The first hour after your shrimp arrive matters more than anything else you do. Shrimp handle a day in the post well, but a sudden change in water can kill them even after a perfect journey. This is the method we recommend for every Shrimp Hub order.
Before the box arrives
- Make sure your tank is fully cycled – our first shrimp tank setup guide explains how.
- Have a clean container ready (a jug or small tub that has never had soap in it).
- A length of airline tubing and an airline valve, or just a clean knot in the tubing.
- Your dechlorinator.
Step by step: drip acclimatising shrimp
- Open the box straight away and check the shrimp. If any have died, photograph the unopened bag now – see the note on DOA below.
- Dim the lights. Shrimp are calmer in low light after a dark journey.
- Float the sealed bag in your tank for 15–20 minutes so the temperature evens out.
- Tip the shrimp and their water gently into your clean container.
- Start a slow drip from the tank into the container using airline tubing, about 2–3 drips per second. Tie a loose knot or use a valve to slow it.
- Drip for 1–2 hours, until the water in the container has at least doubled, then tripled. Pour some away if it gets too full.
- Net the shrimp into the tank. Don’t pour the bag water in.
- Leave the lights off for the rest of the day and don’t feed until tomorrow.
Why drip instead of just floating the bag?
Floating only matches temperature. The water in the bag can differ from your tank in pH, hardness and TDS, and a sudden jump in any of these can cause shock or a failed moult days later. Dripping changes the water slowly enough for the shrimp to adjust. See our water parameters guide for why these numbers matter.
What is normal in the first few days
- Shrimp hiding, or sitting still on the glass or moss.
- Pale or washed-out colour. It comes back within a week or two as they settle.
- Moulting in the first few days. Leave the old shells in; shrimp eat them for the minerals.
If you are losing shrimp steadily over the first week, see our guide on why shrimp die.
Dead on arrival (DOA)
Royal Mail is quick, but losses can happen. That is why every order includes 20% extra shrimp to cover any losses in transit. If losses are greater than the extras we sent, photograph the shrimp in the unopened bag within 2 hours of delivery and send it to us, and we will put it right. The full terms are on our delivery and DOA policy page.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I acclimatise shrimp for?
1 to 2 hours by the drip method is ideal. Never rush it to under 30 minutes.
Can I just float the bag?
Floating only matches temperature. Shrimp are sensitive to changes in water chemistry, so a slow drip is much safer.
Should I feed new shrimp straight away?
No. Wait until the next day. They are unlikely to eat and leftover food fouls the water.
