Horizontal red line on orange Cherry shrimp?

I noticed these red dots and lines on my orange cherry shrimp yesterday. I looked up rust disease and bad molting and they don’t seem to look like this. There are a few horizontal small red lines across the spine and a few red dots. There also may be a brown dot next to its head.

This orange shrimp was in a tank with other colors of Cherry shrimp so maybe these are red Cherry shrimp genes?

shrimp is acting fine and no signs of sickness

 

In my experience with shrimp breeding, this is just a rare genetic trait. Granted, I’ve never seen a red line before -only orange, yellow, and green (on black rose)- but as long as the shrimp are acting normal, and there are no breaks in the exoskeleton, you should be fine.

Also, IME, it has about a 50/50 chance of passing on to offspring. If you’re looking to breed, I might consider culling the shrimp. However, if this is “generation zero” (they weren’t bred in your tank), or “generation one” (first generation bred in your tank), and you got your shrimp from the same source, they are likely related too closely, and the rest will likely have the gene or develop the stripe. In that case, you have yourself some striped shrimp.

 

Its called a "racing stripe". Very common in different neo color morphs.

One of your drawn arrows seems to refer to something else; little difficult to diagnose with this light.

 

In my experience with shrimp breeding, this is just a rare genetic trait. Granted, I’ve never seen a red line before -only orange, yellow, and green (on black rose)- but as long as the shrimp are acting normal, and there are no breaks in the exoskeleton, you should be fine.

Also, IME, it has about a 50/50 chance of passing on to offspring. If you’re looking to breed, I might consider culling the shrimp. However, if this is “generation zero” (they weren’t bred in your tank), or “generation one” (first generation bred in your tank), and you got your shrimp from the same source, they are likely related too closely, and the rest will likely have the gene or develop the stripe. In that case, you have yourself some striped shrimp.

So what you’re saying is this is just an appearance thing and is no cause for concern, correct?
I don’t mind the stripe so if it’s only appearance that’s not a big deal to me in this case.

Its called a "racing stripe". Very common in different neo color morphs.

One of your drawn arrows seems to refer to something else; might be a molting scar; little difficult to diagnose with this light.

Well I researched racing stripes and from what I saw, racing stripes follow the spine, whereas the stripe I’m talking about is perpendicular to the spine. Is this still considered a racing stripe?

Sorry, the lighting is pretty bad in some of these pictures it seems. I was pretty rushed for time while taking these. What should I look for to determine if this is a molting scar? This shrimp molted probably a week ago and a few days after that I moved them into their 5 g tank. I tested the GH of the water that they’re in now and it was a GH reading of 9.

 

No, racing stripes indeed follow the "spine" (which they don't have, but I understand your point). Racing stripes can change with age/molts and wash out, causing faint dots/lines/patches.

If they are clear, distinct, short marks, perpendicular to the "spine", then I'm not sure. Shrimp of a lesser grade, show markings or patches anyhow. Again, a clear image would really help.

 

No racing stripes indeed follow the "spine" (which they don't have, but I understand your point). Racing stripes can change with age/molts and wash out, causing faint dots/lines/patches.

If they are clear, distinct, short marks, perpendicular to the "spine", than I'm not sure. Shrimp of a lesser grade, show markings or patches anyhow. Again, a clear image would really help.

Don’t mind the dirty decor, I’m having the shrimp clean it off from another tank.


Does these pictures give any clarity?

The last picture is a picture of my other shrimp who just molted a few days ago and I see something light on her head. What’s that?

 

Yes, that makes a difference. So no racing stripe; its the shrimp's digestive tract.
Not a molting issue either I believe; that would be expected further towards the head.

My verdict would be that this is not an "orange cherry" as you refer to it, but a sunkist bee shrimp (caridina genus). These can have red coloured lines and dots.

Perhaps richiep can give a second opinion.

 

richiep what are your thoughts on this?

 

Yes, that makes a difference. So no racing stripe; its the shrimp's digestive tract.
Not a molting issue either I believe; that would be expected further towards the head.

My verdict would be that this is not an "orange cherry" as you refer to it, but a sunkist bee shrimp (caridina genus). These can have red coloured lines and dots.

Perhaps richiep can give a second opinion.

Thank you for getting back to me about this.

I googled Sunkist bee shrimp and I think you may be right!

Depending on what richiep says, I might have a bit of an issue since it sounds like Sunkist bee offpsring need brackish water and I have it in with Cherry shrimp. I read online that Cherry shrimp can be in brackish water but probably not long term….

 

ruud may well be right as being a caradina, tbh id be guessing, catch 22, personally I'd leave it where it is, i don't like the idea of of turning a cherry tank into long term brackish that's not their wild state.

 

ruud may well be right as being a caradina, tbh id be guessing, catch 22, personally I'd leave it where it is, i don't like the idea of of turning a cherry tank into long term brackish that's not their wild state.

Thanks for your input! Hopefully the shrimp will still be able to produce fry that mature to adulthood.