Sexing Cherry Shrimp

[popcorn1]

I have 3 red females with yellow saddles. I just bought two very light pink cherry shrimp yesterday hoping they were male.

People keep saying males are clear with red spots but mine are very light transparent pink with red on their backs. Also, they have very feint outlines where a saddle would be but without the saddle. Can anyone confirm that the males are really males?

Female (left) / Male (right)

Shot at 2010-06-27

Female (left) / Male (right)

Shot at 2010-06-27

Female (left) / Male (right)

Shot at 2010-06-27

Female (left) / Male (right)

Shot at 2010-06-27

Female with saddle

Shot at 2010-06-27

Male

Shot at 2010-06-27

 

[Fat Homer]

I'll be honest in saying i'm not shrimp expert, but i can tell you color doesn't mean much as far as sexing shrimp... since i've seen both male and females come in both really clear colors, or extremely solid colors...

One of the ways i've heard you can tell is by the shape of the body, but as i said i'm no expert so unfortunately can't help you out there...

 

[bayst]

It's hard to tell, especially with young shrimp. You might have some males there.

Like Fat Homer said, color is variable. The color of an immature female, a stressed female, or a female on a light substrate can be very light like in your pics. Sometimes it takes time for them to color up in a new tank, or to mature. I have some that got really red after being berried for the first time.

Saddles can be light colored, like a white or cream color in some RCS.

Body shape and size are more definitive. The females have a thicker tail, kinda with a rounded, convex shape underneath. This is because they need to carry the eggs there. The males tend to be smaller and skinnier with a concave tail.

HTH!