Cherry shrimp late in the mail.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Back on Wednesday, October 14, (two weeks ago!) approximately 20 Cherry Shrimp were sent to me by a fellow member of our forum.

They got lost in the mail. After those 14 days they finally arrived in their little bag in a new box... the post office damaged the original box the sender sent them in. A big apology was affixed to the package, attached by those at the post office. The only remains of the original box was the address label with the "from" and "to" addresses barely legible.

When I picked up the package at my apartment managers office I cringed at the thought of opening the box. Thinking about nothing but the smell of rotting shrimp, thinking of Buddhist chants in respect to their lost lives...

When I got the nerve to open the box I first noticed that the plants contained in the plastic bag of water had obviously seen better days... then I noticed movement, and LOTS of it! All of those shrimp, stuck in that plastic bag in a cup of water contained within that dark box for 14 days had survived!!!

I am still amazed!

With fingers crossed they'll live long healthy productive lives in my 29 gallon tank!

[jabbott]

Wow, that's awesome. I would not have had much hope for them to have survived either. So does this mean we can start mailing shrimp via media mail? Kidding...

[Wasserpest]

Cherries are extremely tough. I have (inadvertently) exposed them to extreme conditions, and they are survival experts.

Extreme, as in washing substrate from a former tank in a bucket and adding it to a new tank without water and when filling up a shrimp appearing.

[tranr]

Wow, that's amazing. I'm glad that they were still alive when they arrived.

[KC21386]

Excellent. Even less reason to ever pay premiums for express shipping. Priority will do!

[mgamer20o0]

great story. i only have had one take 7 days and there was no loss. was it a breather bag?

[jargonchipmunk]

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

Cherries are extremely tough. I have (inadvertently) exposed them to extreme conditions, and they are survival experts.

Extreme, as in washing substrate from a former tank in a bucket and adding it to a new tank without water and when filling up a shrimp appearing.

I gave an old buddy of mine a ten gallon when I was done with it. I had taken all of the sms out and washed it, and put it in a bucket with no water. He used that substrate to start up the tank four days later and called me to ask what the little things crawling around were. I went over to his house and sure enough... baby shrimp crawling around in the tank that I had missed. Very resilient creatures.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Originally Posted by mgamer20o0

great story. i only have had one take 7 days and there was no loss. was it a breather bag?

No, they weren't in a breather bag...

[F22]

cherry shrimp can live through anything!

we tranship alot through the store, and when I tell you they hold up to some very questionable conditions i'm not lying... I get about 500 at a clip and after about 60 hours in a bag... (500 shrimp in a bag for 5 days you do the math) I only lose about 2 %

its crazy

[feiyang]

good to know how long they can survive in bad situations...

[smoq]

Originally Posted by feiyang

good to know how long they can survive in bad situations...

Great they survived for you. Mine survived medical treatment in hospital tank and few months in the filter, where they spawned I think When I did a filter maintenance last week I found 21 shrimps inside!