Good afternoon my fellow Shrimp Keepers,

I have received the answers for the 4th SKF interview.

Today we have a interview from @newbreed. He is a very well respected breeder (formerly AKA as the Pinto King), He is also a retired admin of SKF and is now the owner of Newbreed Aquatics. You can find his new website at http://newbreedaquatics.com.au

SKF - Hi Jamie can you please tell us a little about yourself?

JN - I have been keeping aquariums for over 25 years and started to keep shrimp specific tanks just over three years ago. As there was not much readily available information on keeping shrimp successfully, after hunting around I was fortunate to find SKF. The sharing of knowledge and experience gave me the confidence to keep a large variety of shrimp species

I had spent many months, many hours each day, assisting people with shrimp tank problem solving. At the end of each conversation I found myself referring people to other companies websites to purchase the necessary items to remedy their situation. In January 2015, I decided I would just establish my own business and have these essential items on hand, so if someone had a problem i could send the items directly and quickly. Seeing as most people within the hobby knew me as Newbreed, this is how Newbreed Aquatics found it's name.

Question 1 - What is your weekly/monthly maintenance schedule?

JN - Daily:

- Lots of shrimp staring, keeping an eye on behaviours, moults, shrimplet spotting, taking many pics with my phone

Weekly:

- Evaporation top ups with pure (untreated) rain water

- BeeMax Bacterial powder added (Boss Booster also used when Beemax not available)

- Mineral Powder added (recommend Benibachi or Boss products)

- General Tidy up of tanks, moss trimming, removing used/spent IAL

- Water testing mainly via TDS test

Monthly:

- PH/GH/KH Testing

- 10% waterchange, siphoning out any buildups and replenishing with rain water treated with Salty Shrimp to desired TDS

Question 2 - What is your favorite additive/products?

JN - Essentials to me are the bacteria and mineral powders. I dose either weekly or fortnightly, to maintain good bacterial colonies and to ensure minerals available for use by shrimp for moults, etc.

Favourite product is Benibachi Bee Max. Always something I add if there are any issues and just reassuring to know bacteria levels are propped up constantly.

Also Indian Almond Leaves (IAL) and Alder Cones are a must, again good for bacteria and have helpful natural properties.

Question 3 - What is your worst shrimp experience?

JN - I had a wonderfully thriving CRS colony up until last year. Started with 15 shrimp and gradually started producing in the 100's. I fed them well, daily and also used baby powder type foods daily.

As the colony was thriving and all seemed happy I got lazy with maintenance and conditions worsened over time.

I started having occasional unexpected deaths and put them down to age, etc. Only when it became consistent and more deaths regularly did panic set in. There had been a plague of bacterial infections reported but my tanks were isolated from any new stock.

The usual waterchanges, adding IAL/Alder Cones and powders didn't assist it.

As these were a line that had been selling regularly and consistently, it broke my heart getting messages from keepers asking to buy some, as I could not sell any and risk any issues with others tanks. As I had not identified the cause.

In the end a thriving three foot tank which held a colony of close to 200-300 shrimp was closed down to be reset.

I figured that the overfeeding and low maintenance had just made the tank unsuitable.

TDS, KH, GH and Ph were all good and stable, but must have been a build up of organics that was affecting the shrimp poorly.

Some CRS others had taken during this time, after my advice they may be unwell, had thrived in their new homes.

The colony was closed down and only now starting to recoup in a new setting.

Sad when things were going so amazingly, that it could turn around almost overnight. Has made me much more conscious of feeding regime and maintenance regularity.

Question 4 - What are the biggest myths in Shrimp Keeping?

JN - 1. Shrimplets will not get through wire strainers on sumped systems (when first rack closed down, I had some amazing sump dwellers)

2.Shrimplets will not survive going through a sump and back into tanks on rack (Sadly my Pure TB line was invaded by shrimplets from another tank on same sump, killing off my 2 year Pure Line program - very sad day when discovered)

3. Shrimp are difficult to keep. (consistency and stability is the key)

Question 5 - Unusual things that you use with your shrimps?

JN - Can't think of anything that 'out there', I use lots of fun quirky shrimp related products like bee shelters and moss ledges.

Many non shrimp keeping friends think I am odd when I grab my magnifying glasses out, to show them my newest sexy shrimp. lol. That may count.

