Shortfin Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Okay, so I'm looking for new foods for my tb, specifically "MK Breed Black Diamond" and I notice it contain " high unit of astaxanthin". The problem is, I have red cherries in the same tank. Will this enhanced the red or decreased it? My red cherries are pretty red already. I've read about affects of astaxanthin on yellow, but I'm not sure about the reds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pika Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Soothing did experiments with astaxanthin, so hopefully he'll find and respond. I remember he didn't like the results, as it seemed to accumulate and change the colors of his Neos for a very long time. I think it probably also depends on the quantity you're feeding. There are natural astaxanthins in some of the spinach, kale, and likely other leaves we feed. But when you feed it regularly in a super concentrated form, like those foods intended for the CBS/CRS, that may be when you have issues with the Neo colors. If you try, be sure to let us know! I have reds, and I feed a variety of food samples for all kinds of shrimp, but I have always been leary of using any designed to enhance color in CRS/CBS more than once every couple weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyfishlady Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 I have snowballs and had ask about food/color. Soothing suggested maybe staying away from it since snowballs are actually 'lack of color' so I have avoided foods with it in. I know they are getting some naturally and they need a bit that way, but I'm steering clear of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 I did the experiment on neos. What I found shocked me and not in a good way. The astax in fish is supposed to bring out the reds and yellows. In neos it tends to bring out a blue that then changes to ugly streaky brown. Too much spinach will do the same thing, but over a much longer time. Keep in mind I have only tried this on yellows, and after feeding 2-3x a week for only 4 weeks before changing back to regular feed , it took around a year or so to change back again. I welcome replication of the study done with other colors. So far though, the rapid unwanted color change and length of time it stayed, made me concerned enough to go out of my way to not feed astax to any of my neos. Since I posted on this, others have written me and said that their colors of neo (red included) were turning dull or losing color and they could only attribute it to astax. All these observations were not done scientifically, however should be included here as an anecdotal possibility to ponder as well. Steve R. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGardenofEder Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Melafix made one of my cherry shrimp purple. He was the only one in a sock tank I had. I didn't notice he was there till today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortfin Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Soothing did experiments with astaxanthin, so hopefully he'll find and respond. I remember he didn't like the results, as it seemed to accumulate and change the colors of his Neos for a very long time. I think it probably also depends on the quantity you're feeding. There are natural astaxanthins in some of the spinach, kale, and likely other leaves we feed. But when you feed it regularly in a super concentrated form, like those foods intended for the CBS/CRS, that may be when you have issues with the Neo colors. If you try, be sure to let us know! I have reds, and I feed a variety of food samples for all kinds of shrimp, but I have always been leary of using any designed to enhance color in CRS/CBS more than once every couple weeks. Sure will. I did the experiment on neos. What I found shocked me and not in a good way. The astax in fish is supposed to bring out the reds and yellows. In neos it tends to bring out a blue that then changes to ugly streaky brown. Too much spinach will do the same thing, but over a much longer time. Keep in mind I have only tried this on yellows, and after feeding 2-3x a week for only 4 weeks before changing back to regular feed , it took around a year or so to change back again. I welcome replication of the study done with other colors. So far though, the rapid unwanted color change and length of time it stayed, made me concerned enough to go out of my way to not feed astax to any of my neos. Since I posted on this, others have written me and said that their colors of neo (red included) were turning dull or losing color and they could only attribute it to astax. All these observations were not done scientifically, however should be included here as an anecdotal possibility to ponder as well. I've been feeding mainly Mosura Specialty Food and BorneoWild Spinach for the last 6 months. The reds are still reds. Melafix made one of my cherry shrimp purple. He was the only one in a sock tank I had. I didn't notice he was there till today. Hmmm...I have a few purpleist too, but not that purple. My poplulation are like blackish red, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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