Hi everyone,

I will need some help identifying the gender of my shrimp. I saw online a couple of ways to identify, but still I cannot really tell. Attached are the pictures of my 2 sakura red and 1 neon yellow.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMtM10tgMfZFFdTM5bO6EL1ue4n450SbHeeyI1lWx6HtUwwPI7HKdOlPmC8AjIMMQ?key=blBLV0dPQlhYWkdPdXQ0Z2pqdkhhWFBPX2Y0cHB3

Sorry about the yellow that is covered, I couldn't take a better picture...

Thanks a lot!

Dimos

Edited January 24, 20179 yr by Dimos

They look to be females to me due to the "skirts".

5 hours ago, Zoidburg said:

They look to be females to me due to the "skirts".

That's true, and also many curves right?

Females are larger, "rounder" and normally better colored than males.

 

Heard one trick a person uses, right when you turn on the light, capture the shrimp in a net and bring the shrimp up to a light. You might be able to see a saddle on the females when they are palest. (i.e. after it's been dark all night)

 

On yellow shrimp, the saddles are easy to see in mature females.

9 minutes ago, Zoidburg said:

Females are larger, "rounder" and normally better colored than males.

 

Heard one trick a person uses, right when you turn on the light, capture the shrimp in a net and bring the shrimp up to a light. You might be able to see a saddle on the females when they are palest. (i.e. after it's been dark all night)

 

On yellow shrimp, the saddles are easy to see in mature females.

Nice trick, thanks! On yellows, do the saddle cover the entire back?

No. The saddles are in the same spot regardless of shrimp species. Colors of the saddle and eggs can vary between individuals, colors and species.

Here is a low grade female. The saddle, or ovaries, are the yellow/white area in the middle of her back. It looks like a "saddle" that you might see on a horse.

 

Females and high grade males may also have stripes from head to tail. This is normal. Lower grade males don't typically have stripes.

21 minutes ago, Zoidburg said:

No. The saddles are in the same spot regardless of shrimp species. Colors of the saddle and eggs can vary between individuals, colors and species.

Here is a low grade female. The saddle, or ovaries, are the yellow/white area in the middle of her back. It looks like a "saddle" that you might see on a horse.

 

Females and high grade males may also have stripes from head to tail. This is normal. Lower grade males don't typically have stripes.

Got it! I think my yellow has a saddle...

Not sure if you can see from the pictures, but it has a saddle, and also a yellow stripe on her back. Seems like I ended up with females only... All the rest shrimp died.

https://goo.gl/photos/YpjDEQfW1HuGGGQJ7

At least the females appear healthy?

 

Did you get API liquid test kits? Including GH and KH?

Did you lower temp parameters?

Raise the GH of the tank?

10 minutes ago, Zoidburg said:

At least the females appear healthy?

 

Did you get API liquid test kits? Including GH and KH?

Did you lower temp parameters?

Raise the GH of the tank?

They seem to be active and eat normally.

I did the API liquid tests and everything was great, except the GH which I was not sure how to raise. I measured  4 drops (71.6ppm).

I lowered temp and monitor at 74.

Any ways to naturally raise GH?

Edited January 24, 20179 yr by Dimos

Crushed coral... or mineral stones like seyru. However, they will also increase pH and other parameters. Water changes could be stressful.

 

The easiest way to raise it is to get a GH+ remineralizer.

Sure, will do! I might not have any luck with shrimp breeding yet, but I have around 40-50 snails and they keep increasing!