# Color enhancer??



## lazlopes (Aug 2, 2006)

Is there a specific food I should give my RB to bring the red out really strong??? Krill???


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## alan (Mar 11, 2004)

prawns


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

You can use shrimp with the shell, krill, high color cichlid pellets, high color beta food, carrots (high in carotenes)....and basically any other foods that are high in alpha/beta carotenes.
~Taylor~


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

taylorhedrich said:


> You can use shrimp with the shell, krill, high color cichlid pellets, high color beta food, carrots (high in carotenes)....and basically any other foods that are high in alpha/beta carotenes.
> ~Taylor~


This post sums it up completely.

Having good, healthy water helps too.

(Here's just my experience, not saying that there's any science behind it, but it seems if I have my water a little more toward the acidic side (6.0-6.4) it brings out their colors more... especially if the reduction is a result of peat or bogwood...)


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

This product has been recommended in the past: http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c1/c8/NatuRose-c64.html

I have no experience with it though, but was said to be very good.


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## platinum1683 (Nov 17, 2006)

where can you get prawns? Brine shrimp makes a mess in my tank. Only whole shrimp for me.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I get prawns from the seafood department of my local grocery store.
Make sure you get uncooked prawns though!
(I prefer krill though... my fish have a tendency to "Unshell" the prawns... you get krill at the lfs.)


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## FormulatedFire (Jan 3, 2005)

taylorhedrich said:


> You can use shrimp with the shell, krill, high color cichlid pellets, high color beta food, carrots (high in carotenes)....and basically any other foods that are high in alpha/beta carotenes.
> ~Taylor~


you feed carrots.....do you do any prep to them besides the normal rinse????


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## rocker (Aug 12, 2005)

f*ck all that bs shrimp shell.

Go with top grade of flowerhorn or cichlid pellets.

Ive bene feeding my little red tha eveyr time i feed him and he has amazing red colour on him.

NEW LIFE SPECTRUM


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

FormulatedFire said:


> You can use shrimp with the shell, krill, high color cichlid pellets, high color beta food, carrots (high in carotenes)....and basically any other foods that are high in alpha/beta carotenes.
> ~Taylor~


you feed carrots.....do you do any prep to them besides the normal rinse????
[/quote]
I blend them up and they are added to my DIY homemade gelatin food. I doubt piranhas would eat them raw, since they are way too hard.
~Taylor~


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Another thing I just thought of...
Whenever I've increased the tannin in my water via peat pellets, bogwood, leaves or whatnot, the colors on the fish have really been highlighted.


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## rocker (Aug 12, 2005)

Piranha_man said:


> Another thing I just thought of...
> Whenever I've increased the tannin in my water via peat pellets, bogwood, leaves or whatnot, the colors on the fish have really been highlighted.


it makes them feel more at home i guess


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Piranha_man said:


> Another thing I just thought of...
> Whenever I've increased the tannin in my water via peat pellets, bogwood, leaves or whatnot, the colors on the fish have really been highlighted.


That is supposedly one of the things that blackwater extract is supposed to do...increase the vivid colorations of your fish. I don't know what the explanation is (I bet Harrykaa knows.), but I guess it mimics blackwater, and piranhas always have excellent vivid coloration when they are wild caught in the blackwaters of South America.
~Taylor~


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## ben2957 (Sep 17, 2005)

naturose works great i have used it for almost a year now.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

The Pink Flamingo would be pure white if it weren't for it's nearly exclusive diet of shrimp.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Piranha_man said:


> The Pink Flamingo would be pure white if it weren't for it's nearly exclusive diet of shrimp.


Excellent point!


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