CRS - getting the white to look really white

[Finley]

Hi

I have had my CRS for about 10 days. When I got them, and still now, many of their 'white' areas mostly look translucent rather than truly opaque white. Is this just because they aren't very high grade CRS, or would it be a nutritional/water parameters issue?

I have heard that "adding calcium" can help whiten the white... Is this true? If so, please tell me how to do this.

Water is:
- pH7
- kH3
- GH low(ish)
- 26C
- Nitrates etc I don't know until my new test kits arrive, but there are lots of plants and the CRS appear happily active.

Thanks,

Finley

[Finley]

Any ideas anyone? They still look more 'red and translucent' than 'red and white'...

Thanks

[Neonshrimp]

The clear instead of white color is considered to be a characteristic of lower class CRS, so strong white colors help to make the shrimp higher class. Sometimes stress will make the shrimp lose the white and this can be temperary or permanent. I think the CRS are nice looking regardless of class.