Shrimp Care & Acclimation Guide

Your shrimp have just travelled express across the country — here’s how to get them from the shipping bag to thriving in your tank. The whole process takes about an hour, and the slow part is the part that matters.

Before your shrimp arrive

  • Your tank should be fully cycled (zero ammonia, zero nitrite) and running for at least a few weeks — shrimp are far more sensitive to water quality than fish.
  • Match your water to the species: our Neocaridina are raised in remineralised tap water around TDS 160, so most established community tanks suit them. Caridina lines need soft, buffered water (active substrate + remineralised RO) — each product page lists specifics.
  • Be home on delivery day — livestock can’t sit on a doorstep, and our Live Arrival Guarantee depends on prompt receipt.

Arrival day: first 10 minutes

  1. Open the parcel straight away and check everyone’s in good shape. Pale, still shrimp are normal after transit — they usually colour up within the hour.
  2. If anything has gone wrong, photograph and video the unopened bags now and email us within 8 hours — the DOA policy has the exact steps.
  3. Turn the aquarium lights off (or right down) — darkness lowers stress while you acclimate.

Drip acclimation (the important part)

Why drip? Shrimp regulate their body chemistry against the water around them. A sudden change in TDS, GH or pH is the number-one cause of losses in the first week — a slow drip lets them adjust safely.

  1. Float the sealed bag in the tank for 10–15 minutes to equalise temperature.
  2. Empty the bag — shrimp and shipping water together — into a clean container that has never touched soaps or chemicals.
  3. Run a length of airline tubing from the tank to the container and start a siphon. Tie a loose knot in the tubing (or use a valve) to slow it to 2–3 drips per second.
  4. Let it run until the water volume in the container has at least doubled — roughly 45–60 minutes.
  5. Gently net the shrimp into the tank. Don’t pour the shipping water into your aquarium — tip it down the drain.

The first 48 hours

  • Don’t feed for the first 24 hours. There’s plenty of biofilm to graze, and uneaten food is the last thing a settling tank needs.
  • Keep lighting dim on day one; resume your normal schedule from day two.
  • Expect hiding and muted colour at first — grazing, roaming shrimp with returning colour is the sign everything’s on track.
  • Anything look off? Message us the same day with a photo or video — we’d rather help early.

Settling in for the long run

  • Stability beats perfection — shrimp handle a slightly-off but steady tank far better than one that swings. Make changes slowly.
  • Small weekly water changes (10–15%) with temperature-matched, remineralised water.
  • Feed sparingly — a little every day or two, removed if untouched after a few hours.
  • Questions about your parameters? See the FAQ or email support@shrimpzone.com.au with your GH/KH/TDS and we’ll give you a straight answer for your setup.