There were significant positive correlations between total carotenoids content (TCC) in Hyriopsis cumingii and shell color intensity. A 40-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary β-carotene level (5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 20 mg/L and 40 mg/L) on TCC and shell color in H. cumingii. The results showed that, as the level of dietary β-carotene increased, the TCC in the hepatopancreas and mantle increased accordingly. The total carotenoid content in purple line mussels was significantly higher than that in white line mussels. And the ability of accumulating carotenoids was significantly different between purple line mussels and white line mussels (P<0.05). At the terminal feeding trial, there were no significant differences of color parameters (L^*, a^*, b^*, C^* and ΔE) among the four experimental treatments in purple line mussels (P>0.05), although the color parameters of a^*, b^* and C^* increased with the level of dietary β-carotene increasing. Similarly, in white line mussels there were also no significant differences of color parameters among the four experimental treatments (P>0.05). These results suggest that the ability of accumulating carotenoids in purple line mussels was significantly higher than that in white line mussels.