how do the colour variations show up/where do they come from

[ineke]

Hi,

So as a complete novice who doesn't understand the deep secrets of genetics I would like to know how the various cherry colour traits come about. Are they sports/mutations that show up occasionally in a colony that the breeder then line breeds to deepen that colour. So for someone who doesn't understand genetics if I leave my colony of red cherries to breed is it feasible that something unusual will eventually turn up or does the colour mutation need to be introduced.

Rillis show up in both cherrys and crystals (thanks BB) but how?

maybe too many questions for one thread but please tale it away guys- but in easy to understand terms because I'm sure there are more people like me on the forum but they just don't want to admit they are confused like me:confused:

I leave this thread open to any and all questions don't fell you are taking over the thread -all information is good!!!

Cheers

Ineke

[Baccus]

I left my red cherrys alone for months in a 4ft tank with fish, and only removed the lesser coloured females occasionally, and I ended up with a couple of what I call potential rili's occuring on their own in the tank.

Shrimp have huge genetic varation so usually some colour/ pattern will turn up spontaniously and as long as it does not adversely affect the shrimp (any creature really) then the trait will be carried on to the next generation. This is where the hobbiests/ farmers/ breeders come in, they see the new genetic trait and find it desriable either for size or colour and then selectivley breed from the shrimp showing these traits until the trait becomes strong and consistant.

So yes if you just let the shrimp do what they do there is a very good chance of something new turning up in your tank, especially if you began with a small gene pool (I started with 13 red cherry shrimp) and don't introduce any new bloodlines to that gene pool.

[ineke]

Thanks Baccus4702,

i thought that was probably the case but where do the other variations then come from. Do you use the rilli shrimp that have a tinge of blue etc or is something else introduced. The colour variation in the cherries is so wide from almost clear to black and almost every colour inbetween . When Gbang is talking about three base colours in 1 variation and BB going with purple????? I get lost. Then we have yellow and green so these all came about with selectively breeding shrimp that show up with a hint of another colour. It's absolutely amazing !!!! I know it takes generations to stabilise the colour but wow all this from a little wild shrimp? What an absolutely wonderful hobby.

[Baccus]

Basically all the variations in cherry shrimp have come about from selectively breeding chance mutations. And yep that is pretty amazing.

I am pretty sure after reading some overseas shrimp sites that in Germany particularly they do work on crossing various shrimp species but I think they mostly do this with caridina species which has a HUGE family of shrimp.

It all makes you want to go scrutinse your shrimp with a magnafying glass to see if any of your shrimp are showing some new trait that you want to expand.

[ineke]

Gosh Baccus I'm already sitting in front of my tanks most of the day now I will be looking at my nursery tank even more!!! It is only a nursery tank because I put most of the adults into the new big tank to breed away happily but I wanted to see what the babies I have turn out like - these are all the babies born here since beginning of January-some from the girls I sent 2OFUS. I'm positively going cross eyed!!! It does add that bit of excitement though to think maybe something interesting will turn up one day.

Cheers

Ineke

[Baccus]

Dont send your self crossed eyed looking at them :), other wise you might miss one.

But yeah it is exciting watching and waiting for various shrimp to grow up and show their full potential.

Speaking of experiences I can now say it was not my brightest idea to put Blackmore shrimp in a tank with black sand.... they blend to well and the babies I can only spy if they happen to move while I am scrutinsing the floor of the tank. Now that is enough to make you cross eyed. LOL