# Shipping Red cherry shrimp



## Turningdizzy (Apr 5, 2014)

Shipping food in the water could have caused waste buildup. They do not need food in shipping. Heat packs get pretty hot on the surface, and if the pack was touching the bag, the water temperature could have reached well over a 100º.If you wrapped the heat pack too tight it could have failed to activate properly. You have to place it a certain side out because it needs oxygen to function. You should wrap the heat pack loosely in paper and tape it to the box side opposite the shrimp. Put a barrier between the shrimp and the heat to keep the bag from sliding into it. The sponge you used could have had some sort of chemical put on it when it was made that was unhealthy for the shrimp. Live plants(preferably moss) are your best bet to ship the shrimp with. Just a few things I can think of.


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## sirbin2000 (Oct 24, 2016)

OK I think the food could have done it, I loosely wrapped the heat pack in newspaper and put barriers of paper between it and the bag so I don't think it was that. The sponge is from an older sponge filter that sits in their tank that I just cut up so I don't think it could have been that. It's really baffling, I wonder if going the last day without heat is what did it, I wonder if they're really sensitive to temp drops or something


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## Turningdizzy (Apr 5, 2014)

Cold water could have been the cause but if they were sitting in a post office all day and night they weren't exposed to the cold unless they were in an unheated room. Then they would of been in a heated mail truck until delivered. If they were removed from the mail box in a timely manner then they wouldn't have the chance to get very cold. My vote goes with the polluted water. It was a small quantity of water with alot of potential for ammonia buildup.


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## pmcarbrey (Jan 19, 2013)

sirbin2000 said:


> OK I think the food could have done it, I loosely wrapped the heat pack in newspaper and put barriers of paper between it and the bag so I don't think it was that. The sponge is from an* older sponge filter* that sits in their tank that I just cut up so I don't think it could have been that. It's really baffling, I wonder if going the last day without heat is what did it, I wonder if they're really sensitive to temp drops or something


why would you use an old sponge filter? All that does is add waste into the bag, and add room for problems. When shipping make it easy on yourself, no food, and if you're going to use a sponge, use a clean, never used one, or even better, just use a section of screen in the bag like wholesalers do.


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## Zoidburg (Mar 8, 2016)

Saw some guides on how to ship shrimp online.

Shipping Shrimp .:. Information and Instructions on shipping Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp

Shipping Shrimp

How to Ship Shrimp - Shrimpery


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## sirbin2000 (Oct 24, 2016)

pmcarbrey said:


> why would you use an old sponge filter? All that does is add waste into the bag, and add room for problems. When shipping make it easy on yourself, no food, and if you're going to use a sponge, use a clean, never used one, or even better, just use a section of screen in the bag like wholesalers do.


Never said old, or unclean. It sits in there for the shrimp, they love it. It's clean and I rinse it with the tank water.

Bump:


Zoidburg said:


> Saw some guides on how to ship shrimp online.
> 
> Shipping Shrimp .:. Information and Instructions on shipping Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp
> 
> ...


Thanks I'll check those hopefully I find something I haven't read yet, I did a lot of research but I'll reassess I guess. 

Thanks for all the replies.


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## plantsrockmysocks (Sep 21, 2016)

Styrofoam lined USPS box. Cut another piece of styrofoam to loosely fit inside the space to separate the heat pack from the actual bag of shrimp. Poke at least 2-3 holes in the top of the styrofoam lid to let a little bit of air in to keep the heatpacks going.

Use as much water as you can in the bag and use some moss inside the bags for the shrimp to cling onto.

Source: I shipped tens of thousands of shrimp on these very forums with less than 0.1% loss.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

I agree, it could have been food or the heat pack getting too hot. I used to ship a ton of shrimp never used a heatpack nor styrofoam. Don't under estimate newspaper. Layer upon layer is very effective. Any rare lose I had was because package was left out in unfriendly weather after delivery. Unfortunately that's the one variable you can't control.


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## sirbin2000 (Oct 24, 2016)

I think I figured it out. I packaged up a breather bag full of water only, insulation and heat pack, checked it 12 hours later and it's definitely too hot. Took the heat pack out and let the package sit in 40 degree weather for 12 more hours and the water is still warm. I think it's safe to say they never need a heat pack because at worst they might sit in a cold warehouse for a few hours and even then all the insulation would keep them safe.


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## Matuva (Jun 8, 2015)

I received several shrimps from US.
Sellers do not use heat pack to my location. Absolutely no food in the bag. Just a piece of sponge or moss for the critters to cling on.
Shrimps are put to starve 24/48 hours prior shipping.
10 days trip, less than 3% DOA.


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## Fissure (Jun 29, 2014)

I ordered from Germany to Sweden. Took 5 days from shipping to arrival. 
54 amano shrimp - All alive
12 jade green shrimp - all alive
11 - red bee shrimp - 1 dead (looked like he had been stuck in the top of the packaging)

Water temp was 15 degrees Celsius in all the bags... don't think you need to worry to much about that.


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## nel (Jan 23, 2016)

Fissure said:


> I ordered from Germany to Sweden. Took 5 days from shipping to arrival.
> 54 amano shrimp - All alive
> 12 jade green shrimp - all alive
> 11 - red bee shrimp - 1 dead (looked like he had been stuck in the top of the packaging)
> ...


They can stand really low temperatures. I heard a story (don't know if it's really true) of shrimps arriving in the water with some ice in it - it was so cold and none died. So maybe it's safer to not add a heat pack, high temperatures are deadly.


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