BillB Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 I'm not sure if this is the correct area to post this if not please move it. I am relatively new to keeping shrimp but I am experienced in raising and breeding both freshwater and saltwater fish. I recently purchased a quantity of "Bloody Mary" shrimp at an auction and I noticed that there are a few shrimp that are significantly darker than the others. From the picture would the shrimp in the center be "black" or just a real dark red? Also would this be considered to be a desirable trait? Thank you for your help/responses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessaweeshrimp Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 The pics details when zoomed make it very hard to tell. Is its face blue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGlassBox Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 Sorry so late in posting, I didn't see this when it first came up.... Some Bloody Mary's do that. They turn maroon to a very dark maroon. No one really knows why it happens. It could be hormonal, or maybe the BM is trying to express the chocolate gene from which it was created (?). Not sure, but it's normal and doesn't indicate any kind of disease. If you want to try culling for it, give it a go. I think other people have tried... not sure of their success. It's seems to be a natural trait that occurs in BM, like the "racing stripe" that occurs in practically all Neos on occasion. The problem with culling for it (as with the racing stripe) is that many of the babies and young shrimp don't show the trait and only develop it later on in life after they have already bred. If you decide to try and cull to eradicate the trait, post us back in about 6 months and give us an update as to whether or not you were successful! And if you decide to sell any excess shrimp in the future, don't sell any that are maroon of course. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGlassBox Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 Another thing you will notice with BM is that as they age, they loose their translucence and their shell takes on a solid, opaque red color. At that point they look like really big painted reds. But this only happens as they hit maybe a year and a half old. Don't cull those! The females are experienced mothers and provide larger batches of healthy young. And they're very pretty in a "Painted Fire Red" way. It's totally normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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