New supershrimp, not red

[Harry]

I've had my supershrimp for two days now. They seem healthy and active. They eat well. I have given them some flake food, about the size of the head of a pin. They respond well and quickly eat the food. I will feed them every two weeks or so. They also constantly eat the micro-stuff that I can't see. But they are very pale. I'm wondering if they are just young and will turn red eventually, or will they stay pale and uncolored?

[Mustafa]

Hi Harry,

Patience! It's only been two days. See that small picture at the top of the screen (berried Supershrimp)? If I just stick my hand into that shrimp's tank it will immediately lose that red and turn pale. These shrimp lose coloration when they get disturbed or when they don't feel well otherwise. Your shrimp can and will turn red eventually, some even really deep red. It's just a matter of time. Just let them settle in and let the tank mature. Once they start actively running around the tank and picking things (= tank has matured) their coloration will improve. However, there will always be individual differences, with some shrimp super red and some kind of light pinkish-red.

I'll probably upload pictures of some spooked shrimp to the Supershrimp pages to show the differences.

[Harry]

Thanks, pictures would be great. The shrimp seem very active. Unlike my freshwater shrimp, these guys pick up pieces of the tiny flake food after it is broken. Then they take the tiny piece away and I find them upside down under a leaf (plastic leaf), eating it - amazing.

[LeShrimp]

Mustafa is right. Another thing to consider is their size, you said they where about the size of a pin head. That is very small I think that it is safe to say they are probably still VERY young and have not fully developed
But deffinately nothing wrong if they are active and eating well.

[Harry]

I said the flake food I was giving them was the size of a pinhead. I don't want to overfeed and I want them to eat the micro algae and micro organisms. The shrimp range from 1/4 inch to almost 1/2 inch.

[LeShrimp]

I said the flake food I was giving them was the size of a pinhead. I don't want to overfeed and I want them to eat the micro algae and micro organisms. The shrimp range from 1/4 inch to almost 1/2 inch.

Oh, sorry I misread that, they sound like they are at a decent size.

[shrimpy4]

After about 2.5 months in their 1 gallon bowl, my shrimp are also very rarely red. Every now and again I'll see a couple have reddened themselves for a bit, but most of the time they remain pale/grayish.

I wonder if the office environment isn't an ideal place for them, with all of the exterior noise/movement and 15-16 hours a day of flourescent lighting. I've only lost two though out of the originally 20, so they're surviving at least.

Even as I type this they've become incredibly active over just the past hour or so. I can see at least half of them swimming and walking around, picking at things. They must sense it's almost the weekend!

[Harry]

Looks like one of the larger ones has gone red.

[Harry]

More of the larger ones are beginning to turn red. They are pink now and I have hopes the color will deepen. I suspect they are okay in their new surroundings.

[KenCotigirl]

Good to here. I hope they continue to redden up.

Ken

[Harry]

I saw a discarded exoskeleton - good news, they are molting.

[KenCotigirl]

Always a positive sign.

[tooth]

I assume you leave the exoskeletons in the tank. Do the shrimp consume them?

[KenCotigirl]

Yes