Eventually almost every successful shrimp keeper will need to know how to ship shrimp as they start selling them to other hobbyists.
First catch the shrimp you are going to ship. I use these plastic containers that are the same as you see at a pet store. These work well because they can be hooked onto the side of the tank and it is easy to pour the water and the shrimp into the bag.
Pour the water and shrimp into a Breather Bag and add some moss or something to provide the shrimp something to hold onto during shipping. Without something to hold onto the shrimp become stressed. Make sure you get the air out of the bag before tying a knot in the bag. I have seen some people use rubber bands but in my experience a single knot is fine as long as you pull it tight.
Breather Bags have the following advantages:
- O2 and CO2 can pass through the bag and eliminate the need for adding air to the bag. This also means your shrimp will not run out of O2 during shipping if your package gets delayed.
- The lack of air prevents the water from sloshing around during shipping and reduces stress on the shrimp.
- The bags are flexible and in my experience difficult to puncture. You can double bag Breather Bags if you think its necessary. While double bagging does reduce the transfer of O2 and CO2 your shrimp will still get plenty.
- Since you do not need air the bag you are able to use smaller boxes.
I ship via Priority or Express mail through the US Post Office. You can get free boxes (with no shipping cost) from the post office online. I use shredded paper to insulate the shrimp. During the winter I add a 72hr heat pack to the bottom of the box. Using this method I have had over 95% survival rate.
