Acclimating Your New Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp For Hobbyists

Disclaimer:These are the instructions that I printinside of the tupperware bowl.
and place in the package for anyone that receives(3)Take a pair of scissors and starting at the top
a shipment of my shrimp. This is the method thatof the bag, cut down the side of the bag (below
I recommend and has been extremely successfulthe knot), allowing the water to pour into the
for me. This is not the "only way" to acclimatebowl and keeping the bag in the water at the
shrimp as there are several other methods. Isame time as it pours out. This allows the shrimp
believe this method is safe and I firmly stand byto be submerged in the water the entire time
it. This method is dependent on receiving a doublewithout having to remove them from the bag
bagged Kordon Breather Bag as well as mossand into air.
inside of the bag, which is how I ship my shrimp(4) Still keeping the bag submerged inside of the
to others.bowl, cut the top off of the bag (below the knot).
Important:This will allow the bag to fully open and collapse
Do not put the bag of shrimp in the tank in andirectly into the water. The shrimp will also swim
attempt to let the water temperatures equalize inright into the bowl at the same time. Now, using a
the bag. This is what you would do if you went toplastic spoon (or similar), "clean" out the inside of
the local fish store and bought a fish. The bagthe collapsed bag ensuring that there are no
that the shrimp are shipped in are specializedremaining shrimp in the bag. Note: keep the moss
"breather bags" which do not require air inside ofas well. The shrimp will cling to the moss so just
the bag. The bag actually "breathes" allowingmove it into the bowl.
oxygen in and CO2 out. Submerging the breather(5)Remove the bag when you are sure that there
bag with the shrimp in it will cause a lack ofare no longer any shrimp inside. All of the shrimp
oxygen, suffocating the shrimp.should have swum out of the bag into the bowl
Acclimating Shrimp before putting it in your tank:either on their own, or with your help.
It is important to acclimate your shrimp whenNow you should have a plastic bowl with the
putting them into their new home. Shrimp arepackage water, moss, and shrimp. The hard part
sensitive to water conditions. You cannotis over: Getting them out of the bag and into the
immediately pour the shrimp into their new tankbowl!
straight from the shipping bag. Following a fewAcclimating with tank water:
steps can ensure that your shrimp will adjust well(1) Take a cup to scoop your tank water into.
to their new home by slowly acclimating them toLook at the amount of water in the bowl and
the new water conditions.estimate how much water volume you think 10%
Tools neededis. Take the cup with the new tank water and
(all tools must be clean and completely sterile. nopour the equivalent 10% into the bowl that you
residue at all!)estimated. Basically you are increasing the water
(1) Small Tupperware bowl (or similar transparentby 10% inside of the bowl with new tank water,
type bowl)slowly acclimating the shrimp.
(2) Plastic Cup (to gather new tank water)(2) Pour the same amount you poured the first
(3) Plastic Spoon (or similar)time (original 10% estimate) into the bowl every 2
Removing the shrimp from the bag:minutes until you have tripled the water that was
It can be difficult to remove the shrimp from theoriginally in the bowl (total of 40-45 minutes).
breather bag. The breather bag is not wide(3) Afterwards your bowl water is 1/3 old and 2
enough to attempt to put a net in and scoop out.3 new tank water.
Also, if you try to just pour the water out of theYour shrimp are good to go at this point as they
bag into a container you run the risk of gettinghave adjusted to the temperate and water
shrimp stuck in the bag, and it is difficult toconditions of your new tank having followed these
remove them when this happens. I have triedsteps carefully.
numerous methods at removing the shrimp fromPlacing the Shrimp into their new home:
a breather bag, and this is by far the bestI recommend taking a small net and scooping the
method. I do this every single time I receive newshrimp out of the bowl and placing them in the
shrimp and consider it the only way to do it.tank. I do not recommend dumping the bowl
(1) Carefully open the box and do not rip it open.water into the tank. Remember to keep an eye
Use a knife or scissors to cut the tape at the topof the moss if you decide to throw it away,
and open the box. Remove the top insulation andthere may be shrimp attached to it.
the paper. You will then see the bag of shrimp.Wait to feed the shrimp; do not feed them
(2) After removing the bag you should see theimmediately. Let them get used to the tank first.
shrimp inside swimming around franticly (theySometimes I don't feed mine for the first 24
haven't seen light in a few days). There is also ahours; I let them scavenge throughout the tank
piece of moss in there. Put the unopened bagduring that time.