Got New Cherry Shrimps. Have Questions

nathan515 · Post by **nathan515** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:08 am

Hey, I'm new here. Recently bought online 6 red ramshorn snails, a bunch of java moss, a java fern, some other plants, and 8 cherry red shrimps for a total of $12 total including shipping. Anyhow...question is:

I got them but they are clear, i got a bunch of small juv ones as well, they're about 1/4inch or a little smaller, there are some bigger ones, biggest one is about 3/4th inch. How long until I see some real red colors, because I hear they lose it from the stress of the shipping. Yeah, so how long you guys think it'll take until i start getting worried?

ANything else i should know about the shrimps?

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 3:25 am

Hi Nathan515

Welcome to the forum.

As for your clear cherries. Yes, stress will change there color. From shipping and getting acclimated to there new home.
My adult females (very red) after molting can take up to 4 to 7 days to get there color back.

Is your tank a new set up ?

For more information check out, to the left of your screen.

Articles

Shrimp Varieties

These will help you to know the general care,tank set up for your shrimp

The males will be somewhat clear unlike the females, see pictures in the Shrimp Varieties.

Again, Welcome
John

nathan515 · Post by **nathan515** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:02 pm

Yeah, I was also wondering, since the shrimps are vulnerable to copper in the water and other heavy metals, what should i use to take out the copper. I have with me this solution that I bought that says it detoxifies metals, will it take out the copper as well?

Also for the red coloration, how long will it take juvs to show color?

Thanks
Nathan T.

nathan515 · Post by **nathan515** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:18 pm

Yeah, almost, another question but please help me with the question right above this one as well. Whats the pH of tap water in California? Is that okay for the shrimps?

fishgeek · Post by **fishgeek** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:31 pm

nathan the pH of tapwater in california is a pretty big question
buy yourself a ph test kit and check what it is from your water supplier out of your tap

i believe mustafa advocates a particular dechlorinator as being useful for taking heavy metals, copper included, from your water source

i cant recall as i use and r/o filter on lots of my water and hence dont worry about chlorine/chloaramines and heavy metals

your water supply company can also give you a breakdown of what is in your tapwater on the side of chlorine levels pH and heavy metals
they will have allowable maximun levels
try giving them a call and asking

andrew

fishcrazee · Post by **fishcrazee** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:58 pm

The pH of CA tap water is pretty high. Depends on where you live though. It's pretty broad if you just say CA. I'm not sure if it's ok for RCS though. I keep mine in RO water. It's safer and my parents get it for us to drink, tap water tastes nasty here.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:59 pm

Don't depend on water parameters to stay the same from town water. Most towns have more thanone water source and may change treatment styles. The only way to know is to test.

I use Amquel+ as a dechlorinator and water conditioner. Most people also like Seachem Prime. Both remove chlorine, chloramine and metals.

As far as coloring up, there are lots of factors. Young females may have only spotty color while males may have little or no color at any age. As the females get to reproductive age (~2 months) they color up more, and then get deeper in color each time they carry eggs. Some of the color may fade between egg cycles.

If the water parameters are bad or the shrimp are stressed, they may lose their color.

Shrimp&Snails · Post by **Shrimp&Snails** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:23 pm

Two of mine are really red now......give them places to hide and chill out until they are used to their new surroundings and that should help them colour up more too.

nathan515 · Post by **nathan515** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:12 pm

So solutions that say they detoxify metals take out copper as well? Also, what does r/o mean?

fishcrazee · Post by **fishcrazee** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:21 pm

r/o is reverse osmosis water. It is almost purely water. Tap water is forced through a screen with tiny holes and you get R/O water. You can buy one of the R/O units at a home improvement store, Home Depot, ACE hardware, etc.

TKD · Post by **TKD** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:34 pm

Some of my young females have a colour at about four or five weeks of age.
The even started to get colour about two weeks ago.

Some even have saddles too

TKD

Caridina sp. · Post by **Caridina sp.** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:28 pm

Marisa cornuarietis aka ramshorn snail does infact eat plants.. A lot of plants, so do be careful with their numbers. They could easily overpopulate and destroy all of those plants. They are also diggers.

Shrimp&Snails · Post by **Shrimp&Snails** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:50 am

If the ramshorns are the smaller blue or red ones they won't eat your plants but marisas (giant ramshorn) will.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:50 am

Here are some pics of my young ones so you get a feel for what my 3-4 week old shrimp do for color:

For contrast here is a mature female ~ 3months old with a juvie:

fishcrazee · Post by **fishcrazee** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:11 pm

ohhhh nice pics

. That pic helps a lot about what color juvies are. Mine are usually the same color at that time