try to hunt down all my past buyers and let them know they have hybrids [it will feel like I'm admitting an STD
].
If anyone has a suspicion as to what she is a mix of, please also share because I would like to know. I couldn't think of any dwarf shrimp with that dark coloration except maybe for Malayas and occasionally some super-dark wild-type Neocaridinas.
These pics are all of the same individual, the blue-est and largest I found. She has been moved from my RCS tank into my community tank.
When she's 'pale' her stressed coloration is actually blue. So it appears that tint is in her shell, and when she's happy she adds the red to form the purple/merlot color. As you can tell, I've already separated her and was kind of alarmed/dismayed at her appearance.
Please let me know if anyone else suspects she is a hybrid of some kind. If so, I will have to trash my entire RCS colony (actually, probably give them away) and start all over. Not only that, but I'll try to hunt down all my past buyers and let them know they have hybrids [it will feel like I'm admitting an STD
].If anyone has a suspicion as to what she is a mix of, please also share because I would like to know. I couldn't think of any dwarf shrimp with that dark coloration except maybe for Malayas and occasionally some super-dark wild-type Neocaridinas.
I am by no means an expert, I am a novice. What I would do is pay close attention to your colony over the next few months. Separate the differently colored varieties and breed them. Take notes of the prevalence of the new color morph, if they actually produce more of that morph.
If your colony, over the next few months, does not produce more of this color you may have a new color morph. If you notice that one female is producing this morph she is probably a hybrid, although, it could be the male. Tough situation, but I would not act to rash yet.
Careful observation and controlled breeding will tell you more about what you have.
If your colony, over the next few months, does not produce more of this color you may have a new color morph. If you notice that one female is producing this morph she is probably a hybrid, although, it could be the male. Tough situation, but I would not act to rash yet.
Careful observation and controlled breeding will tell you more about what you have.
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Neonshrimp
- Master Shrimp Nut
- Posts: 2296
- Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 5:37 pm
- Location: California, USA
*fingers crossed*