# Crystal Red Shrimp, special reserve only?



## Hoobahans (Mar 4, 2006)

I must admit, I am 19 and I have been sucked into the aquarium world. I am stuggling to pay for college right not yet I seem to devote all of it to aquariums before it gets there! Anyway, I digress. I was wondering where people are getting thier CRS, particularily the higher grade ones. I really want to try my hand at breeding them but I can only find them going for $60 odd dollars each on aquabid. I have found low-grade ones on comercial websites but I dont think they are worth it. Does anyone have any suggestions? As my initial off-topic comment hinted, I dont have a lot of dispossible income right now so if anyone knows any secret soucres, you should pm me instead of posting to keep all these freeloaders from learning the tricks!

Alright, that was a bad joke. I havnt been able to find any good sources even searching on this website, so I am sure that a lot of people would be interested.

Thanks ahead of time to all the aquagurus who will surely enlighten me!


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

The high grade CRS that you see on aquabid are offspring from those imported from Japan for around, I believe someone said, at least $500 each. Granted, the high grades seem expensive to us at $60 each, but that's relatively cheap. I'd suggest starting out with some bee shrimp. You get experience handling the same type of shrimp at a lower price. Also, bee shrimp are beautiful in their own right anyway. You can find them for sale for $2 each at freshwaterinverts.com

If you still want to get high-grade CRS, good luck.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I agree. I would try your hand at at other sorts of shrimp such as the bee shrimp. CRS can be difficult to keep, and it stinks to have a $30-40 shrimp die one after another. If you happen to breed the Bee shrimp well, then that's when I would think about doing CRS.

Anyways, sources for the high grade CRS are mostly from Asia, specifically China. And importing them in illegally is very risky, considering it's a $400 dollar investment for about 10-20 CRS, and the sellers offer no guarentee that they will make it across the border. So in essence it seem like a good idea to purchase some shrimp, and breed them, but it's a huge risk and sometimes things go sour. Best thing to do is sit and wait for another 6+ months, and there will be postings on aquabid and here for some. The costs will likely be high, but at least shipping won't be as risky. You can also try to contact the aquabid sellers, and see if they will make a deal with you for bulk orders.

For now, go with the Bee shrimp, and if you breed them let me know. I'll be first in line to purchase some from you 

-John N.


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

Just wait a couple years. Enough people will be breeding them by then that we'll have better access to quality shrimp. Just a couple years ago Cherry shrimp were difficult to find, and although high grade CRS will always be expensive, decent ones will be easy enough to find.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

I agree, you need to know that you are able to keep alive and breed some low grade crystals before you attempt to with high grade crystals. My initial investment was in the range that John was talking about. Plus like he said there is a good chance for customs confiscation. You need to go into it knowing that they may get seized by customs. With that being said if you still want to do it pm me and I will get you some information.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Sorry to burst the bubble, but everyone talks about how prices for the crystals will go down in a couple years, but it's an extremely optimistic stand to take if you're going to compare them to cherries. The thing with cherries was that they bred prolifically in almost any type of water, and there weren't any "grades" to speak of. Bee shrimp and crystal red shrimp, on the other hand, are more demanding of water quality and also don't breed as often. Also, their egg clutches are noticeably smaller than those of cherry shrimp. Of the offspring, I've heard that a percentage will die off. Then factor in that you have to carefully selectively breed the shrimp to even get decent future offspring, which most people simply do not have the time or patience to do.

So you're looking at an extremely limited supply even for the next couple years, maybe a decade or more.


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## Neon Shrimp (Apr 26, 2006)

Is it true that you can breed lower grade CRS and then select higher grade offspring in order to produce S grade shrimp? If this is true you can try this if you have the patience and conditions.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Neon Shrimp said:


> Is it true that you can breed lower grade CRS and then select higher grade offspring in order to produce S grade shrimp? If this is true you can try this if you have the patience and conditions.


It is possible I guess, but it would take you lots of generations and lot sof luck.

Cheers,
Pedro


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