[greenguppy]

I am looking to buy cherry shrimp or blue dream shrimp. I saw a deal on eBay for 5 fire reds and 5 blue dreams. Would this be able to start 2 colonies in two separate tanks? What would happen if I kept the two types in one tank? Would the breed? What would the babies be?

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[ichthyogeek]

Yes they would be able to start 2 colonies in two separate tanks.

If you kept the two types in one tank, the shrimp would interbreed, and you'd most likely get mutt shrimp: shrimp that look like neither parent and are usually wild type in coloration.

 

[greenguppy]

OK thanks. I don't understand how the acclimation works. Is it necessary every water change?

 

[Zoidburg]

You should only need to acclimate your shrimp to your tank parameters unless you have shrimp dying at every water change. If that's the case, then you would want to drip the new water into the tank so it's less of a shock.

 

[greenguppy]

Ok so just the first time. Also my oh is around 7.8 is that too high?

 

[minorhero]

Ok so just the first time. Also my oh is around 7.8 is that too high?

My pH in the summer is 8.2 and my shrimp do very well so you should be good.

 

[greenguppy]

So pH is good. I read somewhere that all cherry shrimp even the regular ones can be selectively bred to be painted fire reds. Is that right ? how long would that take? also what grade are the blue dreams in this pic?

 

[ichthyogeek]

It's technically true, as you're just selecting for the most colorful shrimp as time goes on. It'd probably take a while, and you'd have to be really good with culling the shrimp out. It also depends on what grade of shrimp you're starting out with. In theory, you could buy maybe 1 female painted fire red and a few lower grades like sakuras, and eventually get an all painted fire red colony, but it would take time. Starting out with low grade cherries (wild type with a few red dots here and there) would take longer than starting out with high end sakuras.

I can't comment on the grading of the blue dreams, since there's just not as good of a system in place for blues and yellows as there is for reds.

 

[greenguppy]

ok what about the reds in the pic what grade are they?

 

[crushalot]

Both groups look like a mix of the top 2 grades. Some of the reds looks like Fire Red and a few look to be Painted Fire Reds(I even see a few AA (High Sakura) in the background) and the same with the blues, some like like blue velvet and some look like blue dream.

For the blues it depends if the breeder started with Blue Rili's or were just breeding for blue color in neocaridina davidi.

You can google for cherry shrimp grading charts to see the different levels for most breeders.

SoShrimp | Quality Aquarium Shrimp has both colors in the highest grade and they always seem great. I have ordered from others but they are usually lower quality than soshrimp.

 

[greenguppy]

The one I sent the pic of cost $40 for 5 fire reds and 5 blue dreams. If I ordered from soshrimp the same amount would cost me $70. Is it worth it? how long would it take me to get the cheaper option to be the same grade as soshrimp?

 

[crushalot]

The explosion of neocaridina breeders due to the popularity of the shrimps has created a bit of a mess when trying to purchase truly "High Grade" shrimp. I personally would stick to the well documented breeders/sellers listed on this forum site. I have ordered from other sites and from regional LFS's, and the quality was always higher from a well recommended supplier. Some of it is luck really as I have ordered from LA and out of 10 shrimps, maybe 1 or 2 were high grade color.

Regarding you other question, it is impossible to know if you would ever be able to get them to the same grade/color without knowing the full lineage of past generations. If they came from good stock, then perhaps 1 or 2 generations, so around a year or less.

IMO - If you are looking to start with high quality shrimp, then it is better to pay the extra to get known good ones.

 

[greenguppy]

OK thanks I will do that. If I got the 5 shrimp pack would they be able to get a colony going? and how fast would they breed?

 

[crushalot]

5 Pack should be enough to start a colony but I have found 10 is better starting number for starting a colony. That gives some flexibility for sexing and any deaths. Also 3 or 4 females will produce much more offspring than a single which could happen in a small group like 5.

If conditions are right, they should start breeding within weeks. Takes about a month for a female to release a brood once first berried and 6 months before the babies mature to sexual maturity.

 

[greenguppy]

I cant get 10 of both I could get 10 of one and 5 of other. Is it possible to get all males or all females? Side question, How many plants of dwarf sag would I need to get a carpet started?

 

[crushalot]

Firstly, I assumed you wanted to keep a breeding colony. This means you have to pick a single color for that tank. If you mix reds and blues together, then your offspring will be brown or muted colors and you will not want to keep them.

I would stick with 10 - 15 of a single color to get it started.

In my experience carpeting plants are difficult to start with livestock. Most Dutch or ADA carpets are either dry started or pumped with lots of CO2 which you can't do with the shrimp. You can also buy sheets of carpeting plants on mesh from live plant supplier's, but they will fade and die without high light and CO2.

Dwarg sag is great starter plant for this but can't estimate the spread/growth without lights and water and CO2 parameters. I would focus on Moss plants, as they are the best for the shrimp offspring. Flame, Christmas, and Java are the main moss's I stick to in my shrimp/nursery tanks.

 

[greenguppy]

I have separate tanks for each species. Ok I will buy some java moss

But in one of the tanks would 5 be enough to start a colony?

 

[crushalot]

But in one of the tanks would 5 be enough to start a colony?

Should be unless you get really unlucky with the order of 5 and end up with no pairs.

 

[greenguppy]

Ok thanks