Monday, March 19, 2012

Crystal Red Shrimp


(This link above is where I found all of the information and photos below!!)

ommon NameCrystal Red Shrimp, Red Bee Shrimp, or CRS
Scientific Nam
e
Caridina cf. cantonensis sp. "Crystal Red"
Adult Size2.5-3.0 CM or 1.0-1.2 inches
Water Temp20°-25° C or 68°-77° F
pH Range6.5-7.2
Water HardnessSoft
Fresh or Salt WaterFreshwater
Larval StageNone. Young hatch as miniature versions of the adults
DifficultyMedium-Hard
Egg/Saddle ColorRed
BehaviorNon-aggressive

General Information

Crystal Red Shrimp are a recessive mutation of the Bee Shrimp. In the early 90's Hisayasu Suzuki of Japan discovered a single Red Bee Shrimp in a batch of about a thousand. The first Red Bee Shrimp died but several generations later three more appeared. Hisayasu Suzuki was able to successfully breed these shrimp and subsequently named them Crystal Red Shrimp.

Appearance

Crystal Shrimp have bands of red and white on them. Crystal Red Shrimp have been selectively bred over time to increase the amount and intensity of the white. This has led to a "grading" scale for Crystal Shrimp. Higher grade Crystal Shrimp are generally more sensitive to water conditions and are not as prolific as lower grade Bee Shrimp. This is most likely due to the intense inbreeding required to achieve the higher grades.





Red Cherry Shrimp


(This link above is where I found all of the information and photos below!!)

Common NameRed Cherry Shrimp
Scientific NameNeocaridina Heteropoda var. Red
Adult Size2.5-3.0 CM or 1.0-1.2 inches
Water Temp15°-30° C or 60°-85° F
pH Range6.5-8.0
Water HardnessSoft-Hard
Fresh or Salt WaterFreshwater
Larval StageNone. Young hatch as miniature versions of the adults
DifficultyEasy
Egg/Saddle ColorYellow
BehaviorNon-aggressive

General Information

Cherry Shrimp are currently the most popular dwarf shrimp in the hobby. This is due to their hardiness, attractive color, and prolific breeding rate. Cherry Shrimp are also one of the cheapest dwarf shrimp available as they have been in the hobby for several years and are easily bred.

The red color of the Cherry Shrimp was bred from wild Neocaridina Heteropoda, a native of Southern Asia. The red coloring does not occur in the wild.

Appearance

Cherry Shrimp are red (obviously). The intensity ranges from almost clear to blood red. Adult females are generally the most red individuals. Selective breeding can be done to intensify the red.




Amano Shrimp


So, I like to post things about what I have in my fish tank because it is constantly changing and this is a nice way to keep track of what I have had over the years... get me?

(This link above is where I found all of the information and photos below!!)

Common NameAmano Shrimp
Scientific NameCaridina Multidentata
Adult Size4.0-5.0 CM or 1.5-2.0 inches
Water Temp15°-30° C or 60°-85° F
pH Range6.5-8.0
Water HardnessSoft-Hard
Fresh or Sal
t Water
Freshwater
Larval StageLarval stage that requires brackish to full seawater.
DifficultyEasy
Egg/Saddle ColorLight yellowish
BehaviorNon-aggressive? See below

General Information

Amano Shrimp are the dwarf shrimp that started it all. They were made famous by Takashi Amano when he started using them in his planted tanks for algae control. Amano shrimp are the best algae eating dwarf shrimp available. Amanos also get larger then other dwarf shrimp making them an excellent choice for tanks with fish that may eat smaller shrimp species.

Amano Shrimp are voracious eaters and will attack any food you add to the tank. I have even seen them swim up to the top of the tank, flip upside down, and grab flakes off the surface of the water. They also enjoy grabbing up food and running away with it to eat it where other shrimp will not be able to steal it from them.

Amano Shrimp are stronger then most other dwarf shrimp and are capable of moving around when they are out of the water (not very well though). They will sometimes wonder out of the tank and across your floor so be aware of this. If possible I suggest having a top on the tank or leaving the water level a little lower to make it more difficult for them to climb out. Of the 50 or so I put into my 120p ADA tank, I have lost maybe one a month when it decided to go exploring.

Some people believe that Amanos do not make good tankmates with other dwarf shrimp. They claim Amano Shrimp may prey on the young of other dwarf shrimp. I have not noticed this behavior and I don't not know anyone who has actually seen it occur. I have both Amano Shrimp and Wild Type Neocaridina Shrimp in a tank together, and have not noticed this behavior.

Appearance

Amano Shrimp are not very colorful. They are usually a clearish tank color. They also have spots running down their sides.

Breeding

Unfortunately Amano Shrimp are not easy to breed, and only a few people have taken the time to try and breed them. The larva apparently requires full strength saltwater within a few days of hatching. The newborn larva feed on plankton and other small particulates in the water. As they grow they can be fed larger food.