Main and Secondary Line Shrimps

It is becoming difficult to ignore the fact that the shrimp industry can be quite daunting if you are just entering the hobby. Even those who are in this for a few years may still find some of the things confusing. In this post we will help to share some information so you’ll be able to better decide with the information.

Main line shrimps

What do we mean main line shrimps? In simple terms main line shrimps are the breeders selectively bred shrimps. Selective breeding instead of mass breeding.

Main Line crossing 

A main line cross is where a Boa x Boa and then the shrimplet that are boa are then use again for selective breeding. No other lines or shrimps are utilize to continue the line.

Secondary Line Shrimps

This is where mass breeding occurs and any shrimps can be use to generate volume and does not focus on lineage or colors, anything really goes.

Secondary Line Crossing

When a Deep blue bolt x with Black King Kong, there will be shrimplet that may look like DBB and some like BKK or some in between and some different. Hence in such circumstances this isn’t selective breeding. They are massing the shrimps to cater for the general market based on market pricing.

In general these shrimps will throw out anything and everything and if they are kept in planted tanks i believe they will be fine. However if your intention is to have a selected line to breed, this isn’t for you.

If you have read this far, it shows you are keen in understanding the notion behind it. Keep reading. Here is where it get even more interesting and is happening all the time.

Breeders that share the line if they are main or secondary line is critical. One of the most important reason here is because as hobbyist we should be buying the shrimp we want and breeding out the shrimp we want. For example, if a breeder sells a “Deep Blue Bolt” which is a secondary line as Main line, and when the hobbyist buy it back and the shrimplet comes out anything but blue bolts. This can become very concerning. For example, i have also experience this and this is the sole reason why this blog and sharing exist because i feel strongly we need to be open and transparent.

From a cost perspective, the gap between a main line vs secondary line is huge. It can go up as far as 5x difference. This is preyed upon hobbyist who are not in the know. A reputable breeder will share openly the line if it’s secondary or main. There is nothing to really hide!

Secondary Line

Main line

The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.

Sharing a perspective on this and are you truly getting what you are paying for. While business survive based on profits, where is the line where it is drawn?

• Cost of main line shrimp: $10
• Retail of main line shrimp: $25
• Cost of secondary line shrimp: $1
• Retail of secondary line shrimp $20

To the untrained eye, it is difficult to discern between main and secondary line BUT the first bred out will almost show everything or down the line there will be other shrimps that comes out of it.

While we support local businesses we need to be truthful to buyers. “Not Knowing” is not an excuse for selling secondary line shrimps as main line.

If we use this in today’s market space with high price tag of main line boa vs secondary line, it will be exponential. Hence, buyers beware and if you are really keen in getting what you pay for, please ensure you ask everything you need to.

Here are some of the questions that can be asked:

• Who is the breeder
• is this a main or secondary line shrimp
  • selective or mass
• how long has the main line being bred
• What is the grading criteria

Some telltale sign that you’ll need to watch for:

• Quality does not have quantity
• if it’s too cheap to be true, it is
• unable to answer or tries to smoke through
• unable to share lineage openly
• shifty in answering
• History of mixing and having multiple lines
• History misuse of other lineage to sell
• Has no backstory of how the shrimp are bred

I hope this post have shed some light on it, i have created a video on this as well.

Thanks for reading!