Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

We know that certain foods influence a shrimp's color. I'm wondering about the timing of this. If I start feeding spirulina, should a expect to see a gradual change in coloration? Do I have to wait for the shrimp to molt to see the effect? I guess the question may be "Are the pigments embedded in the shell, or do we see the pigments throught the shell?"

An excellent question....

My first thought would be that the pigments are imbeded in the shell and not "seen through the shell". My mind keeps going back to another discussion somewhere on this board about a particular type of shrimp (or was it a crayfish?) that looks as though it's an albino after it molts. With that particular species the pigments must be imbeded in the shell, but for all other species you can't say for sure.

Just my 2 cents....
-Brandon.

The color is not in the shell/skin. It is underneath in the "flesh". Otherwise you would see all kinds of patterns and colors on the molted skin, but they are all just milky white..no matter what color the shrimp has.

As to the effect of food on color...it can take from a couple days to a week or two before you can see the effects of the food on the shrimp. The shrimp don't have to molt for you to see the effects.

Mustafa

Mustafa,

I didn't think about the molted skin. As I think about it more, it seems unlikely that a moody shrimp could change her colors if the pigments were embedded in shell.

Thanks for the help.

You're welcome, Brad!

Then one would ask what makes colors more intense. I notice my shrimp seem to brighten up or lighten depending on what they are on or near. So what foods do what?

Does anyone know where I can find this answer?

Look for foods with carotenoid pigments.

That would be so easy if only I knew what that was lol or where to look for it. No one can just tell me they use xyz?

Why don't you just type words you don't know into google and see what comes up? Spirulina has carotenoids, and so do carrots (hence the name). It especially enhances red color. Plus...you could have just done a search in this forum since we talked about this before.

Of course I already did that. Just as in anything you dont know what your lo0oking for you wont be able to find it. Most of the things that it showed were things that I wouldnt think anyone in their right mind would put in their tank. Ie milk etc....though thanks for making it simple and just saying its in algae...wasnt that hard huh