# Crystal Red Shrimp, White stripes turning Clear



## NursePlaty (Mar 24, 2010)

My girlfriend keeps Crystal Red Shrimps and the white stripes are turning clear, we are not sure of why either. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate readings are all 0ppm tested with a liquid master kit. The temperature ranges from 70F-73F. The pH readings are 6.6 or something close to it. The substrate is Eco-complete with a few plants for decoration such as Stargrass and Christmas Moss. We feed 3 types of food, the common algae discs, hikari food designed only for crystal red shrimp, and some common tropical fish flakes. She does water changes with straight RO water about once every 3-4 days, and changes about 30%-50% each time. The problem is really baffling.


----------



## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Calcium deficient from molts?


----------



## NursePlaty (Mar 24, 2010)

Are you sure its from calcium deficiency? She leaves the molts in there.


----------



## HolyAngel (Nov 3, 2010)

Well unless the substrate is white or something similar then yeah I'd look at getting some mineral rock in there(I know theres some for sale over at plantedtank) or some Mosura mineral plus/old sea mud rock. It's most likely a diffeciency I would think. Either way, those things will help the CRS. ^^


----------



## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

It could be external factors like temp, diet, and water params that are all contributing to the color loss, but what I think is actually causing their coolor loss is their genetics.

Most CRS you get in the US will lose their coloring by the time they're full grown. This is why there are such variation in prices even within the same grades. Also why overseas strains cost more.

when CRS are young, they all look fairly similar. As they get older, they show their true patterns and colors. males usually lose most of their solid colors. females don't lose them until they get berried. IMO, solid coloring full grown males are worth 10x more than solid coloring females. solid coloring males are extremely hard to come by.

I've noticed that if I keep only solid males in my colony, the colony's colors improve much faster.


----------



## countcoco (Dec 28, 2010)

IMO, the most likely cause is a low or unstable gH. Check the gH and make sure it's at least 3. 

If the gH seems high enough, it may just be genetics. C and B grade crs tend to have mostly transparent white bands. The white coloration will appear to be solidifying as the shrimp is getting closer to molting, and then subside once again after the molt is complete.


----------



## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

in case it helps - this is from a recent conversation I had with FranksAquarium;
_In nature, these shrimp would eat algae, and so would get pigments that way. Phycocyanin is a pigment that produces a blue hue, and it's found in some alga, including spirulina. Xanthophyll (yellow) and chlorophyll (green) pigments may also be involved. Again, this is just conjecture on my part. But if feeding astaxanthin or beta carotene can enhance reds and oranges, it stands to reason that the ingestion of blue-green or yellow and green pigments would enhance blue coloration._


----------



## aquarliam (Dec 26, 2010)

Freshly molted shrimp can have a clear coloration for up to 24 hours. This is when their exoskeleton is still soft and forming. It's quite normal.


----------



## Brilliant (Jun 25, 2006)

Some things dont make sense. High grade shrimp are white. The coloring is always solid. If anything the red coloring is more vibrant after molt.

Loss of white does not happen overnight because of bad genes.

Loss of white can be result of bad parameter.

Crystal prefer softer water. Adding additional hardness would be counterproductive.


----------

