Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

So how exactly do you tell if a shrimp is carrying eggs? I have seen some pictures of shrimp with eggs in them, however mine look different. I know this seems silly, but they are really hard for me to see well. Also, my cherry reds aren't so cherry red. I bought 20 of them, two died and most of them are clear. There are one or two that are red. One is very red while the other has a few red spots.

So are the shrimp only red when breeding? Could I have really ended up with 90% males? I have seen the pictures in the shrimp page, and 90% of the shrimp look like the clear one.

So for people with bad eyes, is there another way to sex shrimp and determine if they are carrying eggs And could some of my clear shrimp be females? They are all very tiny and the larger ones seem to be more red.

You cannot miss an egg-carrying female red cherry. The eggs are bright yellow and, yes, the female does get more intensely red during that period. You really can't miss those eggs.

As for the clear shrimp...it all depends on their age (younger shrimp are usually paler and not fully colored out), diet and general well-being. The older, more well-fed and happy the shrimp are the redder they get. At that point (fully grown shrimp) the pale ones are most likely males. Plus, of course, the females have yellow "saddles" on their "neck" area, which are eggs "in production" in the ovaries of the female.

It's really not that hard to tell the difference in Red Cherries...you'll get used to it.

Female Cherry Shrimp with Eggs

Ok I see what you guys mean now. I think I have one or two shrimps carrying eggs.

Also, was it a typo or did you mean that the females are usually more red? From the srhimp article, it suggested that the males are clear and the females are red. In your post, it said it the other way around:

At that point (fully grown shrimp) the pale ones are most likely females

I'm not trying to flame, I'm just a little confused though.

Are there any foods to bring out the color of shrimp? I have been feeding them hair algae from one of my other tanks and algae pellets. Is this a good diet for them?

Last, does their red color get diminshed by cross-breeding, etc.? I have all cherry reds, but from the pictures I have seen, there is a great deal of varience in the red color. I was just wondering if the shrimp I have could be breed too many times and loose their color. I know that they have been breed by at least two other people before me for about a years time total. AKA they bought the cherries let them breed several times, scooped out some and sent some to the next person who did the same and sent them to me.

Thanks for the help.[/quote]

Ooops...of course I meant that the males are pale. I just corrected that in my previousl post.

Variation in color in this species is normal. Breeding over several generation does not degenerate coloration. My shrimp are in their gazillionth generation and are still deep red. They don't need special food to bring out the colors. Just normal flake food and their algae diet will be fine.

For more info try searching the forum for cherry reds...there is a lot of valuable information in here including a lot of what I've already said in more detail.

Mustafa

I don't know about you guys, but my cherry females are carrying green eggs? Don't know whats the trip with that? Do they just carry eggs for no reason? I always wondered! Also, my crystals are always carrying green eggs also, dos\es anyone know what color they have to be? Oh, one of the cherry shrimps eggs turned from green to clearish with black dots in the middle, even more weird for me??? Thanks for the help.

Hi,

That is a good thing....
Thoses black dots are eyes!

TKD