How to "create" cherry red shrimps

[wks]

Hi guys, I just learnt the above "method" by accident. While washing my canister filter, I found some malayan shrimps inside. After releasing them back into the tank, I noticed all of them are cherry red in colour.
So if you want some cherry red shrimps but do not wish to pay an arm and a leg for them, put some malayan shrimps in the canister filter for a month and then release the shrimps into the tank.[]

Disclaimer: Do not try this method if you like your shrimps very much. Do not blame/sue or hold me responible if your malayan shrimps die inside the canister filter, you are doing this at your own risk. This method is not applicable to other shrimps. This method is not applicable to other types of filter. Finally please do not try this method if you are unsure what to do exactly!

[hoppinghippo]

actually I suspect the colours of malayan shrimps are not random but an attempt at camouflage? cuz I actually have black malayans which blend in totally with my black substrate and noticed those on the wood tend to be brown or red. maybe the dark environment in your cannister makes them assume red?

[stormhawk]

well i've got this really weird coloured malayan. it's much much bigger than the rest.. i'd say it's a giant. and it's colours are this deep maroon red. it changes from black to the red coloration at times.. earlier on it was blue. hrm.. i asked one of the GenX guys about their colour changes and he told me that the shrimp change colour at random. now is this affected by factors like stress? breeding season? food source? lighting?

[zac08]

Same here....

I have some malayan shrimps that will change the colours at random and have brown ones with these nice yellow stripes and another which has a reddish colouration too..... but they only come out from under the driftwood when it's dark, pretty dificult to see them.....

[NinjaFly]

I think the malayan shrimps changes colours depending on the environment they are in. I have seen mine that changes from dark blue to red to brownish before for the same shrimp.

But I was wondering what is it that triggers them to change colours as mine that change colours stay in the same tank with nothing extra added...

[DEA]

i would say food source
tiger barbs turn nicely red when there's green algae for them to eat
this happened to some aquarist (came out in TFH a long time back iirc)
he left his tiger barbs when he went for a trip, came back to see the algae gone and the barbs shining

[wks]

I think DEA is probably right. I have been feeding my discus with Tetra Bits, so I'm not surprised those trapped malayan shrimps were feeding on the leftovers that got into the canister filter.

[aqualover]

probably several cherry shrimps (waiting to turn red) may have been packed together with your malayan shrimps? Personally, I've got green shrimps when I bought my yamatos. Usually, living things would loose their pigmentation (become white) when kept in the dark long enough. Turning red may mean it's dying. Correct me if i'm wrong

[kemp]

i'm puzzled. Are you talking about malayan or cherries?
Cherries need good water condition to make them becomes red

[Justikanz]

You guys do realise this thread is 3 years old... Some of the guys are no longer active in AQ...