CAW 2024 Shrimp Bowl Contest
The Raleigh Aquarium Society Shrimp Bowl Contest has been held at recent CAW workshops starting in 2020. With increased local interest in shrimp husbandry, the contest is designed to bring breeders of shrimp into conversations with other shrimp hobbyists, provide education about shrimp care and breeding, and create a space to show the incredible varietal differences available most have only seen online or in print. We expect the Shrimp Bowl Contest to be a regular feature of future CAW/RAS events.
Signup
Any registered CAW attendee may signup to participate in the Shrimp Bowl Contest. CAW registration can be found here:
Whereas Shrimp Bowl Contest signup (for registered CAW attendees) can be found here:
Rules & Details
This shrimp contest is open to all participants of RAS Carolina Aquarium Workshop who breed shrimp. Shrimp must have hatched in your aquariums. Judging will be done by Rob and Ree Bloomfield of Shrimp Envy based right here in North Carolina.
Awards will be given in first, second, and third places. There will also be a Best in Show award and People's Choice award. People’s choice voting will end at the mid afternoon speaker break on Saturday. Ballots will be in the CAW registration packet.
Prizes include gift cards for top places and the dollar amount equal to the number of People's Choice votes cast for that winner.
Shrimp Categories
With the broad club interest in shrimp husbandry, we have created different categories for displaying them. Categories include the following and any shrimp not fitting a specific category will be placed on exhibit during the contest for educational purposes. Such submissions are encouraged and mostly include different genera and species than the neocaridina and caridina crosses detailed below.
Categories are:
Cat 1: Neocaridina - Red
Cat 2: Neocaridina - Other colors
Cat 3: Caridina Crystals - Crystal red/black, Pure Red/Black Line, Super Crystal Red/Black
Cat 4: Taiwan Bees - Blue bolts, black & red king kongs, red & black pandas, shadow panda, shadow mosura
Cat 5: Tigers - Orange eye blue tigers, red tiger, black tiger, tangerine tiger, aura blue tiger
Cat 6: Caridina Crossbreeds - Pintos, Snowflake, Boas, Red & black Fancy Tiger, OE variants.
To enter shrimp in this contest the breeder must bring them in person and register for the CAW workshop. No other entry fee is required other than CAW registration is and CAW Shrimp Bowl Contest signups can be found here. Again our goal might look like having a shrimp competition, but it is more about the people who are passionate about shrimp keeping and sharing ideas and practices in a club setting. Guidelines for the contest can be found further below.
Awards
Awards will be given in first, second, and third places. There will also be a Best in Show award and People's Choice award. People’s choice voting will end at the mid afternoon speaker break on Saturday. Ballots will be in the CAW registration packet.
Prizes include gift cards for top places and the dollar amount equal to the number of People's Choice votes cast for that winner.
Scoring parameters:
Color & pattern - 20 points
Size - 10 points
Homogeneity (same size/color/pattern of the group) - 10 points
Difficulty of color/pattern - 10 point
Entry Details
Each workshop participant can enter three groups of shrimp, with a wait list for additional groups if space permits.The deadline to enter shrimp is Friday October 4.
There is no additional fee for the contest above the workshop price. Anyone who enters shrimp and does not pay and attend CAW will not be provided bowls nor allowed to show.
Entrants provide 3-5 shrimp for judging and one gallon of water. Judging will be for the best 3 shrimp. Please bring water in a screw cap glass or plastic bottle that does not leak with your name on it. RAS will add the bowl number in sharpie to your container to use as a refill as needed.
RAS will provide half gallon plexiglass bowls, a small plant, and a small section of wood for each bowl. Set up will be identical as possible. Shrimp will be kept at room temperature in open bowls during the workshop under LED lighting. There will be no nets available nor any items to transfer from bowl to bowl. Each bowl will be kept in isolation to the best of volunteers abilities. Each entrant will be assigned bowls and will fill the bowl to a mark with their own water and shrimp.
Registration is Saturday morning 8:30-10am, Bowls can be viewed by the public at any time except at the meal break on Saturday for judging.
Awards will be given during the Saturday evening banquet. Shrimp can be picked up after 6:00pm Saturday by the entrant. And must be removed by end of the banquet, 10:00pm Saturday, or become property of RAS to likely go in the auction on Sunday. Entrants may have the plant and wood, but not the bowl.
RAS is not liable for any loss at CAW. Entrants can monitor their own shrimps' health at all times except during judging.
All entrants must be made in person and from those who have already paid in full for CAW. Sign up sheet is first come first served and will top out at 50 bowls. Signups can be done online here: