penance

When I bought him he looked alright but after I released him in my tank he disappeared and I found out he likes to hide in my decor. I never see "red" and when I want to see him I have to force him out of his hideout.

I have owned several bamboo shrimp before ...

So 3 things ...

1. He's very bright red, like the sort of red they turn right before they molt, but he's been this sort of red everyday. Is this normal and I've never seen it?

2. I never see it eating

3. It always stays in it's hideout It's anti-social and this morning after I forced it out I watched red walk back into the hideout.

penance

hmm... nobody responded but it's okay I think my issues with red are gone

He's still red but not bright red anymore

I totally rearranged my aquarium, added plenty of plants, took out anything that was the fake coral decor and now he loves to lounge on the leaves and fan out of feelers for food

Dorantic

I would guess that his color and hiding were because he isn't / wasn't comfortable in the tank yet. Some animals take a while before they're comfortable in their new surroundings.

You "forcing" him to come out probably didn't help much, but congrats on him coming out.

sirdarksol

The plants are perfect. They'll allow him to hide, but also allow him to get food.
The bright red is actually their healthy color. They fade to grey/white if they are ill or stressed. They'll also fade a bit when they're ready to molt (the shell becomes milky as it separates from the body).

I just looked at your aquarium stocking, and it looks like you've got dwarf puffers and labyrinth fish (the bettas and gourami) in with the little guy. He probably was hiding immediately after he molted (animals that molt are usually brightest right after they molt) because he was terrified for his life. His shell is his only protection against those fish, which are natural predators of shrimp.
I'd be really concerned about the dwarf puffers in there. They are territorial little fish, and also huge invertivores with sharp beaks made to cut through shells. It is very likely that they will eventually catch the shrimp and have it for supper.

penance

As far as I know, Red hasn't molted yet and he's turned a nice light pink - he is currently perched on top of my highest plant leaf fanning for food

I'm actually down to one dwarf puffer (how I would love my whole 55g tank to be filled with them, but that's another story lol) and aside from the one mean pink kissing gourami I had my fish have been pretty peaceful. Seriously my blue gourami is chicken little

Here are some recent photos of Red

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	IMG_1996.JPG (48.6 KB, 102 views)
	IMG_1991.JPG (54.2 KB, 101 views)
	IMG_2018.JPG (48.3 KB, 98 views)
	IMG_2022.JPG (29.8 KB, 98 views)

sirdarksol

I believe that's still a super-healthy shrimp. I think they usually aren't dark enough for that line to show unless they are doing well.

penance

I lost Red on Saturday I was in the middle of a water change and after I finished I noticed that he was a real pale pink color and I just knew he was dead ... sounds like a I'm a fish killer -.-

I'm going to try my hand at red cherry instead, I'd like to start a little colony of them

Tony G.

awww i'm sorry