Buying live shrimp online in Australia: what to check

Buying live shrimp online in Australia is normal now, and most parcels arrive fine. The ones that don't usually go wrong for predictable reasons: the wrong postage, a parcel left in the heat or cold, a tank that wasn't ready, or a seller whose guarantee doesn't say what it covers. Here is what to check before you order from anyone, including us.

1. Is the shrimp right for your water?

Before you look at colours, know which group of shrimp your tank suits. Neocaridina (cherry, blue dream, yellow and the like) are usually kept in dechlorinated tap water. Caridina and Taiwan Bee shrimp need soft, acidic RO water. Sulawesi shrimp need warm, hard, alkaline water. A good seller lists the water each shrimp needs on the page. Neocaridina vs Caridina explains the difference, and Best beginner shrimp in Australia is the place to start if this is your first tank.

2. Is your tank ready?

Order after the tank is cycled, not before. Ammonia and nitrite should read zero, and the tank should have been running for weeks so there is biofilm for the shrimp to graze. How to cycle a tank for shrimp covers it. Some sellers, including us, take pre-orders so you can lock in shrimp while the tank finishes.

3. How is it posted?

• Express, not standard. Live animals should travel by express post. Ask if it isn't stated.
• Early-week dispatch. A parcel sent late in the week can sit in a depot over the weekend. We only dispatch on Mondays and Tuesdays for this reason.
• Seasonal packing. Look for insulated boxes with heat or cold packs as the season needs, and shrimp bagged with oxygen.
• Where they will and won't send. Some states restrict live aquatic animals. We can't send live animals to WA, the NT or Tasmania.

In the hotter months, Shipping live shrimp in an Australian summer is worth reading before you order.

4. What does the guarantee actually cover?

"Live arrival guaranteed" means little until you read the terms. Check:

• How long you have to claim after delivery, and what proof is needed (photos, video, the sealed bag).
• Whether parcels left unattended, or sent to PO Boxes and lockers, are covered.
• What happens if the parcel is delayed in transit.
• What you get back: a refund, replacements or store credit.

Ours: claim within 8 hours of delivery with photos and a short video, and you choose a refund of the livestock value, free replacements on your next order, or store credit. The full terms, including how transit time affects cover, are on our Shipping & Live Arrival page and in the DOA & Missing Items Policy.

5. What exactly are you buying?

• Size and sex. Most sellers ship juveniles. Ours are unsexed juveniles, 0.6–1.2 cm, so they arrive lighter in colour and colour up as they grow.
• Grade. Grade names differ between sellers, so ask what a grade means rather than trusting the label. Our grading standard shows what each of our grades looks like.
• How many. To start a colony, buy a group rather than a pair so you are very likely to get both sexes. Our bulk discounts start at 5 and step up at 10 and 20.
• Real photos. Photos and video of the seller's own shrimp tell you more than stock images.

6. When it arrives

Be home on the delivery day, bring the box inside, check the bags, and photograph anything wrong before you open them. Then acclimate slowly: How to acclimatise your new shrimp has the steps.

Buying from Shrimp Zone

We breed our shrimp in Sunshine, Victoria, and post them by express everywhere except WA, the NT and Tasmania. Browse all shrimp, or message us on Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp if you want help choosing.