# Starting a population of cherry shrimp?



## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

I'd like to start a population. Should I 
a) Buy a source of population from one breeder?
b) Buy TWO populations from TWO breeder so that genetic diversity is intensified right from the beginning? 
Thanks!


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## Kenshin (Feb 26, 2007)

For RCS, there is no such thing as genetic diversity. As long as the strain is pure (red in color), and as long as your water conditions are perfect along with not over-feeding, there is no need to buy from different breeders - just 1 is good enough (as long as he/she is selling the pure strain and have never mixed it with other Neocaridina species.

I cannot stand when people here mention about adding genetic diversity for their RCS (by putting in new RCS from other breeders). It does not make any differences from inbreeding over many generations among themselves. I have bred my for many generations and they have always remained the same intense red color.


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## Fishman123 (Dec 11, 2007)

Kenshin said:


> For RCS, there is no such thing as genetic diversity. As long as the strain is pure (red in color), and as long as your water conditions are perfect along with not over-feeding, there is no need to buy from different breeders - just 1 is good enough (as long as he/she is selling the pure strain and have never mixed it with other Neocaridina species.
> 
> I cannot stand when people here mention about adding genetic diversity for their RCS (by putting in new RCS from other breeders). It does not make any differences from inbreeding over many generations among themselves. I have bred my for many generations and they have always remained the same intense red color.


I have one question. Do you notice any type of deformities over several generations?


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## oblongshrimp (Aug 8, 2006)

I have never noticed any deformities in my shrimp over several generations.


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## Brilliant (Jun 25, 2006)

I guess there are two side to this. This shrimp is derived from wild shrimp. The red coloration is the deciding factor. Some are displeased with red some are not. If you looking for red color and do not care about lineage then you dismiss diversity and breed selectively if your looking for a wild type then well...your looking to keep diversity.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

As I've posted before, I have had RCS for 2 years. All the shrimp I have ever had, sold , traded or given away have all come from the original 15 cherry shrimp I first started with. I've never had any deformities or degradation in color from any of the 500+ shrimp I've taken out of that tank.


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

Do you cull the RCS for color?
I swear one of my RCS is yellow (not white). Never saw that again. Of course using 4100k so maybe under different light it would look less yellow.
What's the size of your tank. I have 20g-long. When should I start giving them away.



mikenas102 said:


> As I've posted before, I have had RCS for 2 years. All the shrimp I have ever had, sold , traded or given away have all come from the original 15 cherry shrimp I first started with. I've never had any deformities or degradation in color from any of the 500+ shrimp I've taken out of that tank.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

I don't ever cull my shrimp for any reason other than over-population. You can start giving them away anytime you feel the tank is overcrowded or even sooner. The shrimp do seem to recognize a point at which the tank gets too crowded for their liking and seem to slow reproduction at that point. Perhaps I'm just imagining it when I notice it. I mainly keep RCS in a 12 gal Nano Cube but I do transfer some to a 30 gal when I have too many. The 30 gal is heavily planted but the fish in there eventually hunt them down and eat them. Some shrimp are smarter than others and survive longer. Better hiding spots I assume.


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## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

mikenas102 said:


> I don't ever cull my shrimp for any reason other than over-population. You can start giving them away anytime you feel the tank is overcrowded or even sooner. The shrimp do seem to recognize a point at which the tank gets too crowded for their liking and seem to slow reproduction at that point. Perhaps I'm just imagining it when I notice it. I mainly keep RCS in a 12 gal Nano Cube but I do transfer some to a 30 gal when I have too many. The 30 gal is heavily planted but the fish in there eventually hunt them down and eat them. Some shrimp are smarter than others and survive longer. Better hiding spots I assume.


lol you must have shrimp hunting specialists in there. What kind of fish are they?


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