Finally, i got very deep red ones!

[Erlina _rusli]

I think its not because of stress of shipping, this shrimps can still red deep red even from shipping long time, and mostly sellers sent me the white or pink ones not the deep red ones.
My shrimps red when i just opened the box from.shipping!
So excited!

[Erlina _rusli]

Love the deep red!!!

[Super Jess]

What a great color!

[Vorteil]

Sweet pics. Keep them coming!

[Erlina _rusli]

Another deep red

[Erlina _rusli]

Love the deep red

[Erlina _rusli]

Some berried ones

[Vorteil]

Looks like you have quite a few berried females. Any idea how many you have total opae you have in your tan?

[Mustafa]

and mostly sellers sent me the white or pink ones not the deep red ones.

That's quite the assumption to make there accusing people (including me in this case) of specifically sending you non-red ones, because apparently I am just evil and a bad businessman because I want to harm myself by showing pictures of my red shrimp and just sending out colorless ones just because I can. I don't know why it's so hard to believe after seeing people with very red shrimp here who also got their shrimp from the same source (me) that captive-bred shrimp lose coloration when disturbed and also when something isn't "quite" right in their new setup. It could be food, it could be the biofilm, it could be the light...decoration...who knows. It's especially puzzling that it's so hard to believe because *everyone* who has kept these shrimp for any appreciable amount of time will tell you that. Not just me.

Just looking at the pictures of your new shrimp I can immediately tell that you received wild-caught ones that just a few days or weeks ago were in some anchialine pool on Hawaii and then *most likely* were illegally removed by someone so they can make a quick buck by selling them to exactly the kinds of people who really don't care where the shrimp come from and if they will still exist in the future...as long as they are "pretty" and available for cheap. Most anchialine pools are protected and can't be fished and for the rest one needs a license to fish *AND* one needs to apply for a license and fees to ship these shrimp outside Hawaii...license and fees for *every* single shipment. The *one* place that was trying to follow the rules gave up...because it's not worth it. So, yes, you can be pretty much certain these shrimp are illegal and be 100% certain that they were wild-caught.

Most wild caught shrimp come with very intensive colors that don't fade away easily and for a long time (months). But eventually even those shrimp *and* definitely their offspring will look exactly the same as the shrimp you have already in your setup. I've said that many times here.

In any case I'm "glad" you got what you wanted finally (albeit just temporarily) but I'm not going to congratulate you for promoting the illegal and unethical trade of these shrimp.

[Erlina _rusli]

I DID Not buy from hawaii...it was captive bred

[Mustafa]

Trust me, they're not captive bred. Everyone who tries to sell these shrimp claims they are "captive-bred" because they know the laws and they also know how many people think that it's unethical to catch them from the few remaining mostly *protected* pools regardless of laws. "Captive-bred" sells better and makes the buyer feel more comfortable if they have a conscience. So these people simply claim "captive-bred" hoping that people can't tell the difference.

Even if you didn't get them directly from Hawaii, whoever you got them from got them from the wild there. Nobody else is commercially breeding these shrimp and anyone who is breeding them knows that the colors can vary. And anyone who has ever seen the wild-caught ones knows that's what you have in your tank right now.

I don't usually mean to put people "on the spot", because you're obviously not the first one to buy and post pictures of wild-caught shrimp here in the forum, but coming here and claiming that I sent you "colorless" or "pink" shrimp on purpose and kept the red ones is just insane and completely unfounded. Especially since you *just* started the tank and it takes quite some time for the shrimp to color up in some tanks. This is in addition to the complaints privately (via email) that they aren't red enough (first day they arrived), complaints that on Ebay you could buy the Chaetomorpha for cheaper and in larger quantities (even though it says specifically on this website on the order page that the Chaetomorpha sold here is a *different* species that thrives in low salinity water), and the the starter portion you got is too small for your liking (even though it grows like weed once it grows and a huge portion stuck in a tiny tank that then dies off will just pollute the water and possibly kill the shrimp).

You literally *just* started keeping these shrimp and are learning about them, so coming here and claiming that I'm maliciously sending you non-red shrimp despite knowing basically nothing about these shrimp is just unbelievable.

I gave you an explanation *why* your shrimp are blood red. You'll just have to accept it. They are wild-caught, and again, you'll just have to trust me on that. There are unfortunately lots of unscrupulous sellers both in Hawaii, the mainland US, and even abroad who claim to be breeding them even though they get them from the wild. When you see them "dirt cheap" for large numbers of shrimp, that's why.

[Erlina _rusli]

[MrsT]

loving your first pic. Looks like Bloody Mary shrimp

[Malikta]

100% agree, my tank is still developing and I see the colors vary. I'm barely getting the right balance months later and with supplemental food at times. They just aren't that bright/deep red out of their natural habitat or out of a very well establish/balanced tank.

I did a lot of research since I started off on the wrong foot with ecospheres. I LOVE Hawaii, I have a timeshare there and hope to retire there one day - in the last 6 years I've spent there, the people are serious about their lands/water/produce/wildlife. I would never want to do anything that disturbed that balance so I found a reputable seller and do all my business with him, Mustafa.

I've also setup my sister's tank for her freed ecosphere and I've purchased 10 shrimp that now 100% blend in with my 4 existing shrimp (that were not captive bred I'm certain).

I've killed macroalgae and a dozen snails, you know, it just happens and I'm learning. I'm an avid gardener but I'm learning a whole new hobby.

Just have fun and take it a little at a time. Color and macroalgae take time

[Erlina _rusli]

Btw i bought the red ones from the same hobbyst