Astaxanthin as a color enhancer for red Neocaridinas

[Xander]

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment family, it is contained in some types of microalgae in salmon and shrimp, lobster. Of these, he was first identified in 1938. Interestingly, before application in pharmacology, Astaxanthin was used (and is used) as an additive to fish food on farms. This gives a "noble" red shade to the meat of cheap fish since it is a natural RED pigment.

Idea: Astaxanthin can be found in its pure form. Dilute in water and soak in it a leaf of almonds or oak. Then feeds your Cherrys, Sakuras and Fires. Again and again. Will pigmentation become more intense?

If anyone did so, please share your experience

Sorry for my English?

[ineke]

I use Astaxanthin powder in my general baby powder for most of my shrimp. . You really only need to use a very small amount for shrimp. We did a group buy some years ago and I bought 250g - I still have at least 100g left. I didn't use it exclusively for red shrimp. I found I had to be careful with some colours as it made the whites muddy. 

The issue I have with feeding too much colour enhancing food is breeder a ) uses Astaxanthin  and has lovely red shrimp. He then starts selling these shrimp to  buyers. Overtime the lovely red shrimp start to lose colour and breeder b) is at a loss as to why their shrimp are much duller. 

If you have the room to experiment then try a tank with xanathan and a comparison tank without. Then try the shrimp that have been fed the xanathan in a tank and stop using Astaxanthin. If they lose their colour over a few generations then it's something you need to think about. Although the foods we feed can help nothing beats true selective breeding to enhance colours. 

With the bulk buy I haven't heard much feed back and we never did another one - possibly because we are using such small amounts. 

@jayc is the person who can tell us more. 

 

[jayc]

6 hours ago, Xander said:

Will pigmentation become more intense?

Thanks for dobbing me in @ineke. 

Everything Ineke said is correct.

I have done this as an experiment already, and yes, it will improve the Reds in shrimps (or fish). But it is unpredictable with other colours. Hopefully no one uses Astaxanthin to trick other buyers. I did it purely to improve on my Red Cherries. Nothing malicious. Just purely for my own enjoyment.

It's true you have to keep feeding it to them for them to maintain the redder reds, but that is also true of the shrimp in the wild. They are constantly eating Astaxanthin from red algae. However, there is a possibility that the F2 generation might start with better genetics, if the parents were on a strong diet of Astaxanthin. Just a theory at the moment.

But your method of diluting and soaking leaves in it will be ineffective and waste a lot of Astaxanthin. It's not cheap.

Read my post on my DIY shrimp food called Shrimp Kandy Feast on how to feed Astaxanthin, Chlorella, or any other powdered foods like spirulina, kale, etc. No waste. No polluting the water. And the shrimp love it.

I make a batch of Shrimp Kandy Feast with no Astaxanthin for non-red shrimps.

It's in the Food & Nutrition section.

Found it. The thread has fallen off the 1st page ! Needs a bump.

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2018 by jayc

[ineke]

always happy to dob you in @jayc Let's admit it you are a mine of knowledge and have helped most of us out at sometime during our breeding history ?

[jayc]

8 minutes ago, ineke said:

Let's admit it you are a mine of knowledge and have helped most of us out at sometime during our breeding history

Thanks. But I have passed all my knowledge on and its in all the threads here on SKF.

You should all know as much as I do.  

[ineke]

LOL I'm not good at the facts and figures you give out but I do go back and read things as I need to. Well I won't really do much anymore with only 2 tanks and 2 ponds. I have set them up to be almost self sufficient apart from water changes or topups. I miss my room and tanks but I'm lucky to still have a large number of  shrimp to gaze at everyday ?

[Ishtarduzzie]

8 hours ago, ineke said:

only 2 tanks and 2 ponds

That made me laugh a little... one seems hard to wrap my head around let alone two and several ponds...... ?

*in friendly jest* I am not sure how you all handle half a dozen or more. There should be a shrimps anonymous group for all bitten by the multi-tank bug ? *may make it there one day*

[ineke]

MTS hits us all at some time. I have had up to 15 tanks on the go and I'm only a small time shrimpkeeper @Ishtarduzzie. If you get into hybrids like I did you need more and more tanks for each pattern you like, now my poor shrimp are all in together and my "famous" Taitibees are going to breed whatever way they want and my pure lines will be a thing of the past unfortunately. Just wait until MTS gets you -and it will!!!!!!!!!

[inverted]

On 2/9/2018 at 7:04 AM, ineke said:

I use Astaxanthin powder in my general baby powder for most of my shrimp. . You really only need to use a very small amount for shrimp. We did a group buy some years ago and I bought 250g - I still have at least 100g left. I didn't use it exclusively for red shrimp. I found I had to be careful with some colours as it made the whites muddy. 

The issue I have with feeding too much colour enhancing food is breeder a ) uses Astaxanthin  and has lovely red shrimp. He then starts selling these shrimp to  buyers. Overtime the lovely red shrimp start to lose colour and breeder b) is at a loss as to why their shrimp are much duller. 

If you have the room to experiment then try a tank with xanathan and a comparison tank without. Then try the shrimp that have been fed the xanathan in a tank and stop using Astaxanthin. If they lose their colour over a few generations then it's something you need to think about. Although the foods we feed can help nothing beats true selective breeding to enhance colours. 

With the bulk buy I haven't heard much feed back and we never did another one - possibly because we are using such small amounts. 

@jayc is the person who can tell us more. 

 

I still have half a bag left from this group buy too :)

Many commercial shrimp foods (and fish foods) contain astaxanthin. It definitely helps colours , however you cant make a top grade shrimp from a low grade with it.