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Depth of colouration/intensity in shrimps are often linked to several factors. 1. Water Parameters - It is important to research and determine the optimum WP related to your specific shrimp. Ensuring zero - ammonia & nitrites, low nitrates, ideal PH, KH, GH, TDS, Temp...is critical to ensure optimum WP. Great WP = Happy Shrimps 2. Environment - Depending on the type of shrimps, the colour of the substrate (darker substrate, deeper coloration) and lighting .. etc can play a role. I personally do not think shrimps are aware of their colour ( I.e. red, yellow...etc) they are just trying to blend in with the environment. In contradiction to this though, I have some black. Brown and red (female ONLY), that has very dark/deep colouration on a white sand substrate. Food, and additives (Calcium...etc) do/may effect colouration too. 3. Genetics - The MOST important factor of shrimp colouration. Selective breeding is the ONLY way to truly ensure depth/intensity of colour. Even with ideal WP and environment, poor quality stock will not result in the targeted colouration. With a quality selective programe, ideal WP/environment and PATiENCE, we'll well in our way to improving shrimp colouration. Please do add your thoughts and experience ..... Thanks.

We would all like to think that everyone you deal with in the hobby can be trusted and don't have an alterior motive. Sadly however there are some in the hobby who are deceiving enough to steal what others have worked hard for. I thought i would write some tips which will better assist in protecting you, your belongings and what you have worked hard for. There is nothing worst then having someone violate your privacy and the home of you and your family. Tips that may be handy in no particular order. Most are common sense. * If you are breeding high value shrimp or selling anything of value avoid having your shrimp picked up from your home address. * Always obtain a phone number from the person you are dealing with as you can confirm some legitimacy of the dealing and phone numbers are traceable by Police. * Invest in an alarm system for your home if you dont have good neighbours make sure its back to base. * If you are unable to afford any alarm for your home or are renting consider investing in a dummy blue light box and alarm warning stickers. * Invest in good quality CCTV in your home covering the points of entry / Shrimp room. Dont skimp as poor quality images are useless to the Police in identifying the culprit. * If you can not afford CCTV then consider imitation cameras for the outside of your premises and again stickers. * If you have any concerns arrange pick up in a public place and arrive early and wait away from your vehicle. Some people can obtain your details from your roads and traffic authority through your number plate if they try hard enough. * Record your buyers/sellers registration plate if you have concerns and record your dealings. * Wait until the other party has left the location before you leave so that you can not be followed to your home address. * Record any break and enter or attempt to your local Police and ensure you obtain a report number and the Police officers name you spoke to so it can be followed up. * Invest in a P.O Box, it allows confidentiality without having to disclose your address to anyone. * Dont disclose any information to people you don't know. Simple things even like employment can provide vital information to a thief in regards to ascertaining times when you are not home. * If regularly selling shrimp and allowing contact with strangers invest in a separate sim card. * Take someone with you if you have the slightest concerns. * Invest in sensor lights on the external part of your residence. These days you can buy solar powered LED flood lights if you dont want hard wired to save money. * If you go away on holidays invest in in a holiday light attachment. You buy them from bunnings and you plug them into your light socket between the connection and the light bulb. It will randomly turn your light on and off at different intervals giving the look of someone being home. * Be cautious of who you advise that you are away on holidays. This is the prime time for someone to break in to your premises. * Try to avoid giving out your full name, especially if the buyer is local to your city. * If you use a land line number, make it a private number. * If you have used the same username or email address on various forums, do a google search to see if you've left identifying information associated with them. * Don't discuss how often/how long you tend to be out of the house for work etc.

Dead shrimp are normal, i dont see any kind of fungus or parasite. I think the problem is No3 but i really dont know how to reduce and keep them low... I do a 70% water change and the day after No3 are the same as before... How can i reduce ph in tank with inert substrate? Just reduce kh?

Filtration is one of those things that you can't have too much of. It is impractical to have massive sponge filters in one tank, so think of external canister filters, which can hold a lot more media than internal tank filters. From the picture you have posted, the tank looks like the AquaOne AR126, 20 Litre tanks. Shrimps are not heavy polluters, so that filter you have will be enough. But if you ever need more filtration, an external canister filter like an Eden 521 or 522 can be added easily.

I have one of Jamie's macro lenses and got some awesome photos of my shrimp. Definitely worth the wait. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Scott, no time to waste for any selective breeding programs. Delays will just result in more culls, and a compromise. Depending on your goals, tank numbers etc... even off a batch of 20+, if there's ONLY 1 Pair you like, then the rest would be culls. Lower quality shrimp do berry more frequently and easily. Obviously, if you're just having them as a hobby, for viewing, then culling may not be necessary, BUT if you goal is to achieve the best possible quality and stock, then there's no time like the present. Post a pic of your stock ....

Selective breeding is subjective. PRL (Pure Red Line) / PBL (Pure Black Line) are the accepted pinnacle of CRS/CBS, but hobbyist may focus on patterns/body colouration, instead of coloured legs etc.....depending on the level/experience. I initially started out just wanting to have CRS's, then keeping them alive, then breeding them, then successfully growing shrimplets.... which leads to patterns/grades, then quality/depth of colour, then coloured legs etc.... Selective breeding via culling, individual tank for selected pairs etc, are all depended on space, $ and permission (!). Many are doing this via breeding boxes etc.. just need to ensure water quality, 02 level etc are ample. There's a wide view of ideal WP for Neocaridina Heteropoda...PH - 7-7.5, Kh - 2, GH - 6-10, TDS - 200+ & Temp 22-25 seem to be the accepted level, but my cherries are at 6.4-7, KH - 1, GH 5, TDS 200 & Temp 23, as they do share the tank with my Caridina. I just collect them, and don't really focus too much on breeding % for the cherries, so not too focus on giving them the perfect environment....priorities are in mt TB & Tiger's :-). Like some fishes, I do believe they can eventually adapt to softer water, but that's just my opinion. I do add calcium, and generally use CaSO4....but this is dependant upon you GH level, soil type and shrimp #'s....