Opae Ula - Making them more Redish ?

A forum for discussing everything about the Supershrimp (Halocaridina rubra, Opae ula).

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LiquidBee
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: So. California

Opae Ula - Making them more Redish ?

Post by LiquidBee »

I was wondering if anyone knows how to make my Opae Ula more red - from the on-line pictures that I saw of the Opae Ula in the wild, they are dark red. Where as my Opae are more of a lighter pink.

A little more information about my tank
-Had it over 5 years now (very stable community - that reproduces on it's on)
-20 gallon tank (Opae Only)
-Approximately 200-300 ? (lost count when they starte moving..lol)
-sponge filter
-Temp at 78-84
-Brackish Salinity (1.014)
-No water changes, just top off
-Nitrate, Nitrite all fine
-rare feedings - once a month at the most
-3 large coral rocks


Maybe I don't have enough calcium in the tank ?.....but I read that coral rocks have calciums in them ?

Want to make the Opae's more Reddish in color - please help ?
Mustafa
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Re: Opae Ula - Making them more Redish ?

Post by Mustafa »

This species, like many others, reflects its mood and well-being by changing color. Most of my Opae are dark red, some are really, really dark red, but you do see some that are not very intensely colored (maybe they molted recently?). I do not feed them any special color food. In my opinion there is something about your tank that causes them to be that color...they obviously feel well enough to reproduce, but something is slighly off so they don't get really dark red.
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