Question 6 - Can you give us tips on selective breeding? And how to improve the quality of our shrimps?

JN - I always love watching my shrimplets develop and always look for new or unusual traits. I like unique strains and cross breeding at present.

I guess the main thing with breeding is to know your goal, and what you want to achieve. Then it makes it easier to start selecting shrimp for desirable traits.

Once I have a goal in mind, I isolate candidates into their own project tank and let things develop.

With the CRS I was aiming for more red colouration in the legs. So I asked another breeder for some males with that trait, I then isolated my best formed females and let them go to work. It is amazing how each generation can vastly improve on the previous one.

Also, key factor is to understand the genetic history of the shrimp you are breeding. If they are not from your direct lines, ask the breeder for a history. Majority of the breeders I have talked to over the last few years are very willing to share their experiences and knowledge, especially here on SKF. It makes your job a whole lot easier if you know what you are working with.

Improving quality again comes down to regularly culling the undesirable or lower grade shrimp from your breeding group. (culling is not killing. just isolate them to another tank, where you are not concerned with the outcome as much)

Keep and Breed the best quality shrimp you can afford to. The best foundation of a good colony is good quality, well fed parents

Question 7 - What do you think will be the next big thing in shrimp? Will it come from crosses or line breeding pure species?

JN - Hard call. Tigers, Tibees and Taitibees seem to be all the rage at present. As there is so many variations to come from these, I think the trend will continue for a long time yet.

Many have been getting into Sulawesi Shrimp and recently there have been international images that look to be a cross from Sulawesi to Caridina, that would be a whole new world if it is indeed possible.

I am personally a fan of cross breeding lines and know there will be some great developments from there. But I think there will be much interest in getting back to more Classic Pure Line TB in the future too.

And lets never underestimate the Cherries, Colour developments and patterns will arise in these in the future that will also turn heads.

Question 8 - How do you mineralize and what WP do you aim for?

JN - When I setup a tank I always start with a sprinkling of bacteria powder and mineral powder before adding substrate (Thanks Jay for sharing this with me ages ago). Give the tank it's best start.

I add mineral powders weekly to fortnightly.

Also I remineralise my rain water with Salty Shrimp minerals. Depending on strain being kept.

I aim for TDS 130-160, Gh 5-6, Kh 0-1, ph 6-6.5 (my main tanks I try to keep all strains in, so i mainly use the GH+ minerals)

I run all my tanks at 22-23 degrees.

Question 9 -  What food enhances the welling being of shrimps and increase shrimplets survival rates?

JN - I am a fan of a varied diet. I feed Boss Shrimp Crack, Benibachi Red Bee Ambitious, Benibachi Kale tabs, Shrimp Snow alternating every other day and always have Indian Almond Leaves(IAL) in my tanks.

When shrimplets are present i usually feed Baby Powder foods daily, and I always keep IALs as they colonise beneficial bacteria even the smallest shrimp can graze on. Also a good level of biofilm in your tank will provide a good food source.

Question 10 - How often do you cull?

JN - Any shrimp that have obvious deformities or negative traits i cull as soon as identified.  I would cull on a monthly basis, especially now as I am delving back into cherries, my culling has to be more regular and more brutal.

Question 11 - What is your funniest shrimp experience?

JN - I took awhile to try out Alder Cones. When I first put these into my CRS colony tank, they went beserk, just nuts.

The alder cones were being pushed around on the water's surface by the canister filter, and the shrimp were piled on them, about six per alder cone, surfing just under the water's surface, being pushed from one end of the three foot tank to the other. It was great to watch about ten alder cones racing around with CRS clinging to them madly. They kept at it under the alder cones eventually sank a few hours later.

These shrimp never stop entertaining!

I wanted say on behalf of SKF and its members, Thank you very much Jamie.

I love these interviews.... Always learn something and even remember things I already new but overlooked.

Also just reminded me to add IAL again.

Thanks for the interview@newbreed !

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great interview ??

Love this interview and the others! So new people can easily find all the interviews, it could be good to have a pinned thread updated with links to each interview, perhaps? Or make them into articles? There might already be something like this and I've missed it because I"m good at missing things XD

Thanks for the questions @Disciple.

Had to really think hard on some answers, lol. Hope I haven't bored everyone silly!! ?