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Red cherry shrimp are famed for the bright red colour. The females especially can demonstrate
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colours that vary from light pink to fire red and everything in between. Sometimes however
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even the brightest red cherry shrimp can fade and become pale. In this video I'll share with
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you the main reasons red cherry shrimp may be losing their colour. Hello friends, welcome back
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to the channel. If you're new here, my name is Richard and I'm the owner of the fishkeepinganswers.com
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website. Like so many of the inhabitants of our aquariums, red cherry shrimp can vary
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the intensity of their colour based on their mood, health, quality of water and surroundings
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A sudden or unexpected change of colour may be a great indicator that your red cherry shrimp
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are not as happy as they could be. Typically when conditions are less than optimal
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red cherry shrimp transform their usually bright reds to a much paler, washed out colour
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There are a number of reasons this may happen. The most likely reason red cherry shrimp lose their colour is due to a reduction in water quality
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If there is ammonia or nitrite present in the water, red cherry shrimp will soon suffer and may grow pale before eventually passing away
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Ammonia and nitrite both of which are the result of excess fish waste in the water can kill shrimp very quickly High levels of nitrates can also be an issue Nitrates are the final step in the nitrogen
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cycle. The beneficial bacteria in our aquarium filters convert the fish waste from highly
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toxic ammonia to the slightly less toxic nitrite and then finally to nitrate. Nitrates are
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only toxic to shrimp in high concentrations. When the level of nitrate builds up in our aquarium the best way to reduce it is to carry
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out a partial water change. Carrying out a water change will improve the overall quality of the tank water
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Hopefully this improvement will prompt the red cherry shrimp to return to their normal
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vibrant colour. Now if you enjoy finding out about red cherry shrimp why not download a free copy of my
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my new ebook on neocaridina shrimp, I've placed a link in the description
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Another common reason red cherry shrimp lose their colour is because they are being kept
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on a light substrate. Red cherry shrimp know full well they are at the bottom of the food
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chain and they are not especially keen on being eaten. A bright red cherry shrimp really
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stands out against a light substrate such as sand or white gravel In an attempt to blend in with their surroundings red cherry shrimp that are kept on a light substrate may try to reduce the intensity of their colour to try and make themselves less conspicuous
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If you find your red cherry shrimp are not as bright as they could be and they're being kept on a light substrate, consider changing the substrate for something a little darker
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Personally, I find phluval stratum to be the perfect substrate for red cherry shrimp
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Although fluval stratum is a little more expensive than sand or gravel, it does help provide an ideal environment for red cherry shrimp
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In the description below I've added a link to an article on my website all about fluval stratum. Feel free to check it out
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Along the same lines, red cherry shrimp that find themselves living in an aquarium with very few hiding places may try to reduce their presence by turning a lighter shade of red
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In my experience, live plants make the ideal hiding place for red cherry shrimp
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A large clump of java moss in the tank will make the shrimp feel safe and secure
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and provide them with ample hiding places where the fish are less likely to eat them
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Typically, this means the red cherry shrimp will be more comfortable and more inclined to show their true bright colours
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Another reason your red cherry shrimp may have become paler is due to disease
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Red cherry shrimp diseases are fairly poorly understood and although work is taking place to better understand them few medications are currently available If you believe your red cherry shrimp may have become pale because they
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unwell, you're best to isolate them in a separate tank away from the other shrimp so they do not
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spread the disease and seek help from others, possibly via forums, Facebook groups or speaking
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to members of your local fish club. One important point to remember is that colour can naturally
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vary from one red cherry shrimp to another. Male red cherry shrimp will almost always be less
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colourful than the females and just because you bought a group of high quality brightly
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coloured red cherry shrimp it does not necessarily mean their offspring will share the bright
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colour traits. Without heavy culling and careful selective breeding the colour of a group of
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red cherry shrimp can quickly decline within a few generations. Now if you made it this
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far through the video please help support the channel by clicking that like button. Red Cherry Shrimp are incredibly colourful and if yours have turned pale it may be worth
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exploring the possible courses. Another question I am frequently asked is what are the ideal water parameters for Red
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Cherry Shrimp? I answer that question in the video on screen
