How to successfully keep black tigers

[Speedie408]

I know that I may be jumping too far ahead of myself, but I am thinking of getting these amazing shrimps in the future. I wanted to know how to successfully keep them. Fist, can I keep the water parameter the same as I do for the blue tigers? (i.e. PH 7 KH & GH ~2 temp 72) Also, is there anything special that I need to know about them besides them being very difficult to breed or even keep alive. I'll appreciate any info you guys/gals can provide.

[blacksheep998]

There are a lot of different 'blue tiger' shrimp, but most of the orange eye black tigers are just a darker color selection of the orange eye blue tigers. Some might have a little of other breeds mixed in, but they should live in the same conditions.

[Speedie408]

There are a lot of different 'blue tiger' shrimp, but most of the orange eye black tigers are just a darker color selection of the orange eye blue tigers. Some might have a little of other breeds mixed in, but they should live in the same conditions.

Really, I wasn't aware that black tigers are mainly just a darker color selection of the OE Blue tiger. That is good to know.

[blacksheep998]

That's what I've been told anyway. ;)

It makes sense, since a lot of the OEBT colonies range from blonde to very dark blue. Keep selecting only the darkest and your population is going to get darker and darker colored.

[killer007]

um...they might be the same family but i don't think OEBT is the same as black tiger...
you might get darker or deep blue by selecting it but will not accomplish the black color

[Speedie408]

um...they might be the same family but i don't think OEBT is the same as black tiger...
you might get darker or deep blue by selecting it but will not accomplish the black color

I thought so, too. If someone here does know, please clarify. Thanks.

[killer007]

yup cuz some ppl might mistake the black orange eye tiger....
those (I think) is cross breed with black tiger (all black) with orange eye blue tiger...so you get black tiger with orange eye and of course the body is mixture of deep blue and black, but i need confirm

but if for pure black tiger you have all black body with normal eyes...

[MananaP]

orange eye blue tigers can only be dark/blue enough that it will be like violet/purple in color but it can never be black. You can cross them yes for sure as i have seen them crossed and hybrids looks sick.

[gr81]

Black OE are crosses from Black DE and Blue OE. You can get really dark ones selecting Blue OE, but they will not have "black type" wide stripes.

[dmartin72]

Anyone have pictures of the differences?

[gr81]

I have this poor pic. It is taken by flash and it made red stripes. In real, stripes are black, like smaller in front of bigger.4010

[blacksheep998]

Black OE are crosses from Black DE and Blue OE. You can get really dark ones selecting Blue OE, but they will not have "black type" wide stripes.

Ah ok. It seems I was misinformed. Thanks for correcting me! There's still so much for me to learn.

[MananaP]

Anyone have pictures of the differences?

Here is a video in youtube of what i was talking about "Hybrid"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtIXU5i_KU

[gr81]

Here is a video in youtube of what i was talking about "Hybrid"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtIXU5i_KU

Yes, thats true Black OE: Black with blue hue, no strimpes visible.

[Speedie408]

Here is a video in youtube of what i was talking about "Hybrid"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtIXU5i_KU

Thanks for that awesome video! Those are some amazing shrimps.

Now getting back to the topic...what water parameters do I need to keep a tab on to make sure that these shrimps are happy (i.e. KH, GH, Ammonia, Nitrate, PH and Temp)?

[Speedie408]

Does anyone mind sharing what the water parameters are for black tiger? I can't find much information on these guys online.

[dxiong5]

Parameters for Black Tigers will be the same as for other Tigers:
pH ~ 6.8 - 7.4
Low hardness and cooler temps: 72 - 75 F
These are the most common parameters I have seen; what's important is that the water parameters are stable.

Black Tigers differ from Blue Tigers in that they have full body coverage from the stripes. The "common" Blue Tigers have a blue body and you can still see the stripes on them (newer strains of Blue Tigers now lack stripes altogether). Orange Eye Black Tigers probably came about from a cross between Black Tigers and Blue Tigers. Also, Black Tigers are quite more expensive than Blue Tigers ;)

Here is a picture of my old OE-Black Tiger, you can see a bit of blue pigment in the body:
http://www.shrimpnow.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2486&d=1257346562

PS: I thought you were Nick; he informed me on PlantedTank that you were not :P
Welcome to the shrimp world!

[gr81]

Same as for others from Cantonensis family. Ph 5.5-6-8 (can manage less and more), hardnesses now (1-5). Importent is low temp. Look at CRS, Tigers to species list.
I take my on Ph 6, Gh 3, Kh 1

edit:dxiong5 was faster :)

[dxiong5]

Same as for others from Cantonensis family. Ph 5.5-6-8 (can manage less and more), hardnesses now (1-5). Look at CRS, Tigers to species list.
I take my on Ph 6, Gh 3, Kh 1

Thanks for your input as well!

[Speedie408]

Thx you to for the info. Yeah, Nick sometimes comes on here as me, but for the most part it's me, not him. I shouldn't have used the same name he does on TPT. That was my bad.