A live animal in a parcel sounds risky. In practice, shrimp are among the most convenient animals to transport. We have shipped more than 30,000 orders, and survival on the road stays very high. Here is how it works and what it depends on.
How long shrimp cope on the road
Shrimp handle 24–48 hours in transit very well. That is the usual delivery time within Europe, and their safety margin is far larger.
About ten times, parcels that were never collected have come back to us. Such a parcel lies at the pick-up point for ten days and then travels through the carrier's warehouses. It reaches us more than twenty days after it was sent. In most cases the shrimp inside are alive.
There are usually fewer of them than we packed, though: shrimp can eat one another.
This is no reason to leave a parcel at the pick-up point. But it shows how much margin a shrimp has.
What kills shrimp in the bag
Most often it is not cold or shaking, but bacteria. They multiply very fast and use up the free oxygen in the bag. The shrimp die from lack of oxygen.
The more shrimp in one bag, the higher this risk. That is why large batches need especially careful preparation.
The second danger is ammonia. Shrimp release it all the time, and in a closed bag it has nowhere to go.
How shrimp are packed
The journey starts at the farm: the shrimp are caught with a net and counted out for packing.
- Treated water. We add an agent that binds ammonia and an agent that holds back bacterial growth, so the shrimp get through the journey without stress.
- A small piece of mesh in every bag. A shrimp needs something to hold on to during transport.
- An insulated box. In winter a heat pack goes in, in hot weather a bottle of ice.
Temperature: the lower limit
At a water temperature of 8 °C a shrimp feels normal. Below that it is already lethal. That is why in winter shrimp cannot be shipped without an insulated box and a heat pack.
In summer the danger is the opposite: overheated water holds less oxygen, and bacteria multiply faster in it.
When the parcel arrives
- Collect the parcel as early as you can.
- Do not tip the shrimp straight into the tank. Even out the temperature first, then add tank water to the bag little by little over 30–60 minutes.
- In the first days the shrimp hide and moult — this is normal.
More in our guide to acclimating shrimp after delivery.
Live arrival guarantee
Live animals are covered by our live arrival guarantee. Orders placed Monday to Thursday before 12:00 ship the same day. See all our aquarium shrimp.
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