When to cull?

[Greenfish]

When is the best time to cull your shrimp? Do you wait until they are full size but just not the right color? It seems some shrimp colors intensify as they get older so I am hesitant to cull too early and give them a chance. Am I just doing more harm than good with improving my color lines? Thanks!

[imke_j]

A good selection size is around 2 cm. You can then separate the good ones from the bad. Although it is often done, I never would cull, as a healthy animal should not be murdered only because it does not match our sight of beauty. This is why I gave up Betta breeding, and you will always find anybody for your sorted out shrimp.

[Greenfish]

Thanks. I am actually thinking about selling culls cheap or just starting a mutt shrimp tank. I don't like the idea of just killing them either.

[Navanod]

Based on what I had experienced and studied, the only colors that would improve with age would be red based, due to accumulation of carotenoids.

For most other colors, colors may actually deteriorate as the number of color cells (chromatophores) are generally fixed and does not increase drastically with age to fill up the larger body. This can be seen in some lower grade CRS that looks solid when tiny but faded when fully grown.

With that being said, one can generally tell the expected color by the time the shrimps are about 1cm, even for red based shrimps like fire reds. Obvious cracks in the colors would be unlikely to disappear with age. At best, the existing red parts would intensify slightly.

I'm fully behind imke_j in her "no cull" policy. In fact, I'm switching to use the term "wean" to avoid giving the false impression that shrimps are being killed.

I know, shrimps are not mammals and they cannot be "weaned" since they do not nurse, but that's the best I can think of for now.

[wicca]

what about oebt's mine tend to darken with age/size? and since the blond form of orange eye blue tiger still have blue offspring how does one work on these shrimp to make them darker with more blue and fewer blond

[Pejerrey]

I throw them in my high tech tank, there is hardier environment but waaaay more space and algae to eat. If they survive, great! They wouldn't wanna breed there due to high co2 levels and about 350tds.


-To be everything, be nobody.