Building and assessing a stable shrimp colour line

One striking shrimp does not establish a stable colour line. First describe the trait, keep parental groups traceable and assess the whole offspring group under comparable conditions. “Stable colour” needs an account of observations, not a promise that every future juvenile will match.

Make the target observable

Choose, for example, body coverage, a marking or the distribution of coloured and transparent areas. Write down what fits and what does not. A sales name alone is too vague: sellers may use the same word differently. Compare adults of similar age and, where possible, the same sex under the same lighting and background.

1. Record the foundation group, origin, photographs and known crosses. Unknown parents do not gain an invented pedigree.
2. Assess growth, behaviour, molting and reproductive outcomes alongside appearance. Postpone colour selection during unexplained deterioration.
3. House selected and other animals appropriately with traceable groups. Avoid treating uncertain juvenile development as a final outcome.
4. Record how many offspring you actually assessed and how many met the criterion. List missing or unassessed animals separately.
5. Repeat with the same criteria and record any changes. No established generation count automatically certifies the line here.

Describe results honestly

When rehoming animals, identify the parent group and observed cohorts being described. A photograph of the best animal says nothing about variation. The proportion matching among assessed juveniles is an observation, not a guaranteed percentage from the next cross.

Plan suitable housing outside the selection before starting. Use the breeding log for records and the genetics explanation to distinguish appearance from hereditary certainty.

Sources and scope

• UF/IFAS: Cherry shrimp, Neocaridina davidi
• Tave, FAO (1999): Genetics, phenotype and genotype
• LICG: Zoetwatergarnaal

The sources support biological concepts, trade descriptions and general care. The selection and record-keeping workflow is our editorial proposal, not personal breeding experience or evidence of a predictable genetic outcome.