After recently seeing photos from this year’s German Shrimp Contest in Dortmund I couldn’t help but notice a big decline in quality, what has happened to the PRL!?
Not only were the PRL down in quality but the Super Crystal Red that came in second place should have easily been placed 1st, why wasn’t it?
A while ago I wrote an article about the golden era of Japanese shrimp breeders, this golden era began over 20 years ago. How have the PRL gone backwards since then? The golden era produced PRL of the highest quality, these shrimp had obviously been bred over many generations to be getting the quality we were seeing. Incredibly bright white, thick shells. Deep layered red colouration that looked claret against the brilliant whites. Full coloured legs from top to bottom, full red or full white.
How are we seeing shrimp win their category in such a prestigious competition that don’t even have full leg colouration!?
Why the drop in quality?
- Unfashionable Shrimp
- Lack of Incentive
- Cost of Living
Unfashionable Shrimp
Could the drop in quality be related to fashion within the hobby? Without the original CRS this hobby wouldn’t be at the point it is today, those first photos from Asia of the red mutation is what sparked an interest for many of us. Since that early mutation the shrimp available now are almost unrecognisable. Who would have thought that a simple red mutation would later have the potential to produce Stardust, Boa and Metallic shrimp!?
Could the lack of quality in PRL be because more desirable shrimp are now available and people newer to the hobby simply have no interest in keeping and breeding “the originals”?
Lack of Incentive
It has been many years since I entered a shrimp competition but I know there is a lack of incentive to enter. The show tanks that the shrimp are displayed in are newly setup, you have no say in the parameters and/or age of the aquariums. There are usually auctions after the shows where it is encouraged that you auction off the shrimp you enter to help cover the costs of the competition for the organisers. Although this is not required its considered polite to do so. There is also no financial reward to counter the risk you take to show your shrimp. Unlike showing dogs where you can usually charge a significant difference in price for show-winning bloodlines, competition winning shrimp do not carry such an inflated financial reward. Other than a cheap trophy and a bit of free food, there is not really a reward, other than ego, provided by the show hosting organisation.
Cost of Living
Does the worlds current financial climate affect people entering their shrimp in competitions? Travel costs, shipping costs, the price of hotel stays and the weekend event of the show. Again, the lack of incentive. Is there a lack of financial reward for entering competitions?
I know for a fact that there are higher grade shrimp being kept in private collections, PRL with full coloured legs that have been bred for many years. Why aren’t they showing their shrimp?
Maybe judging can play a part? I wasn’t at the show to see the standard of PRL on show, maybe bad choices were made? I know the judges are fairly consistent attendees in a variety of the different shrimp competitions. Its usually the same faces so judging should be fairly consistent, they are the same group of respected judges who have rightly gained their reputation over time. That being said, mistakes were definitely made in the Super Crystal Red category.
This was the Super Crystal Red that was deemed to be the best quality entered by being awarded 1st place. The first feature to be considered when breeding SCR is to have a full white face band, like Santa’s hat, hence their nickname. Although this shrimp shows good body colouration and good leg and rostrum colour for its variety, due to the lack of face band this should still be culled due to poor pattern.
This was the SCR that came 2nd. A much better overall example when compared with the shrimp above. The percentage of leg and rostrum colour is less than the shrimp in first place but the full face white band should surely take priority. Poor facial pattern should never score more points than a tiny percentage of extra colour on the legs.
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