Hi Everybody,
I need ideas on methods which could be used to mark small shrimp (approximately 3 cm total length) for the purposes of identification of individuals in a lab-based study. It doesn't need to be easily discernible on a camera, but it does need to be easily discernible if the shrimp were to be captured out of its tank with a net and examined. I was going to use nail polish, but now I've read that it takes a very long time to dry. The less invasive the method of marking, the better, and the simpler and cheaper the method of marking, the better. Thanks in advance.
As long as your shrimps are not moulting you can use superglue mixed with a some inert substance to give it colour and placed as a dot on their backs. I used this method to do a mark recapture experiment on Crangon crangon. Superglue dots will harden underwater.
I've used superglue with great success on very small crabs, along with very tiny printed numbers that electricians use to mark wires. The gel type of superglue works best- far less chance of gluing the shrimp to your fingers. Bee tags work well too. Another option is the UV activated glue that you may have seen in TV ads, similar to what dentists use. Instantly hardens with the little pen light provided and can be applied to a wet surface. Number should be printed on something clear so that the UV light can get to the glue. No chance of self-adhesion with that stuff.
I have also seen the superglue and electricians numbers work quite well. Attachment to the cephalothorax seems to work best. I would suggest using a base layer of glue, attaching the number, and then doing a cover coat.
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